Claressa Shields Added to L.A. Fight Card and More Female Fight News

Claressa Shields Added to Already Strong Fight Card in L.A.

 

By David A. Avila

Mere days after a shutout win Claressa Shields returns to the boxing ring to defend the WBC, WBA, IBF middleweight world titles against Femke Hermans on Dec. 8, on the Los Angeles area fight card featuring two other female fights it was announced today.

“It’s an HBO triple-header starting with Claressa Shields, then followed by Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez,” said Tom Loeffler, who heads 360 Promotions. “Cecilia Braekhus is making history as the main event on a premium cable station.”

With the addition of undefeated Shields (7-0) versus Hermans (9-1) on the StubHub Center card, three female world title fights make it the most powerful female prizefighting card of the year. It also includes welterweight world champion Braekhus (34-0) vs Aleksandra Magdziak-Lopes (18-4-3).

The WBC atomweight fight between defending champion Brenda Flores (15-4-1) and Louisa Hawton (8-2) will not be televised.

Shields will be fighting exactly 21 days after her clash last Saturday in Kansas. That’s old school prizefighting and HBO will make its final boxing broadcast featuring two female bouts.

“I’m so excited to be fighting live on HBO and to share the stage with Cecelia Braekhus on December 8. It’s a great step forward for women’s boxing to have the two best female fighters in the world on the same card on worldwide television,” said Shields.

This past weekend Shields won every round against Scotland’s Hannah Rankin in a display of power boxing in the 10 round middleweight fight in Kansas. It was streamed by DAZN and now HBO will be televising the former two-time Olympic gold medalist. Showtime will be showing her eventual clash with Germany’s Christina Hammer early next year.

Shields is smashing barriers.

“Claressa Shields is a very special athlete on a mission to lift women’s boxing and to prove she’s the greatest female boxer ever,” said Dmitry Salita of Salita Promotions which promotes Shields.

A month ago 360 Promotions attempted to entice Shields to fight the welterweight champion Braekhus, but she was already committed to fight on the DAZN card against Rankin. After Shields convincing win she then agreed today to fight on the Southern California boxing card.

Mark Taffet, who manages Shields, said his protégé is eager to perform.

“Having spent a quarter century at HBO, it will be very meaningful and memorable for me to see Claressa Shields in that ring on December 8.  I thank HBO, Tom Loeffler and Salita Promotions for providing this great night and opportunity for Claressa,” said Taffet, the former president of sports programming for HBO.

In a few weeks history indeed will be made with three female world title fights on the same card at the StubHub Center in Los Angeles. HBO will televise two of the female title fights and the former male pound for pound best Chocolatito Gonzalez.

“It’s a great honor to be promoting the last HBO show,” said Loeffler.

 

WBC in Philippines

Champions gathered in the Philippines for the WBC Female Women’s Convention this past weekend. A few weeks ago the WBO also had its convention in Panama. Not long ago, conventions for female fighters were rare and virtually unnecessary.

Times have changed for the better.

Among those in Manila were titlists Kenia Enriquez, Melissa St. Vil, Franchon Crews, Jelena Mrdjenovich, Fabiana Bytyqi, Raja Amasheh, and former champions Erica Farias, Martha Salazar, and Alicia Ashley.

Women’s prizefighting has leaped miles ahead with the help of promoters, television networks and now with sanctioning organizations lending a hand too.

“We are very proud and happy to say that women’s boxing is growing and the WBC is a leading force in this development.  Women’s fights are now broadcast on big networks in the United States and in many countries women fighters are the main events. More and more countries understand that this a reality,” said Malte Muller Michaelis, chairman of the WBC women’s championship committee.

Mexico

Seniesa Estrada knocked out Debora Rengifo in the fourth round to win the vacant WBC Silver light flyweight title last Saturday in Mexicali, Mexico. While crossing back the INS agents asked her what she was bringing back from Mexico?

“Just this belt,” answered Estrada showing him the green and gold WBC belt.

Despite a cold and fighting outdoors in the bull ring, the East L.A. prizefighter Estrada dominated Venezuela’s Rengifo and won by knockout.

“I wasn’t even 80 percent but I got the job done. That’s what makes great fighters,” said Estrada to Golden Boy Radio on Monday. “You’re not always going to fight in the best circumstances.”

Estrada said she would like to fight current WBC minimumweight titlist Anabel Ortiz of Mexico if possible.

“I want to be known as the best in my division. My next fight hopefully will be for a world title,” said Estrada, 26. “I would like to fight (Anabel Ortiz) because she’s had the title for six years. She’s a good champion so I want to beat her.”

 

More Female Fight News

Argentina

Iara Altamirano (5-0-1) defeated Lorena Moreyra (0-7-1) by unanimous decision after six rounds on Saturday Nov. 17. The featherweight fight was held at Rafael Calzada, Buenos Aires.

Marianela Ramirez (4-2) knocked out Sabrina Perez (16-1-1) in the first round on Friday Nov. 16. The super bantamweight fight took place at Isidro Casanova, Buenos Aires.

On Friday Nov. 23, super bantamweights Florencia Juarez (0-0) and Rosa Caraballo (0-0) meet in a four round contest at Buenos Aires.

 

Australia

Tayla Harris (4-0-1) and Sara Dwyer (3-4-2) fought to a draw after eight rounds on Saturday Nov. 17. The Australian middleweight title fight was held in Flemington, Victoria.

On Saturday Nov. 24, super flyweights Ebanie Bridges (0-0) and Rungnapha Kaewkrachang (13-15-1) meet in four round bout at Fairy Meadow, New South Wales.

 

Bulgaria

Liliya Simova (1-1) beat Maria Nikolova (0-1) by decision after four rounds on Saturday Nov. 17. The super lightweight fight was held in Sofia.

