Female Fight News Sept. 24, 2018 Mexican Women Continue TV Success
By David A. Avila
Two world title fights in different parts of Mexico took place and were both televised on that country’s main television networks.
Imagine if that happened in the USA?
While Yesenia Gomez battled WBC titlist Esmeralda Moreno for the light flyweight title in Cancun, two thousand miles north WBO flyweight titlist Arely Mucino was trading blows with Maria Salinas in Monterrey, Mexico. Televisa and Azteca televised the main events.
Yes, you read correctly. Both female bouts were main events.
Gomez defeated Moreno by a majority decision after their first clash ended in a majority draw four months ago. This time one more judge believed Gomez was the winner and she walked home with the WBC belt. Televisa captured the moment.
In Northern Mexico the WBO titlist Mucino walked into her foe’s hometown and walked out still holding the flyweight title. Azteca televised the event.
Meanwhile, in the USA, we can barely get female prize fights televised let alone featured on the main event. American television can learn from Mexican television that success can be garnered if female prizefighting is shown.
Lately, boxing has proven to be growing emphatically and female prizefighting is enjoying a burst of popularity. Fights like Heather Hardy vs. Shelly Vincent should be televised. It’s definitely a fight that has an audience waiting to see it on both coasts. Several other fights deserve television.
Kenia
Speaking of Mexico, we received word from former WBO flyweight titlist Kenia Enriquez who dropped down to her natural light flyweight division and holds the WBC interim light flyweight title. She will be returning to the boxing ring after a long absence.
“I fight on October 1, here in Tijuana with Zanfer (promotions),” said Enriquez, 24, who lives in the burgeoning boxing town of Tijuana.
Enriquez could be in line to fight Gomez for the WBC title that she won. Or, she could be ordered to fight Moreno again. Gomez might prefer that fight instead of the very dangerous Enriquez.
One more thing on Tijuana, there’s a gym located in the center of town that has more than 50 girls and women training every day. It’s not luck that the border town has several world champions with more coming. Recently Brenda Flores won the WBC atom weight division title in Los Angeles. She’s a product of Tijuana.
Texas
A pivotal battle in the lightweight division took place with San Antonio’s Selina Barrios fighting Denver’s Paty Juarez in defense of the NABF title on Saturday in Corpus Christi, Texas.
The only way to view the fight was by someone holding their phone and showing it on Instagram. It was very difficult to view because the picture would often get distorted. But after 10 rounds all three judges had it a wipe out for Barrios.
In actuality, the fight was very close with both fighters winning rounds according to what we witnessed on social media. But Barrios did win the fight.
Juarez, the middle sister of Mariana “Barby” Juarez and Lourdes “La Pequena Lulu” Juarez, said it was a good learning lesson for her.
“It was the first time I was in a difficult fight,” said Juarez. “Head butts distracted my attention but I learned from this encounter. Let’s move forward and I would like to get a rematch.”
Barrios was surprised that Juarez survived.
“She was tough,” said Barrios, adding that she wants the big challenges now like Katie Taylor, Mikaela Mayer and Amanda Serrano.
La Cobra
Hot bantamweight prospect Adelaida “La Cobra” Ruiz had her fight canceled when her opponent dropped out. Ruiz was scheduled to fight on Saturday Sept. 29, at the Quiet Cannon in Montebello. It’s located on the border of East Los Angeles.
Ruiz, 28, is a heavy hitter and currently has no manager or promoter. She sells a heap of tickets and recently defeated an undefeated fighter from Mexico City. The end came via knockout. Her reputation is growing quickly.
The Los Angeles-based bantamweight recently was visited by Mariana Juarez during the summer. Ruiz was fighting Karla Valenzuela at a Southern California. Juarez gave Ruiz some advice and also met with her old guru Ben Lira who trained her back in the early 2000s. Lira now works with Gennady “GGG” Golovkin and Abel Sanchez.
More Female Fight News
Argentina
Daniela Rivero (7-1) was the winner by unanimous decision after six rounds versus Lilian Silva (4-6-1) on Friday Sept. 21. The super bantamweight fight took place at Rafael Calzada, Buenos Aires. Also, Iara Altamirano (4-0-1) defeated Alejandra Morales (2-19-3) in a bantamweight bout.
On Saturday Sept. 29, super bantamweights Laura Griffa (16-2) and Soledad Del Valle Frias (13-12-4) meet in a 10 round contest at Buenos Aires.
Austria
Nicole Wesner (15-0) knocked out Nana Chakhvashvili (6-9) in the fifth round on Saturday Sept. 22. The win gives Wesner various lightweight titles and took place at Vienna.
Brazil
On Saturday Sept. 29, lightweights Rosa Volante (13-0) and Yolis Franco (22-9-4) meet in a 10 round fight for the WBO title at Sao Paolo. Volante, 36, won the title by knockout last April.
Canada
Delores Garcia (3-1) knocked out Madison Blakely (0-2) in the third round on Saturday Sept. 22. The featherweight match took place in Oshawa, Ontario.
Chile
Daniela Asenjo (8-2-2) knocked out Carlota Santos (7-6-5) in the third round on Saturday Sept. 2. The super flyweight bout took place in San Francisco de Mostazal and gives Asenjo a regional WBA title.
China
Jinyan Gao (2-0) defeated Sai Nan Ji (0-1) by unanimous decision after four rounds on Friday Sept. 21. The bantamweight fight took place at Diaobingshan.
