La Cobra and Female Fight News Nov. 5, 2018
By David A. Avila
Southern California has another gem in the female fight world as Adelaida “La Cobra” Ruiz dismantled Ecuador’s Jhosep Vizcaino in two rounds to win by knockout.
Interestingly, the tall speedy Ruiz dropped down in weight and could drop down even further.
“I felt great, powerful, no differences,” said La Cobra about dropping down to 114 pounds.
It was her fourth consecutive knockout and this time as a super flyweight.
Ruiz, 30, has become part of a new wave of female prizefighters that see a future for women after nearly a decade of indifference by promoters and media interest. Ironically, she was out of boxing during the shuttered doors to her sport.
The Los Angeles prizefighter is entering her third year as a professional. When she made her pro debut on April 2017, it was at featherweight. “La Cobra” has also fought at super bantamweight, bantamweight and now at super flyweight in less than two years.
In the male world of prizefighting it’s rare when top fighters move up and down in weight divisions. In the female fight world it’s almost a necessity if you want to expand your opportunities.
Elite fighters like Claressa Shields, Amanda Serrano and Layla McCarter move in and out of different weight classes with ease. Their boxing skills enable them to fend against heavier opponents or the smaller quicker opposition. You can add Ruiz to that group.
On Saturday, in Montebello, Calif. the speedy Ruiz knocked down Vizcaino a total of three times in two rounds. And this was despite the Ecuadorean fighter trying to run away at full speed from the opening bell. “La Cobra” tracked down Vizcaino like one of those cheetahs you see on adventure channels corralling an antelope.
“La Cobra” Ruiz has four consecutive knockouts and all have been true knockouts, not stoppages where a fighter never hit the floor. All took place this year.
A large sold out crowd of about 500 showed up at the Quiet Cannon event center. The venue has been around for many decades and featured some great fighters in the past and recent past including super bantamweight world champion Isaac Dogboe and former cruiserweight world champion Murat Gassiev and many others.
Could Ruiz be the next world champion?
The mother of three made her debut at the Quiet Cannon and has quickly built a large following of friends and fans eager to watch her knock out another foe. So far Ruiz has two of the best knockouts of the year, female or male. It’s difficult to select which of the two was more impressive.
Vicious knockouts in the female fight world are rare but can be costly. Once potential foes see the result they tend to shy away from Ruiz and her heavy hands. But it comes with the territory.
The next step for “La Cobra” could very well be for a title.
“Honestly, I feel ready,” said Ruiz after her recent win. “I would like to explore the super flyweight contenders.”
Currently, the WBC super flyweight titlist is Guadalupe Martinez who dethroned Zulina Munoz after that fighter held it for four years and 10 title defenses. Now Martinez holds the title and Ruiz would like to challenge the Mexico City native.
“The challenge of boxing is what I truly love about the sport,” said “La Cobra”.
Mexican fighters
This weekend two world champions from different parts of Mexico take part in world title fights in Tijuana.
First, Jackie Nava, the former super bantamweight world titlist, moves down to bantamweight to fight against Venezuela’s Carolina Alvarez. It’s a test for Tijuana’s Nava who has not fought at 118 pounds since her epic second battle against now retired Ana Maria Torres in 2011. Three months earlier she fought Torres in the Fight of the Year that ended in a draw.
Also, WBA super bantamweight titlist Yazmin Rivas defends against Argentina’s Cristina Del Valle Pacheco in a 10 round clash on the same Tijuana card as Nava. For years Rivas reigned as the bantamweight titlist and recently jumped up in weight and promptly took the world title away from Colombia’s Liliana Palmera by fifth round knockout.
Mexican fighters are extremely tough to beat in their home turf.
Speaking of Mexican fighters, newly crowned Brenda Flores who holds the atom weight world title literally fights down the street from where her sister fighters are competing. Flores (14-4-1) fights Lucia Hernandez (6-9) in a nontitle fight at the Grand Hotel in Tijuana. That’s walking distance from where Nava and Rivas are performing.
Flores captured the title from Louisa Hawton by split decision last September in the Los Angeles area.
Shields on DAZN
Claressa Shields will defend her middleweight world titles against Scotland’s Hannah Rankin and it will be shown on DAZN on Nov. 17.
Too bad Showtime didn’t pick it up. But it affords fans of female prizefighting another opportunity to watch the meteoric rise of the sport. It also allows DAZN more credibility and visibility.
So far 2018 has been an even better year than 2017 for Shields.