 

Canada

Shelly Barnett (4-0-2) and Margarita Angeles (3-4-1) fought to a majority draw after six rounds on Saturday Nov. 17. The super flyweight fight took place at Toronto.

On Friday Nov. 23, super flyweights Alisah McPhee (4-2-1) and Judit Pereira (1-1) meet in an eight round fight at Langley, British Colombia.

On Saturday Nov. 24, light flyweights Kim Clavel (4-0) and Ana Victoria Polo (7-3) meet in a six round fight at Quebec.

 

Chile

Daniela Asenjo (9-2-2) won by technical knockout in the third round over Daniela Rivero (7-2) on Friday Nov. 16. The WBA Fedalatin super flyweight fight took place at Valdivia.

 

Denmark

On Saturday Nov. 24, featherweights Sarah Mahfoud (6-0) and Stephanie Ducastel (8-4-2) meet in a eight round fight at Copenhagen.

 

Estonia

Viktorija Simonova (2-0) stopped Viktorija Korotkova (0-1) in the third round on Friday Nov. 16. The flyweight fight was held at Kalev.

 

France

Myrian Dellal (17-8-3) was the winner by unanimous decision after eight rounds versus Taoussy L’Hadji (5-8-1) on Saturday Nov. 17. The lightweight fight was held in Hyeres.

 

Germany

Nina Meinke (8-2) was victorious over Lucie Sedlackova (11-1-1) by unanimous decision after 10 rounds on Saturday Nov. 17. The EBU featherweight title fight took place at Dessau.

 

Hungary

Bianka Majlath (2-1) beat Nikolett Szabo (0-1) by knockout in round two on Sunday Nov. 11. The super welterweight match was held at Dunafoldvar. Also, other winners were Valeria Kovacs (2-1) by knockout; Edina Kiss (15-8) by knockout, Cintia Cinjel (5-0) by knockout, and Martina Horgasz (4-2) by knockout.

 

Italy

On Sunday Nov. 25, super lightweights Sara Corazza (3-0) and Bojana Libiszewska (5-30) meet in a eight round match in Rome.

 

Japan

On Sunday Nov. 25, flyweights Tamao Ozawa (14-5) and Aisah Alico (7-9) meet in a eight round clash at Kyoto.

 

Mexico

Ibeth Zamora (30-6) defeated Japan’s Chaoz Minowa (6-2) by unanimous decision after 10 rounds on Saturday Nov. 17. The WBC world flyweight world title fight took place in Puebla. Zamora, 29, was making her first defense of the world title.

Seniesa Estrada (15-0) knocked out Venezuela’s Debora Rengifo (11-6-1) in the fourth round on Saturday Nov. 17. The WBC Silver light flyweight contest took place in Mexicali, Mexico. Estrada, 26, fights out of East Los Angeles.

 

Philippines

Phannaluk Kongsang (5-7-1) was the winner by split decision over Urvashi Singh (3-1) after eight rounds on Sunday Nov. 18. The bantamweight fight was held in Manila. Also, Carleans Rivas (6-6-4) and Gretel De Paz (5-4-1) fought to a draw after six rounds in a regional flyweight title fight.

 

Singapore

On Friday Nov. 23, super bantamweights Nurshahidah Roslie (9-2) and Nongmuay Kokietgym (13-4-3) meet in a 10 round fight for WBC regional title at Singapore. Three-minute rounds.

 

South Korea

Eun Hye Lee (12-1) beat Xiuli Liang (2-4) by majority decision after 10 rounds on Saturday Nov. 17. The flyweight bout was held at Hadong, South Korea. Also, Soo Rin Kim (1-0-1) beat So Young Lee (0-2) by decision after four bantamweight rounds.

 

Spain

Miriam Gutierrez (8-0) defeated Mari Tatunashvili (4-7-2) by unanimous decision after six rounds on Friday Nov. 16. The super lightweight clash was held at Torrelodones, Madrid. Also, Vanessa Caballero (1-4-2) and Enerolisa De Leon (1-1-2) fought to a split draw after eight featherweight rounds.

Elin Cederroos (5-0) beat Ester Konecna (1-9-1) by unanimous decision after eight rounds on Friday Nov. 16. The super middleweight fight was held in Valencia.

 

United Kingdom

Cathy McAleer (1-0) defeated Teodra Hristova (2-8-1) by decision after four rounds on Saturday Nov. 17. The flyweight match took place in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Lucy Wildheart (4-0) was the winner by decision after six rounds against Elaine Greenan (0-2) on Saturday Nov. 17. The lightweight fight was held in Brentwood, Essex, England.

On Saturday Nov. 24, super bantamweights Kristin Fraser (5-0) and Ellen Simwaka (7-4-2) meet in a 10 round fight for the Commonwealth title at Aberdeen, Scotland.

 

USA

Claressa Shields (7-0) stormed past Scotland’s Hannah Rankin (5-3) with effective combinations in winning the WBC middleweight world title and retaining the WBA and IBF middleweight world titles on Saturday Nov. 17. Shields, 23, is now training with John David Jackson and looked very poised and powerful in her new pro style. Next up is Femke Hermans at the StubHub Center in Los Angeles on Dec. 8.

On Wednesday Nov. 21, lightweights Kim Wabik (0-0) and Liz Humphries (0-0) meet in a four round bout at Windham, New Hampshire.

On Wednesday Nov. 21, bantamweights Karen Dulin (3-15) and Amanda Pavone (5-0) meet in a six round fight at Lincoln, Rhode Island.

On Wednesday Nov. 21, welterweights Sarah Curran (3-1-1) and Shianne Gist (4-0-2) meet in a six round fight for a regional title at Elk Grove Village, Illinois.