Mexicans Reload and Female Fight News April 23
By David A. Avila
Maybe it’s the proximity to Cinco de Mayo as Mexican prizefighters seem to be revving up the engines this weekend in major match ups throughout Mexico and North America.
Mariana “La Barby” Juarez returns to the forefront as Mexico’s major attraction both in and out of the boxing ring. The Mexico City icon matches blows with Costa Rica’s Carolina Arias for the WBC bantamweight world title at Puebla, Mexico. It’s where the actual battle took place on Cinco de Mayo over 150 years ago between Mexico and France.
Who better to celebrate the historic victory than Juarez?
For more than 20 years the Mexico City native has embarked on an unprecedented journey to lead female boxing to the forefront of her country. Women prize fights dominate the television waves throughout Mexico on its two major networks. Juarez led the cause.
Juarez faces Arias a former world title challenger who is part of a three woman brigade who are all making waves for female boxing in Costa Rica. The other is Hanna Gabriel the super welterweight world champion and Yokasta Valle the former mini flyweight world champion.
It’s Costa Rica versus Mexico on Saturday April 28.
Tijuana
About 1,800 north of Puebla, in the border city of Tijuana, Mexico, that city’s young warrior empress Kenia Enriquez battles another Costa Rican in Yokasta Valle. It also takes place on Saturday April 28.
Enriquez has quickly become Mexico’s most dangerous and feared light flyweight. Known as a murderess puncher the lithe fighter has knocked out or knocked down each of her past two opponents and currently holds the interim WBC light flyweight title. It’s a mystery why she does not have the full-fledged title.
Facing Enriquez will be the speedy Valle who just recently challenged five division world champion Naoko Fujioka of Japan in Tokyo. She knew the house was stacked against her and still accepted the fight. That says a lot about her confidence. She warred with Fujioka and was competitive until the end. Now she faces Enriquez in her hometown.
“I just want to fight the best,” said Valle about accepting the fight in Tijuana and not at neutral ground. “Mexico has the best fans and I want them to know all about me.”
It’s all about Valle’s speed versus Enriquez’s power and should be very interesting.
Also in Tijuana, Amaris “Diamond Girl” Quintana fights Carol Castrol Madrid at the Caliente Casino in Tijuana in a light flyweight bout set for six rounds. Quintana fights out of San Diego and returns to the same venue where she scored a devastating second round knockout win last month. She had been inactive due to medical reasons for two years and returned with a boom.
Though her true weight is 105, she is forced to fight at heavier weights or face inactivity. Once again she will be fighting at 108.
Los Angeles
One month after scoring a gruesome second round knockout Adelaida “La Cobra” Ruiz (4-0) returns to her Los Angeles stomping grounds and faces undefeated Reyna Garcia Cotija (5-0) in the co-main event on Saturday April 28, at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel in downtown Los Angeles.
The Mexican-American fighter out of Lynwood, a neighboring city just outside L.A. city limits, has rocketed into the upper tiers of fan favorites with her dynamic style and deadly combinations.
Last month, Ruiz used a devastating left hook to send her opponent through the ropes and nearly out of the ring. The opponent was out cold before she landed and needed several minutes to recover.
Also on the same L.A. fight card diminutive Lorraine Villalobos (1-0) fights Elvia Trevino (2-2) in a light flyweight match. It’s a rematch. Like Quintana, the tiny Villalobos has problems finding opponents her weight and is forced to fight heavier girls. But her speed and skill allow her to compete on equal terms.
Brooklyn
Ireland’s Katie Taylor returns to American shores to face South American Victoria Bustos in a unification bout for the IBF and WBA lightweight world titles on Saturday April 28. The clash takes place at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Taylor recently engaged in terse battle last December and maybe her team realized it was time to go for broke or hang up the gloves. Her fight with Chicago’s Jessica McCaskill showed vulnerability as she was shook a couple of times.
Now she faces Argentina’s Bustos who does not seem to have the stopping power of McCaskill. In 22 pro bouts Bustos has yet to score a knockout. Whereas McCaskill had three knockouts in five wins. Plus McCaskill is half Mexican according to her trainer.
Taylor may not want to fight or face any more American girls like Mikaela Mayer, Amanda Serrano or Layla McCarter who all know how to put opponents to sleep.
