Chantelle Cameron and Mikaela Mayer Clash in England and More News and Notes
By David A. Avila
Two epic female boxing cards were supposed to take place on Saturday. We lost one in Tijuana but still have the other in Birmingham, England.
We are nearing the end of one of the greatest periods of women’s boxing. An entire month found a world audience able to see many of the top female fighters in the world slug it out on a weekly basis.
This Saturday, America’s Mikaela Mayer (22-2) and England’s Chantelle Cameron (22-1) will meet for the WBO and WBC super welterweight titles at bp Pulse LIVE Arena in Birmingham, England. ESPN and SKY Sports will show the MVPW06 card.
With both Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano announcing their departure from the sport, the winner of this fight joins the top rung where Claressa Shields still remains. The victor could possibly face Shields next.
Cameron had sought a third match with Taylor, but the Irish queen decided to face Flora Pili next week in Dublin, Ireland. Still, Cameron remains the only fighter to defeat Taylor as a pro. Now she faces Mayer another product of the Olympics.
“I kind of knew that I had my eyes on Mikaela (Mayer) and my team knew, MVP knew, and they made it happen. I’m just grateful to be here,” said Cameron.
Mayer, 36, has captured world titles in the super featherweight, welterweight and super welterweight divisions. Both female fighters are pressure fighters and known for “no prisoner” mentalities scrapping from the first round until the final bell.
“I think we’re smart enough to know that we just can’t go in there carelessly and bang it out the whole time. I think there’s going to be a lot more high-level boxing than that,” said Mayer.
Aside from winning, both are concerned with helping women’s boxing advance.
“It’s going to be good. And hopefully for women’s boxing as well, more fights like this happen,” said Cameron. “The best fight the best, and just get the contract signed and get in the ring and fight each other. Stop talking and just get down to action.”
Several other top female bouts are also on the same card.
WBC and WBO lightweight titlist Caroline DuBois (13-0-1, 5 Kos) defends against American Amelia Moore (4-0) who has only two years as a pro but 10 years as an amateur.
DuBois, 25, recently defeated former world champion Terri Harper who is also on this same fight card. And now faces Moore.
“I fought the best, the second-best woman in the 135 division, Terri Harper. I beat her, and now I’m fighting Amelia Moore, who I also believe is a very good fighter,” said DuBois.
Moore, 36, will be fighting a former Olympian in DuBois.
“My whole journey through Team USA and three Olympic cycles was always to be an Olympian. I stayed in it,” said Moore explaining why she has only four pro fights.
Other bouts taking place on the MVP card include Harper (16-3-2) fighting Miranda Reyes (9-3-1) in a super lightweight contest; Reina Tellez (13-1-1) facing Jessica Barry (10-1) for a regional title; and super bantam Tysie Gallagher (10-2) meeting Brandi Robinson (5-0). Two other female fights are also scheduled.
Return of Kenia Enriquez in Tijuana
A match between top Mexican fighter Kenia Enriquez and Hall of Fame fighter Melinda Cooper dissolved after a story was published and circulated on social media that quoted Cooper berating Mexican fighter’s accomplishments. Cooper said she never spoke to that reporter and her trainer said the quotes were fabricated to inflame the Mexican public and Enriquez.
Cooper, a Las Vegas Metro Police officer, was forced to withdraw from the contracted fight this week. She was inducted into the Women’s International Boxing Hall of Fame on Aug. 14, 2021.
Enriquez, a top female fighter pound for pound, had been unable to secure a fight for year against other top competition so she entered the MMA world. She was returning to boxing after a three-year absence and had trouble finding an opponent. Cooper saw an opportunity to return to the boxing ring and both agreed to fight each other. But the false news story scuttled the fight.
Now, Enriquez (28-1, 11 Kos)) will be fighting replacement Luz Elena Aguilar (9-12-2) who fought current super flyweight world titlist Adelaida Ruiz last year. Though she lost to Ruiz she defeated Sulem Urbina a month earlier. Enriquez is a former flyweight world champion and eager to fight undisputed flyweight world champion Gabriela Fundora.
