Mega Fight Countdown and More Female Fight News
By David A. Avila
The countdown begins.
Less than three weeks remain until the big splash between Claressa Shields and Christina Hammer by the Atlantic Ocean.
Hammer (24-0, 11 KOs) meets Shields (8-0, 2 KOs) at the Boardwalk Hotel in Atlantic City on April 13. Showtime will televise the historic event that pits the two undefeated middleweights with all four major world title belts as the prize.
A female clash of this importance and relevance has never occurred before. Never. If you are only familiar with men’s mega fights in the past, think Marvin Hagler vs. Sugar Ray Leonard, Oscar De La Hoya vs. Felix Trinidad or the biggest when Muhammad Ali met Joe Frazier for the first time.
Shields versus Hammer is big.
Last night in Hollywood, I attended the 360 Promotions boxing card at the Avalon Theater. Tom Loeffler heads the promotion company and also serves as the advisor for Germany’s Hammer.
“I’m helping Christina Hammer prepare for her big fight against Claressa Shields,” said Loeffler who spent a few weeks in Germany but returned for his show on Sunday. “This is a big fight for her and women’s boxing.”
Women’s prizefighting has steadily climbed throughout the world and now has dug its roots on American soil recently this past three years. Most of the large American promotions companies have included female boxing on its cards except for Premier Boxing Champions.
Loeffler’s 360 Promotions quickly established ties with women’s prizefighting and one of its stars Louisa “Bang, Bang” Hawton attended the show in Hollywood appropriately adorned with her glitzy WBC world title belt wrapped around her waist. The crowd cheered her presence at the Hollywood venue.
If you live near Atlantic City do yourself a favor and watch the epic middleweight encounter in person. You will be witnessing boxing history. Of course the rest of the country can watch on the Showtime network.
Bermudez
Argentina’s best secret just may be Daniela Bermudez the WBO bantamweight world titlist.
Bermudez battles Mexico’s Irma Garcia in defense of the world title in Argentina this Saturday. It won’t be televised anywhere in North America but if streamed by someone take advantage. She’s an extremely talented boxer-puncher who has defeated two legends in fellow country woman Marcela Acuna and Mexico’s Mariana Juarez. She could have taken out a third but fell short against Argentina’s Yesica Bopp five years ago. A rematch between Bermudez and Bopp would be big in Argentina.
The bantamweight champion also has two sisters who are talented. Evelyn Bermudez holds a light flyweight world title and the other Roxana Bermudez has three pro fights.
Ashley retires
Longtime champion Alicia “Slick” Ashley announced her retirement recently on social media. The New York based former super bantamweight world champion is 51 years old and last held the title three years ago. Ashley fought many of the best fighters of the last 20 years including Chevelle Hallback, Elena Reid, Jackie Nava and Layla McCarter to name a few. She was a very talented boxer.
South Africa
A number of female bouts all take place on the same card on Friday March 29, featherweights Unathi Myekeni (11-4-1) and Nozipho Bell (8-2-1) headline a four-bout female card in a 10 round contest at Port Elizabeth, South Africa. It also features several other veteran fighters like Thema Zuma (5-2) vs. Melissa Miller (4-8-3),Noni Tenge (18-1-1) vs. Mapule Ngubane (7-6-3) and Razel Mohammed (0-0) vs. Nomadithini Ndyambo (7-4). It shows that female boxing in Africa has picked up too especially with all these veterans on the same show.
Europe
It’s significant to note that European boxing has returned full force. Back in the early part of the century Germany was at the forefront of female prizefighting behind world champion Regina Halmich and Daisy Lang. When those two departed, female boxing took a serious dip. But now its returned full force and spread to other neighboring countries like Hungary, Belgium, Norway and Denmark. France is especially busy with the female fight game. It’s good to see all of Europe embracing the female boxing.
Other female fight news
Argentina
On Friday March 29, super bantamweights Nazarena Romero (5-0) and Rosa Caraballo (0-1) meet in a four round bout at Cordoba.
On Saturday March 30, bantamweights Daniela Bermudez (24-3-3) and Mexico’s Irma Garcia (19-3-1) meet for the WBO world title at Tres Arroyos, Buenos Aires. Bermudez, 29, is one of the top fighters pound for pound in the world.
Australia
On Saturday March 30, super bantamweights Shannon O’Connell (16-6-1) and Febriyanti Lubis (1-3) meet in a six round match at Newstead, Queensland.