Female Fight News
Argentina
Karen Carabajal (16-0) defeated Maria Capriolo (7-9-4) by unanimous decision after six rounds on Saturday April 21. The lightweight fight was held in Buenos Aires. Also, Maria Belen (1-1) beat Elizabeth Britos (1-5-1) by decision after four super bantamweight rounds.
Daniela Rivero (5-1) beat Lorena Moreyra (0-5-1) by majority decision after six rounds on Saturday April 21. The bantamweight fight took place in Rafael Calzada, Buenos Aires.
Anahi Esther Sanchez (19-3) knocked out Diana Ayala (20-14-4) in the first round on Friday April 20. The win gives Sanchez the vacant WBA super lightweight world title and took place in Pergamino, Buenos Aires.
Australia
Sarah George (3-4) beat Monthida Rattanachai (0-3) by unanimous decision after six rounds on Saturday April 21. The win gives George the Australian Queensland flyweight title.
Brazil
Rose Volante (13-0) knocked out Panama’s Lourdes Borbua (8-1) in the sixth round in a battle of undefeated knockout artists on Saturday April 21. The win retains the WBO lightweight title for Volante. The fight took place in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Also, Danila Ramos (5-0) beat Caroline Foro (0-2) by decision in a bantamweight fight.
Canada
On Saturday April 28, featherweights Jelena Mrdjenovich (37-10-2) and Stephanie Ducastel (8-3-2) meet for the WBC world title at Edmonton, Canada. Mrdjenovich, 35, is considered one of the top female fighters pound for pound in the world. This is a rematch with France’s Ducastel that ended in a draw last July 2017.
France
Elise Bussiere (2-0) defeated Anne Sophie-Schneider (0-3) by decision after four rounds. The featherweight bout was held in Avermes.
Mexico
Sulem Urbina (6-0) and Gabriela Sanchez (2-1) fight ended in a no contest due to a clash of heads that resulted in a bad cut on Urbina in the first round in Guadalajara.
On Saturday April 28, bantamweights Mariana Juarez (48-9-4, 18 KOs) and Costa Rica’s Carolina Arias (14-2, 6 KOs) meet in a 10 round fight for the WBC title at Puebla, Mexico.
On Saturday April 28, light flyweights Kenia Enriquez (20-1) and Yokasta Valle (13-1) meet in a 10-round fight for the interim WBC light flyweight title at Tijuana, Mexico. Enriquez, 24, fights out of Tijuana. Valle, 25, fights out of Costa Rica. Both are former world champions.
On Saturday April 28, straw weights Amaris Quintana (10-3-2) and Carol Castro Madrid (6-11) meet in a six round fight at Tijuana, Mexico. Quintana, 28, fights out of San Diego, California. Castro fights out of Ciudad Obregon.
Poland
Ewa Brodnicka (15-0) was the winner by unanimous decision after 10 rounds versus Canada’s Sarah Pucek (8-3-1) on Saturday April 21. The win retains the WBO super featherweight title for Brodnicka. The fight took place at ul Zuzlowa.
Sweden
Mikaela Lauren (30-5) won by majority decision over Germany’s Verena Kaiser (10-1) after 10 rounds on Saturday April 21. The win by Lauren gives her the vacant IBO super welterweight title and took place in Sundsvall.
United Kingdom
Natasha Jones (6-0) won by seventh round technical knockout over Taoussy L’Hadji (5-7-1) on Saturday April 21. The win gives Jones the vacant WBA International super featherweight title and took place in Liverpool, England.
USA
Heather Hardy (21-0) defeated Mexico’s Iranda Paola Torres (12-3-1) by unanimous decision after eight rounds on Saturday April 21. The win gives Hardy the vacant NABF featherweight title and took place in Brooklyn, New York.
On Saturday April 28, bantamweights Adelaida Ruiz (4-0) and Reyna Garcia Cotija (4-0) meet in a six round bout at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel in downtown Los Angeles. Also, Lorraine Villalobos (1-0) fights Elvia Trevino (2-2) in a light flyweight bout.
On Saturday April 28, WBA lightweight titlist Katie Taylor (8-0, 4 KOs) of Ireland faces Argentina’s Victoria Bustos (18-4) who has the IBF lightweight title in a unification clash at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.