Enriquez meets Aguilar on Saturday Aug. 29, at Auditorio Municipal de Tijuana.
Temecula Roared
A long but exciting boxing card led by Amanda Serrano had folks lined up hours before the doors opened at Pechanga Resort and Casino for the Most Valuable Promotions boxing card that attracted a reported 3.4 million viewers on Tik Tok.
Serrano navigated through the 12-round fight expertly as Lucrecia Manzur attacked with every means possible including holding and hitting tactics for most of the fight. Serrano stepped on the gas during the final four rounds and showed why she is the only seven-division world champion in women’s boxing history.
Denmark’s Melissa Mortensen weathered the storm inflicted by Mexico’ s Mayeli Flores including a knockdown early in the fight. Mortensen reminded me of Mikaela Mayer with her height, reach and tenacity. Though fans were not pleased by the judge’s outcome, Mortensen showed real grit and determination. Flores never quit and is always worth watching. Congrats to the new champion Mortensen.
One fight that drew oohs and aahs was the flame-throwing show between Brook Sibrian and Lupita Medina. Both girls whacked each other for all eight rounds in a minimumweight battle. The third and fourth round were spectacular and should be nominated for rounds of the year. Medina slowed a bit after the fourth and maybe that was when she suffered a broken right hand. Otherwise, these two Southern California fighters lit it up.
More Fight News
Argentina
Daniela Escasena (5-0) defeated Natalia Alderete (5-21-2) by decision after six rounds on Saturday Aug. 22. The super featherweight fight took place in San Miguel de Tucaman.
On Friday Aug. 28, atomweights Jennifer Meza (10-4-1) and Daiana Ortiz (6-6-2) meet 10 rounds for regional title at Buenos Aires. Also, super feathers Maria Gomez (6-0-1) and Nicole Morales (3-11-3) meet six; and super flies Lucia Garcia (4-0) and Victoria Moreyra (2-11-2) meet four.
On Saturday Aug. 29, bantamweights Milagros Herrera (6-0) and Solange Belen (3-0-1) meet six rounds at Buenos Aires. Also, Ludmila Corbalan (6-0) and Maria Ramirez (1-2) meet six rounds.
Australia
On Wednesday Aug. 26, welterweights Louise Creaven (5-2) and Thanchanok Phanan (21-15) meet six rounds at Broadbeach.
On Friday Aug. 28, super feathers Michelle Lynch (1-0) and Harma Yesti (1-6-1) meet four rounds at Northbridge.
Colombia
On Saturday Aug. 29, super flies Adriana Tobon (5-4-1) and Marisela Romero (0-3) meet six rounds at Cartagena,
On Monday Aug. 31, welterweights Any Paez (5-0) and Karen Fernandez (1-5) meet eight rounds at Santa Marta. Also, Marisela Romero (0-3) and Maryan Estyeban (0-0) meet four.
Costa Rica
On Saturday Aug. 29, super flies Camila Barrios (0-0) and Yasari Leiva (0-0) meet four rounds at Sardinal. Also, minimumweights Nicolle Bustos (1-0) and Yoesling Moraga (0-0) meet four.
France
On Saturday Aug. 29, super bantams Clara Lanuzel (1-0) and Fanny Croset (0-1) meet four rounds at Marseille.
Germany
Tania Kuama (1-0) beat Tina Bluhm (0-2) after four rounds on Saturday Aug. 22. The super lightweight fight took place in Oberhausen.
Ghana
On Saturday Aug. 29, lightweights Sarah Apew (2-0) and Virginia Ansah (1-3) meet six rounds at Accra.
India
On Saturday Aug. 29, flyweights Lalbiaknii (0-0) and Deepa Toppo (0-2) meet four rounds at Hyderabad.
Japan
Kahi Munetoshi (5-3) knocked out Ena Sakai (3-6) in the third round on Saturday Aug. 22. The atomweight fight took place in Kobe. Also, Rena Chiku (2-0-1) beat Nano Hata (0-2-1) in four. Minimumweights Riyuna Yoshikawa (8-2-3) and Eruka Hiromoto (6-1-1) drew after six rounds.
