Tijuana Fight Card Headed by Female American Triumvirate

By David A. Avila

A trio of American-based female prizefighters is headed to Tijuana, Mexico coming from different parts of the USA including Chicago.

All are engaging on a massive boxing card on Saturday Jan. 26, at Gimnasio Independencia called Battle at the Border series and promoted by GM3 and Gonzalez Promotions. More than a dozen bouts are scheduled. But that’s normal in that boxing crazy city.

Heading the American-based triumvirate is Aida Satybaldinova (4-1-1) a lightweight who fights out of Los Angeles but is actually a native of Kazakhstan. This will be her seventh pro fight and fourth in Tijuana.

Satybaldinova packed her bags and headed to Southern California merely a year ago and with the help of advisor and promoter Rod Cruz-Hunt was able to secure six fights both in Mexico and the U.S. In that short span she fought some top female fighters in her weight class but was eager to establish her place in the sport.

“She works hard every day,” said Cruz-Hunt who has guided her career and heads GM3 Promotions. “Every day she’s adding different elements to her game.”

Alejandra “Fenix” Ayala (10-4, 5 KOs) is flying in from Chicago but is actually a Mexico City native who also formerly lived in Tijuana. She’s part of the powerful Chicago team headed by her manager/trainer Rick Ramos who also trains WBC super lightweight world titlist Jessica “Caskilla” McCaskill.

Ayala, 32, will be facing Sonora, Mexico’s Denise Castro (5-1) in a welterweight match set for eight rounds. She has twice fought current IBF super welterweight titlist Marie Eve Dicaire and lost to the Canadian by decision. But gaining experience like that is invaluable.

Annette Pabello, who is based in Brownsville, Texas is also on the card and is seeking her first win. All three of her pro fights have been against solid opposition but she has boxing skills that could lead to success.

Another fighter who could possibly be installed on the card is Las Vegas-based Mikayla Nebel who has twice fought current WBO featherweight titlist Heather Hardy in losing causes. But being able to hang in against Hardy and also against Shelly Vincent is an accomplishment in itself. Her fight is tentative at this time.

Tijuana is home to numerous female prizefighters. Its amateur program is growing exponentially and several pros are world champions such as Brenda Flores, Kenia Enriquez and Jackie Nava.

It’s a fight town to the Nth degree and fans there are accustomed to watching boxing all day long. It should be an enjoyable night especially if you’re a fan of female prizefighting.