What if I told you that sometimes, greatness gets cut short?
The UCA Jr Cruiserweight Champion Gerardo Serrano, representing the Reedley Police Department, was one of the most technically sound fighters to ever step into a UCA ring. He had it all, speed, power, precision, and made it all look effortless. Inside the ropes, Serrano was poetry in motion.
In 2019 at the Central California Battle of the Badges, Serrano challenged the undefeated #1 ranked Aaron Benoit, CDCR – CHCF. It was more than a fight, it was a chess match between two evenly matched warriors with identical skills and wills. Every exchange had the crowd on their feet. This was high level boxing, where inches and instincts made the difference. Benoit would claim the title to become the new UCA Jr Cruiserweight Champion.
Serrano and Benoit were so evenly matched that if they fought ten times, each bout would be razor close and decided by who was a little better on that night. Their 2019 clash could have sparked one of the greatest rivalries in public safety boxing history.
But life had other plans. Family and career obligations pulled Serrano away from the ring, leaving fans to wonder what could have been.
Maybe one day, we’ll see Serrano and Benoit step through the ropes again as Masters fighters bringing the story full circle.