On Wednesday Aug. 26, bantams Risa Mihara (0-1) and Miki Matsui (0-1) meet four rounds at Yachiyo.
Malawi
On Sunday Aug. 30, bantamweights Loveness Kokha (4-12-1) and Sakina Ibrahim (4-3-1) meet six rounds at Llongwe.
Mexico
Camila Zamorano (15-0) won by unanimous decision after 10 rounds versus Perla Perez (9-10-1) on Saturday Aug. 22. The atomweight fight took place in San Luis Potosi.
Tanzania
On Tuesday Aug. 25, super bantams Nurat Said (0-0) and Akudo Shumbili (0-2) meet four rounds at Morogoro.
United Kingdom
Tiah Mai Ayton (7-0) won by technical knockout over Ellie Hellewell (8-2-1) in the sixth round on Saturday Aug. 22. The featherweight fight took place in London, England.
On Saturday Aug. 29, super welterweights Mikaela Mayer (22-2) and Chantelle Cameron (22-1) meet 10 rounds for the WBC, WBO world titles at Birmingham, England. Also, lightweights Caroline DuBois (13-0-1) and Amelia Moore (4-0) meet 10 round for WBC and WBO titles; feathereights Reina Tellez (13-1-1) and Jessica Barry (10-1) meet 10; super lights Terri Harper (16-3-2) and Miranda Reyes (9-3-1) meet eight; super bantams Tysie Gallagher (10-2) and Brandi Robinson (5-0) meet eight; super lights Gemma Richardson (4-0) and Kirstie Bavington (10-5-2) meet six; super flies Shannon Courtenay (11-3) and Ebonie Cotton (2-2) meet six. ESPN and SKY will stream.
USA
Sasha Saldana (4-0) defeated Destiny Jones (6-6) by decision after four rounds on Saturday Aug. 22. The lightweight bout took place in Santa Monica, Calif. Also, super flyweight Ilene Herrera (1-0) beat Fayeda An (0-5-1) in four.
Natasha Spence (12-8-2) won by unanimous decision after eight rounds against Precious Harris-McCray (5-4) on Saturday Aug. 22. The super welterweight fight took place in Glen Allen, Virginia.
Amanda Serrano (50-4-1) defeated Lucrecia Manzur (14-5) by unanimous decision after 12 rounds on Friday Aug. 21. The WBO and WBA featherweight world title fight took place in Temecula, Calif. Also, super bantam Melissa Mortensen (10-0) defeated Mayeli Flores (13-3-1) by split decision after 10 rounds; featherweight Roxy Verduzco (8-0) beat Miguelina Hernandez (4-1) in eight; minimumweight Brook Sibrian (10-3) beat Lupita Medina (12-1) after eight; super lightweight Albina Moldazhanova (5-0) knocked out Sheila Liesegang (6-1) in one; Jocelyn Camarillo (7-0) beat Ashley Felix (7-5) in six; super lightweight Cinderella Linnear (2-0) beat Jully De Oliviera (1-1) by split decision after four.
On Saturday Aug. 29, super feathers Zimbrey Pedraza (2-1-1) and Nathalia Dinis (1-1) meet four rounds at San Diego, Calif. Also, light flies Audrey Jayachandran (3-1) and Indeya Rodriguez (7-8-3) meet four.
On Saturday Aug. 29, welterweights Sarah French (7-2-2) and Estheliz Hernandez (8-3) meet six rounds at Chicago, Illinois. Also, feathers Catherine Aiura (7-0) and Mona Ward (2-3) meet six.
On Saturday Aug. 29, bantamweights Jennifer Perella (5-1) and Chantal Sumrall (2-4-2) meet six rounds at Everett, Mass. Also, Melanie Costa (3-1) and Brittany Dukes (3-9-2) meet four.
On Saturday Aug. 29, flyweights Jasmine Hampton (2-0) and Gloria Munguilla (8-3) meet eight rounds at Detroit, Mich. Also, super lights Savannah Tini (7-0) and Calista Silgado (22-20-4) meet eight.
