rio ▁in ▁Cor oz al . ▁ ▁Professional ▁box ing ▁career ▁Ser rano , ▁owner ▁of ▁long ▁arms , ▁began ▁his ▁career ▁on ▁October ▁ 2 9 , ▁ 1 9 6 9 ▁with ▁a ▁four - round ▁decision ▁win ▁over ▁Ram on ▁La ure ano . ▁He ▁built ▁a ▁fan ▁base ▁in ▁Puerto ▁Rico , ▁campaign ing ▁there ▁for ▁his ▁first ▁ 2 3 ▁b outs , ▁including ▁winning ▁and ▁losing ▁the ▁Puerto ▁R ican ▁Fe ather weight ▁title ▁v . s ▁Francisco ▁Vil leg as . ▁For ▁his ▁ 2 4 th ▁bout , ▁he ▁tra ve led ▁to ▁Pan ama ▁City , ▁where ▁he ▁met ▁future ▁world ▁Fe ather weight ▁champion ▁Ern esto ▁Marcel , ▁who ▁beat ▁him ▁on ▁points ▁in ▁ 1 0 ▁r ounds . ▁That ▁would ▁be ▁his ▁last ▁defeat ▁in ▁a ▁long ▁time . ▁ ▁He ▁then ▁continued ▁his ▁winning ▁ways , ▁including ▁a ▁ 1 0 - round ▁decision ▁win ▁over ▁t ough ▁veter an ▁C ocoa ▁Pere z ▁and ▁one ▁win ▁over ▁former ▁title ▁ch allen ger ▁Diego ▁Al cala , ▁also ▁by ▁decision ▁in ▁ 1 0 . ▁Ser rano ▁then ▁travel led ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 6 ▁to ▁Hon ol ulu , ▁Hawai i , ▁to ▁meet ▁reign ing ▁Line al ▁and ▁W BA ▁world ▁j r . ▁Light weight ▁champion , ▁the ▁Filip ino ▁Ben ▁Villa fl or . ▁By ▁most ▁writer ' s ▁accounts , ▁Ser rano ▁beat ▁Villa fl or , ▁but ▁he ▁had ▁to ▁return ▁home ▁only