Female Dominated Fight Card in L.A. Attended by Fellow Pound for Pounders
By David A. Avila
America appears to be ground zero for female prizefighting with another round of elite match ups taking place this weekend.
Back to back weekends will keep the momentum generated first in Los Angeles and now switching to New York City.
Last weekend’s show attracted some of the best female prizefighters in the world to watch both Cecilia Braekhus and Claressa Shields in separate world title defenses.
Among those watching the female title fights in Los Angeles were two of the best pound for pound fighters in the world Layla McCarter of Las Vegas and Naoko Fujioka of Tokyo, Japan. Both were getting their first looks at their fellow pound for pound compatriots. Others like Melissa McMorrow, Daisy Lang and Maricela Cornejo also attended to support the female dominated boxing card.
McCarter, 39, has been this writer’s number one pound for pound female fighter in the world for nearly a decade. She has not lost a fight since April 2007 when she was 28 years old.
The former five-division world champion seeks a big challenge and has been mentioned for an upcoming tournament featuring all female participants early next year.
“My goal for 2019 is to make big fights and get the biggest money fights possible whether it’s Katie Taylor or Cecilia Braekhus. I’m here and I’m ready from lightweight to welterweight I’m ready,” said McCarter at the StubHub Center on Saturday.
Showtime network has proposed a tournament and has asked McCarter to participate.
“They were suggesting Jessica McCaskill or whoever they present is fine,” said McCarter of a possible foe in the tournament. “She’s a scrapper, she’s got a lot of heart. She gave Katie Taylor all she could handle. It was a good scrap. I see her on the rise.”
Fujioka was also watching the female world title fights and has been training the past few weeks in Southern California with legendary boxing guru Ben Lira. The Japanese fighter also has five division world titles and is considered the greatest female fighter in her country’s history.
“It was great to see Layla. I knew her name for a long time she is a living legend,” said Fujioka. “It was great to see Cecilia (Braekhus) and Claressa (Shields) they are doing a great job for women’s boxing.”
The Japanese prizefighter told the Prizefighter.com that she welcomes a fight against anyone at flyweight or super flyweight regardless of their reputation. She merely wants to fight on a big card in the USA.
“I’m confident I can give an exciting fight,” Fujioka said.
Both McCarter and Fujioka were watching their fellow pound for pound fighters perform live this past weekend as Cecilia Braekhus and Claressa Shields both blazed by their opponents.
New York and Texas
This coming weekend Katie Taylor defends her belts and fast-rising Mikaela Mayer also re-enters the boxing ring. Both were stars in their respective country’s international Olympic teams in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.
Taylor faces undefeated Finnish fighter Eva Wahlstrom who is moving up in weight to meet the Irish world champion at Madison Square Garden on Saturday Dec. 15. The world title match will be streamed live on DAZN/
Wahlstrom currently holds the WBC super featherweight world title but is moving up from 130 to 135 pounds for this upcoming fight.
A day earlier, American prizefighter Mikaela Mayer meets Colombia’s Calista Silgado in an eight round clash in Texas. This is the Southern Californian’s sixth fight in 2018.
Battling Lulus
A pair of Lulu’s fought over the weekend. In Southern California fans saw Lulu “Bang Bang” Lawton defeat Lorraine Villalobos by knockout at the StubHub Center. She captured the interim WBC atomweight title that she lost to Brenda Flores. For a reason not explained Flores was removed of the title.
Lawton got back on the win column and proved once again to be one of the most exciting female fighters on the planet. She doesn’t try to be slick or clever, the Aussie fighter just likes to bang it out.
The other Lulu is Mexico’s “La Pequena Lulu” Lourdes Juarez the younger sister of Mariana “Barby” Juarez.
Lulu Juarez (26-2) defeated Kandy Sandoval (10-12) in a flyweight clash on Saturday in Nogales, Mexico. It was her 23rd consecutive win since April 2014. She started boxing professionally in 2013 at age 26. Juarez, 31, floored Sandoval in the sixth round with a left hook to win the eight round bout convincingly. The petite flyweight who strikingly resembles her older sister has improved dramatically and looks ready for a world title shot.
Other female fight news
Argentina
Ayelen Granadino (3-0) won by majority decision over Tamara Demarco (7-1) after six rounds on Saturday Dec. 8. The flyweight match was held in Saladillo, Buenos Aires.
Danila Ramos (7-0) defeated Marianela Ramirez (4-3) by decision after four rounds on Friday Dec. 7. The super bantamweight fight was held at Quilmes.
On Friday Dec. 14, super bantamweights Marcela Acuna (48-7-1) and Yenifer Rodriguez (9-2-2) meet in a 10 round bout for the IBF world title at La Rioja.
On Friday Dec. 14, featherweights Cinthia Castillo (8-5) and Anahi Salles (5-16-2) meet in a four round bout at Cordoba.
Australia
On Saturday Dec. 15, super bantamweights Deanha Hobbs 7-0) and Baby Nansen (7-3-1) meet in an eight round fight at Brisbane. Also, super featherweights Jessica Retallack (1-0) and Siriphon Chanbuala (12-7-2) meet in a four round bout.
Belgium
Delfine Persoon (42-1) won by technical knockout in round 10 versus Judy Waguthii (16-9-4) on Saturday Dec. 8. The WBC lightweight title fight took place in Ardooie.