On Saturday March 30, lightweights Rachel Loder (2-0) and Belinda Sedgwick (0-3) meet in a six round fight at Tweed Heads, New South Wales.
On Saturday March 30, super welterweights Malakay Moukayber (1-0) and Donna Sadler (0-2) meet in an eight round contest at Condell Park.
Belgium
Elin Cederroos (6-0) won by majority decision after 10 rounds versus Femke Hermans (9-3) on Friday March 22. The IBF super middleweight world title fight took place at Pamel-Roosdaal.
Brazil
On Sunday March 31, welterweights Adriana Dos Santos (2-0) and Elaine Maria (1-2) meet in a six round match in Rio de Janeiro.
Bulgaria
Roz Mari Silyanova (1-4-1) beat Ana Mariya Simeonova (2-9-1) by decision after four rounds on Sunday March 17. The flyweight contest was held at Sofia.
Canada
On Friday March 29, bantamweights Amanda Galle (0-0) and Perla Rojas (1-4) meet in a four round fight at Toronto.
On Saturday March 30, bantamweights Stephanie Essensa (3-2-2) and Vanessa Bradford (4-1-2) meet in a six round bout at Calgary.
Chile
Daniela Asenjo (10-2-2) defeated Debora Vanessa Gomez (5-3-1) by unanimous decision after eight rounds on Friday March 22. The super flyweight title fight took place at San Francisco de Mostazal.
Dominican Republic
On Sunday March 31, featherweights Dyana Vargas (8-0) and Rocio De Leon (1-23-2) meet in a six round fight at Santiago de los Caballeros. Also, Maritza Alcantara (0-0) vs. Claribel Mena (1-0); Crystal Nova (8-1) vs. Yoseidy Zarzuela (2-25) featherweights.
France
Emilie Beaugeard (1-1) won by split decision against Nora El Barkani (1-1) after four rounds on Saturday March 23. The lightweight fight took place at Angers.
Elise Bussiere (3-3) beat Wendy Vincent (0-8-2) by unanimous decision after six rounds on Saturday March 23. The lightweight match took place in Chatellerault.
Romane Geffrey (1-0) won her pro debut by decision against Marine Tollet (0-3) after four rounds on Saturday March 23. The bantamweight fight was at Challans.
Pasa Malagic (13-4) was the winner by majority decision after six rounds with Myriam Dellal (17-9-3) on Friday March 22. The super lightweight match was held at Besancon.
On Thursday March 28, super featherweights Licia Boudersa (13-2-2) and Djemilla Gontaruk (14-5-2) meet in a 10 round title fight at Lille, Nord.
Germany
Ema Kozin (16-0-1) beat Sanna Turunen (5-3-1) by unanimous decision after 10 rounds on Saturday March 23. The middleweight title fight took place at Ludwigsburg.
Leonie Giebel (13-0-1) defeated Angela Cannizzaro (6-5-1) by unanimous decision after 10 rounds on Saturday March 23. The super featherweight title fight took place at Paderborn. Also, Beke Bas (13-0) beat Carina Greimel (4-2-1) by decision after 10 rounds in a lightweight title fight.
Ramona Kuehne (29-1) knocked out Nana Chakhvashvili (6-11) in the second round on Saturday March 23. The super featherweight fight was held at Dorf Mecklenburg.
Greece
Christina Linardatou (11-1) knocked out Kandi Wyatt (8-1) in the sixth round on Sunday March 24. The win gives Linardatou, 31, the WBO super lightweight world title that took place at Athens. Wyatt, 27, fights out of Canada and was knocked down three times in the sixth.
Indonesia
On Saturday March 30, super bantamweights Felmi Sumaehe (4-0) and Thanchanok Phanan (1-0) meet in a six round fight at Jakarta.
Ireland
On Saturday March 30, super featherweights Siobhan O’Leary (1-0) and Bojana Libiszewska (5-33) meet in a four round match at Dublin.
Japan
Kanako Taniyama (2-0) was the winner by unanimous decision after six rounds versus Phannaluk Kongsang (5-8-1) on Friday March 22. The bantamweight fight was at Tokyo.
On Wednesday March 27, super flyweights Nanae Yamaka (0-0) and Ozora Hikaru (0-4) meet in a four round bout at Tokyo.