Colombia
Calixta Silgado (17-10-3) was by knockout in the fourth round over Neisi Torres (13-9-1) on Friday Sept. 21. The featherweight fight was held in Tolu.
Czech Republic
Fabiana Bytyqi (14-0) was the winner by unanimous decision over Denise Castle (2-2) after 10 rounds on Saturday Sept. 22. The minimum weight fight took place in Sluneta.
France
On Saturday Sept. 29, light flyweights Anne Sophie Da Costa (25-3) and Kitti Kolompar (1-3) meet in a six round contest at Civray, Vienne. Also, Melanie Mercier (1-3-1) and Claudia Ferenczi (17-65-8) meet in a six round flyweight match.
Japan
On Saturday Sept. 29, minimum weights Yuko Kuroki (18-5-1) and Saemi Hanagata (14-7-4) meet in a 10 round fight at Tokyo.
Mexico
Yesenia Gomez (14-5-3) defeated Esmeralda Moreno (35-11-2) by majority decision after 10 rounds on Saturday Sept. 22. The win at light flyweight gives Gomez the WBC world title and took place at Cancun. It was the second time they fought in four months. Their last clash ended in a draw. Also, former heavyweight champion Alejandra Jimenez (11-0-1) knocked out Katerin Vindiola (2-1) in the third round of a super middleweight fight. Jimenez, 31, is now campaigning at super middleweight to obtain more fights.
Arely Mucino (27-3-2) was the winner by split decision after 10 rounds versus Maria Salinas 19-7-3) on Saturday Sept. 22. The flyweight WBO title fight took place at Monterrey, Nuevo Leon. It was 29-year-old Mucino’s first defense of the title she won in February.
Luz Arguello (2-1-1) defeated Ana Laura Reyes (1-7) by decision on Saturday Sept. 22. The light flyweight match took place in Mexico City.
On Saturday Sept. 29, lightweights Aida Satybaldinova (3-1-1) and Veronica Valteirra (0-1) meet in a four round fight at Tijuana.
New Zealand
Lani Daniels (4-1) was victorious over Tessa Tualevao (0-6) after eight rounds on Saturday Sept. 2. The super middleweight match was held at Cambridge.
Panama
On Thursday Sept. 27, super bantamweights Laura Ledezma (12-0) and Maria Miranda (16-15) meet in a eight round fight at Panama City.
Puerto Rico
On Friday Sept. 28, minimum weights Magnanamai Baez (0-0) and Genesis Lopez (0-0) meet in a four round fight at Trujillo Alto.
Russia
Viktoria Shvalova (1-0) won by unanimous decision over Tamara Otyrgasheva (0-1) after four rounds on Friday Sept. 21. The middleweight fight was held at Irkutsk.
Singapore
On Saturday Sept. 29, super flyweights Efasha Kamarudin (1-0) and Petcharas Superchamp (0-0) meet in a four round fight at Singapore.
Spain
Vikotorija Simonova (1-0) upset Cristina Garrobo (4-1) by knockout in the third round on Saturday Sept. 22. The flyweight fight took place in Villarrubia de Santiago.
Switzerland
On Saturday Sept. 29, welterweights Ornella Domini (12-1) and Mari Tatunashvili (4-5-2) meet in an eight round contest at Geneva. Also, super bantamweights Pamela Treand (8-0) and Sopo Kintsurashvili (4-0-1) meet in a six round fight.
Taiwan
On Saturday Sept. 29, super flyweights Wensi Huang (9-3-1) and Jarusiri Rongmuang (3-0) meet in an eight round clash at Taipei.
Thailand
Napaporn Ruengsuwan (2-1) was the winner by decision versus Sumalee Tongpootorn (9-13-1) on Sunday Sept. 23. The bantamweight fight was held in Ramkamhaeng, Bangkok. Also, Kanyarat Yoohanngoh (4-2) beat Rungnapha Phangsin (0-1) by decision in a four round light flyweight fight.
United Kingdom
Dani Hodges (2-1) was declared the winner by decision after four rounds against Sonia Klos (0-3) on Saturday Sept. 22. The flyweight fight was held in West Midlands.
USA
Selina Barrios (5-0) won by unanimous decision after 10 rounds versus Patricia Juarez (4-1) on Saturday Sept. 22. The lightweight fight took place in Corpus Christi, Texas. The win by San Antonio’s Barrios retains the NABF title. Denver’s Juarez is the sister of Mariana and Lourdes Juarez.
Ava Knight (16-2-4) was the winner by unanimous decision after six rounds versus Nancy Franco (17-14-2) on Saturday Sept. 22. The flyweight battle took place in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Tiara Brown (6-0) defeated last-minute replacement Jasmine Clarkson (4-13) by stoppage in the fourth round. The lightweight fight took place in Bowie, Maryland.
On Saturday Sept. 29, light flyweights Lorraine Villalobos (2-0) and Monica Flores (4-3) meet in a four round contest at Montebello, Calif.
On Saturday Sept. 29, featherweights Melissa St. Vil (10-3-4) and Mayra Hernandez (6-0) meet in an eight round fight at Brooklyn, New York.
On Saturday Sept. 29, heavyweights Sonja Fox (7-0) and Claire Hafner (2-1) meet in a six round clash at New Town, South Dakota.
On Saturday Sept. 29, super welterweights Bertha Aracil (4-0) and Sarah Curran (3-1) meet in a six round contest at Rising Sun, Indiana.
On Sunday Sept. 30, bantamweights Rosalinda Rodriguez (6-0) and Martinz Horgasz (2-1) meet in a six round clash at Boston.