Nina Radovanovic (14-2) defeated Sanae Jah (15-3-1) by split decision after 10 rounds on Saturday Dec. 8. The IBO flyweight title fight took place at Brussels. Also, Djemilla Gontaruk (14-5-2) and Karina Kopinska (11-28-4) fought to a technical draw after one round.
Canada
On Saturday Dec. 15, flyweights Jani Babineau (0-1) and Estefania Orozco (1-2) meet in a four round bout at Moncton, New Brunswick.
China
On Saturday Dec. 15, super flyweights Casey Morton (7-0-3) and Jutamas Jitpong (4-2) meet in a 10 round bout for the WBO Asian title at Yubei. Morton, 35, fights out of San Francisco, Calif. She formerly had the same title in the flyweight division.
Costa Rica
Yokasta Valle (15-2) defeated Edith De Jesus Flores (5-13) by decision in an eight round fight on Saturday Dec. 8. The light flyweight match took place at Heredia.
Croatia
Ivana Habazin (20-3) won by unanimous decision after 10 rounds versus Eva Bajic (14-15) on Saturday Dec. 8. The super welterweight fight was held in Zagreb.
France
Maiva Hamadouche (20-1) won by knockout at the end of round five over Viviane Obenauf (13-5) on Tuesday Dec. 4. The IBF super featherweight fight took place at Paris.
Kenya
On Thursday Dec. 13, super lightweights Joice Awino (7-7-1) and Consolata Musanga (8-3-3) meet in a six round clash at Nairobi. Also, super middleweights Florence Muthoni (11-7-2) and Petromas Kemei (0-0) meet in a six round bout.
Mexico
Lourdes Juarez (26-2) defeated Kandy Sandoval (10-12) by unanimous decision after eight rounds on Saturday Dec. 8. The flyweight match took place at Nogales, Mexico. Juarez, 31, is the younger sister of bantamweight champion Mariana “Barby” Juarez.
Valeria Perez (11-5) won by majority decision after six rounds against Maria Villalobos (14-18-1) on Friday Dec. 7. The featherweight match took place at Iztacalco, Mexico City. Also, Beatriz Aguilar (1-0) beat Aurora Ramirez (0-2) by split decision after four rounds.
On Friday Dec. 14, flyweights Isabel Millan (22-5-1) and Perla Rojas (1-3) meet in an eight round fight at Zaragoza.
New Zealand
Geovana Peres (6-1) beat Trish Vaka (1-5) by unanimous decision after six rounds on Thursday Dec. 6. The heavyweight fight took place at Auckland.
On Saturday Dec. 15, welterweights Megyn McLennan (0-1) and Michaela Jenkins (0-0) meet in a six round bout at Christchurch.
South Korea
Soo Rin Kim (2-0-1) knocked out Ji Young Suh (1-1) in second round on Saturday Dec. 8. The bantamweight fight took place in Seoul.
Switzerland
Gabriela Timar (1-0) defeated Rozmari Silyanova (0-3-1) by split decision in a four round fight on Saturday Dec. 8. The bantamweight fight was held in Basel.
Thailand
Arasa Nimnoi (4-2) defeated Pornnapus Katipatee (0-1) by unanimous decision after eight rounds on Sunday Dec. 9. The super bantamweight fight was held at Bangkok. Also, Tassana Paladsrichuay (2-4) knocked out Pailin Tanseemee (0-1) in the second round of a light flyweight match. Sutthinee Bamrungpao (3-6) beat Panida Chatluang (0-3) by decision in a minimumweight match.
United Kingdom
Terri Harper (5-0) was the winner by technical knockout in round two over Feriche Mashauri (6-2) on Saturday Dec. 8. The lightweight fight was held in Sheffield, England.
USA
Cecilia Braekhus (35-0) won by unanimous decision versus Aleksandra Lopes (18-5-3) after 10 rounds on Saturday Dec. 8. The welterweight world championship fight took place at Carson, Calif. Also, Claressa Shields (8-0) won by unanimous decision against Femke Hermans (9-2) for the middleweight world championship after 10 rounds. Louisa Hawton (9-2) won by knockout in round five against Lorriane Villalobos (2-2-1) in a atomweight clash.
Tiara Brown (7-0) won by technical knockout over Dahiana Santana (36-11) on Saturday Dec. 8. The featherweight fight took place at Bowie, Maryland.
Rosalinda Rodriguez (8-0) defeated Crystal Hoy (6-9-4) by unanimous decision after eight rounds on Saturday Dec. 8. The super flyweight match took place at Louisville, Kentucky.
Christina Campfort (5-2-1) beat Nina Gallegos (0-3) by technical knockout in the first round on Friday Dec. 7. The super lightweight match took place in Tampa, Florida.
Ava Knight (17-2-4) won by unanimous decision over Mayela Perez (19-23-4) after six rounds on Friday Dec. 7. The flyweight fight was held in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Ronica Jeffrey (17-1) defeated Edina Kiss (15-9) by unanimous decision after six rounds on Friday Dec. 7. The featherweight bout was held at Queens, New York.
On Friday Dec. 14, super featherweights Mikaela Mayer (8-0)and Calista Silgado (17-10-3) meet in an eight round match at Corpus Christi, Texas.
On Saturday Dec. 15, lightweights Katie Taylor (11-0) and Ewa Wahlstrom (22-0-1) meet in a 10 round clash for the IBF and WBA world titles owned by Ireland’s Taylor at New York City.
Venezuela
On Saturday Dec. 15, super bantamweights Keren Batiz (4-1-1) and Maria Baena (1-0) meet in an eight round match at Caracas.