Kenya
Fatuma Zarika (32-12-2) defeated Catherine Phiri (16-4) by unanimous decision after 10 rounds on Saturday March 23. The WBC super bantamweight title fight took place at Nairobi. It was Zarika’s third defense of the title. Phiri, a former bantamweight champion fights out of Zambia.
Mexico
Diana Laura Fernandez (20-2) defeated Kandy Sandoval (10-13) by unanimous decision after 10 rounds on Saturday March 23. The super flyweight title fight took place at Juarez. Fernandez, 24, gathered her third non-world title.
New Zealand
On Saturday March 30, light heavyweights Geovana Peres (6-1) and Lani Daniels (4-1) meet in a 10 round WBO world title fight at Auckland.
Poland
Laura Grzyb (1-0) won by knockout in the first round over Branka Arambasic (0-4) on Saturday March 23. The lightweight fight was at Lomza.
Emilia Czerwinska (1-0) beat Olena Szydlovska (0-1) by decision after four rounds on Saturday March 23. The lightweight contest took place at Swiebodzin.
Russia
Fatima Dudieva (3-0) defeated Yana Andreeva (0-1) by decision after six rounds on Saturday March 23. The bantamweight match was held at Serpukhov.
South Africa
On Friday March 29, featherweights Unathi Myekeni (11-4-1) and Nozipho Bell (8-2-1) headline a four-bout female card in a 10 round contest at Port Elizabeth. Others on the card Thema Zuma (5-2) vs. Melissa Miller (4-8-3) in a 10 round bantamweight fight; Noni Tenge (18-1-1) vs. Mapule Ngubane (7-6-3) eight round middleweights; and Razel Mohammed (0-0) vs. Nomadithini Ndyambo (7-4) six round super lightweights.
Spain
Catalina Diaz (5-2) was the winner by technical knockout in round five over Lynn Harvey (5-2) on Saturday March 23. The minimum weight fight for the European title took place at Madrid. Diaz, 38, fights out of Cadiz. Harvey fights out of Ireland. Also, Aouatif Al Kallachi (4-6-1) defeated Eloisa Rodriguez (0-8) in a flyweight clash.
Miriam Gutierrez (10-0) defeated England’s Sam Smith (9-3) by unanimous decision after 10 rounds on Friday March 22. The EBU lightweight title fight took place in Madrid. The new champion Gutierrez, 36, fights out of Madrid. Smith, 39, fights out of Leeds, England.
Switzerland
Aniya Seki (34-4-3) and Gabriella Mezei (9-17-5) fought to a draw after six rounds on Saturday March 23. The bantamweight fight took place Horgen.
On Saturday March 30, featherweights Valgerdur Gudstensdottir (3-2) and Sabina Mischenko (1-1) meet in a six round match at Uppsala.
Thailand
Saranyaphong Theinthong (2-13) won by technical stoppage in the third round versus Phasilah Muso (0-1) on Friday March 22. The light flyweight bout was at Pathum Thani.
Alisa Yoohanngoh (1-1) beat Nattarat Prempida (1-2) by decision after six rounds on Friday March 22. The bantamweight fight was at Bangkok. Also, Kullanat Yoohanngoh (1-0) beat Prakaiwan Toemsawat (0-1) by decision in a minimum weight bout.
United Kingdom
Shannon Courtenay (1-0) was the winner by decision after four rounds versus Cristina Busuioc (0-1-1) on Saturday March 23. The bantamweight match was held at London.
USA
Rosalinda Rodriguez (9-0) defeated Shelly Barnett (4-1-2) by unanimous decision after eight rounds on Saturday March 23. The bantamweight title fight took place at Louisville, Kentucky.
Iris Contreras (3-0) beat Rebecca Light (0-3) by decision after four rounds on Saturday March 23. The bantamweight fight took place in San Mateo, California.
On Saturday March 30, flyweights Amy Salinas (1-0) and Danielle Saldanha (2-1) meet in a four round contest in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
On Saturday March 30, middleweights Schemelle Baldwin (3-0) and Monika Harrison (2-0-1) meet in a four round bout at Hockessin, Delaware. Also, super flyweights Natalie Gonzalez (4-0) and Karen Dulin (3-16-1) meet in a four rounder.
On Saturday March 30, super lightweights Kara Wiggins (0-0) and Jessica Bird (0-1) meet in a four round contest at Grand Island, Nebraska.