More Female Fight News
Argentina
Roxana Bermudez (1-0) was the winner in the battle of debuting fighters against Antonella Molina (0-1) on Saturday Nov. 3. The super flyweight match took place at Arroyo Seco, Santa Fe.
Abril Vidal (5-0) beat Gladys Segui (3-6-1) by technical knockout in the fifth round on Saturday Nov. 3. The super welterweight fight was held in Olivos, Buenos Aires.
Australia
On Saturday Nov. 10, super featherweights Rachel Loder (1-0) and Belinda Sedgwick (0-3) meet in a six round fight at Tweed Heads.
Austria
Carina Greimel (3-1-1) won by knockout of Branka Arambasic (0-2) in round three on Saturday Nov. 3. The super featherweight fight was held in Weiz.
Belgium
Jill Serron (5-1) defeated Sonia Klos (0-4) by unanimous decision after eight rounds on Friday Nov. 2. The super flyweight match took place at Sint Truiden, Limburg.
Bulgaria
Galina Gumliiska (11-39-1) won by unanimous decision Kristiana Turliaridu (0-1) after four rounds on Saturday Nov. 3. The lightweight bout took place in Sofia.
Canada
Kandi Wyatt (7-0) defeated Zsofia Bedo (19-42-1) by technical knockout in round two on Saturday Nov. 3. The super lightweight contest was held in Calgary.
France
Jelena Janicijevic (1-1) won by technical knockout in the third round over Donya Darouiche (1-1) on Saturday Nov. 3. The lightweight match took place at Marseille.
Segolene Lefebvre (11-0) was the winner by unanimous decision after 10 rounds versus Argentina’s Yesica Marcos (28-2-2) on Friday Nov. 2. The win gives Lefebvre the WBF super bantamweight title and took place at Douai, Nord.
On Friday Nov. 9, flyweights Laetitia Arzalier (11-1) and Ivanka Ivanova (1-3-1) meet in a six round fight at Cahors, Lot.
On Saturday Nov. 10, super lightweights Oshin Derieuw (9-0) and Dominican Republic’s Dahiana Santana (36-9) meet in a 10 round clash for a title in Calais.
Hungary
Kinga Magyar (6-4) won by knockout over Danka Matijasevic (0-1) in the first round on Sunday Oct. 28. The super lightweight match was held at Sopron.
Italy
On Sunday Nov. 11, flyweights Francesca Paglia (0-0) and Valeria De Francesco (0-0) meet in a four round bout at Francofonte, Sicily.
Japan
Chie Higano (7-7-1) and Yumi Narita (3-2-3) fought to a split draw after six rounds on Wednesday Oct. 31. The minimum weight match took place at Tokyo.
Mexico
Jocelyn Garcia (1-3) got her first win as a pro by second round knockout of Ruby Villegas (0-1) on Friday Nov. 2. The super flyweight contest took place at Merida.
On Saturday Nov. 10, bantamweights Jackie Nava (34-4-3) and Carolina Alvarez (14-9-4) meet in a 10 round WBA title clash at Tijuana. Also, super bantamweights Yazmin Rivas (38-10-1) and Cristina Pacheco (11-11-2) meet in a 10 round WBA title fight.
Poland
On Saturday Nov. 10, super welterweights Ewa Piatkowska (11-1) and Switzerland’s Ornella Domini (13-1) meet for the WBC world title at Gliwice. This is the second defense of the title for Piatkowska who is 34 and fights out of Poland.
Slovakia
Claudia Ferenczi (18-67-8) defeated Maria Domeova (0-5) by knockout in the second round on Saturday Nov. 3. The flyweight match took place at Muzla.
Sweden
On Saturday Nov. 10, welterweights Yamila Belen (6-2) and Patricia Berghult (10-0) meet in an eight round clash at Orebro.
United Arab Emirates
On Friday Nov. 9, super bantamweights Ani Aroyan (0-0) and Manisha Pal (0-1) meet in a four round bout at Dubai.
United Kingdom
Jade Taylor (2-0) defeated Lana Cooper (0-10) by decision after four rounds on Saturday Nov. 3. The lightweight fight took place in Irlam, Lancashire.
USA
Adelaida Ruiz (7-0) knocked out Jhosep Vizcaino (7-8) in the second round on Saturday Nov. 3. The super flyweight match took place at Montebello, Calif.
Micaela Fox (1-3) got her first win as a pro by split decision after four rounds versus Katie Newholy (0-1) on Friday Nov. 2. The lightweight fight took place at Fort Yates, North Dakota.
(Photo by Al Applerose)