Matt Damon at IWBHOF and more News and Notes
By David A. Avila
You had to be there.
Of all the boxing events I attend each year as a journalist the International Women’s Boxing Hall of Fame ceremony is my absolute favorite.
Last Saturday Oct. 10, the induction ceremony for the IWBHOF took place in Las Vegas and attracted celebrities from near and far including Oscar winner Matt Damon, legendary Laila Ali and the great Christy Martin.
I wasn’t able to attend for health reasons. The photo shown on this story is Sue Fox, the originator of the IWBHOF and actor Matt Damon who is friends with several female fighters that were inducted.
It’s the one event that feels like a reward for making all those long treks over the decades to remote places like Laughlin, Arizona, or Friant, California to watch women’s boxing and record their fights. It was a mission for a few of us like Sue Fox, Mary Ann Owen, Amy Green, and several others performed to keep the sport going.
Today, social media platforms dominate and female boxers themselves lean toward Instagram, TikTok and other similar avenues to obtain publicity and recognition. Social media gives instant gratification but still are unable to document an actual fight. That’s why writers and photographers are still necessary.
All fighters, managers and promoters should realize that years and decades from now there will be no written proof that an actual fight took place. It will not be recorded without writers providing it. Newspaper coverage is almost obsolete. Large metropolitan newspapers like the LA Times seldom list boxing events unless it’s huge.
Fighters. After you retire where are you going to find proof of your battles? You can maybe go to YouTube.com and hopefully someone recorded your fight, but then you have to watch 20 minutes instead of being able to read about it in five minutes. Written stories are more convenient and can be logged.
Many of the female fighters that I covered over the decades were inducted this past Saturday including Melissa Hernandez who was a fiery boxer with very good skills. Her numerous battles against Layla McCarter were epic. I remember talking to Paul Malignaggi about Melissa and he recalled watching her in a New York City gym knocking out a guy who took her lightly.
Also inducted was Kali Reis who starred and impressed the world with her performance in the True Detective: Night Country HBO series in 2024. She was also the first woman along with Cecilia Braekhus to fight on a main event for HBO Boxing on May 5, 2018. I was there to watch that fight where Reis knocked down Braekhus but lost by decision.
Japan’s Naoko Fujioka is another inducted this past weekend and someone I worked with as soon as she arrived from Japan. Naoko is a dedicated woman who sets her goals high and goes after them like a pitbull. She is also a gracious human being. Fujioka won world titles in five weight divisions. I helped her negotiate a fight on a Golden Boy Promotions card against Sulem Urbina. Also on that same card was Tsunami Tenkai who fought Seniesa Estrada at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles. The real battle was obtaining a VISA in time for the event. This was during Covid and VISAs were extra hard to pass out. At the time I was on vacation with my wife in Hawaii and spent hours on the phone with Fujioka discussing ways and strategy to have the VISA people give her passage. With just hours to spare Fujioka found a way and the two fights featuring Japanese fighters was finalized.
I’m sure I could go down the list of each female fighter inducted into the hall of fame and emerge with stories similarly extraordinary.
During the past 10 years female boxing has become a largely popular. But despite the continuing success there are still many people that are unaware women’s boxing exists. I had a female friend ask me if I had ever heard of Amanda Serrano and Katie Taylor? She happened to watch their second fight and was unaware female boxing existed.
There is still work to be done.
More Fight News
Argentina
Noeli Gonzalez (6-0) knocked out Brisa Aguirre (0-7) in the sixth round on Saturday Oct. 10. The minimumweight fight took place in San Pedro.
Sofia Robles (4-0) defeated Elizabeth Sellanes (2-5-1) by decision after six rounds on Saturday Oct. 10. The flyweight fight was held in Buenos Aires. Also, lightweight Florencia Escalante (6-0) beat Lilian Silva (4-20-2) after six.
On Saturday Oct. 17, super flies Victoria Moreyra (3-11-2) and Romina Nunez (4-11-1) meet four rounds at Villa Madero. Also, Maria Belen (0-1) and Maira Loyola (0-11-1) meet four.
On Saturday Oct. 17, super bantams Josefina Gatica (1-0) and Yennifer Nunez (2-1) meet four rounds at Buenos Aires.
Canada
Leila Boudoin (16-2) won by unanimous decision after 10 rounds against Brisa Rosario (9-2-2) on Thursday Oct. 8. The super featherweight fight took place in Quebec City.
China
Zhenting Qi (1-0) knocked out Anqi Huang (0-1) in the second round on Tuesday Oct. 6. The flyweight fight was held in Yu Yao.
On Saturday Oct. 17, welters Fengli Shi (0-0) and Qian Zhao (0-0) meet four rounds at Hangzhou.
On Sunday Oct. 18, super feathers Li Liu (3-1) and Praethip Pawuttinun (8-2) meet six rounds at Xi An.
France
Isis Logerie (4-2-1) won by decision over Marina Sakharov (6-23-2) after eight rounds on Saturday Oct. 10. The super feather match was held in Marlenheim.
Germany
Cheyenne Hanson (18-3) knocked out Maria Miranda (17-25) in the first round on Saturday Oct. 10. The featherweight match took place in Karlsruhe. Also, Songuel Ayten (6-2) beat Oliwia Koziura (0-5) after six.
Ireland
Christina Desmond (6-0) defeated Louise Creavens (6-3) by decision after 10 rounds on Saturday Oct. 10. The super lightweight fight was held in Cork. Also, super feather Zara Breslin (3-0) beat Antonina Cuti (2-23-1) by decision after six.
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Japan
On Sunday Oct. 18, light flyweights Mizuki Chimoto (5-0) and Sasitorn Phanthed (2-3-1) meet six rounds at Sakai.
Mexico
On Saturday Oct. 17, super bantams Karol Mazariegos (11-4-1) and Rosa Balboa (2-10) meet six rounds at Guanajuato.
Philippines
On Sunday Oct. 18, super flies Gretel De Paz (8-7-3) and Carleans Rivas (9-9-4) meet eight rounds at Cavite. Also, minimumweights Aime Impas (1-0) and Banthita Pumkrathok (7-1) meet six; flyweights Renz Dacquez (3-3-1) and Charimae Salvador (5-11) meet six; and super flies Aisha Kamaleldin (6-0) and Katsara Jatpukdee (12-14-1) meet six.
Puerto Rico
On Saturday Oct. 17, super featherweights Elise Soto (11-0) and Maria Salinas (27-16-6) meet eight rounds at Caguas.
South Korea
Ye Ji Han (1-0) beat Ji Hyun Bang (1-1) by majority decision after four rounds on Saturday Oct. 10. The flyweight fight took place in Seoul.
On Saturday Oct. 17, minimumweights Ye Kyeng Seo (10-1-3) and Wisuta Sririttidet (11-8) meet 10 rounds at Seoul.
Spain
Patricia Gonzalez (4-6-1) defeated Patricia Cabrera (3-4) by decision after 10 rounds on Saturday Oct. 10. The super welterweight fight took place in Cadelaria.
Sweden
On Sunday Oct. 18, super lightweights Patricia Berghult (19-2) and Martina Caruso (3-1) meet six rounds at Orebro.
Thailand
Amonrat Mitsiriwat (6-0-1) and Panisa Kattiprot (0-0-1) fought to a split draw after six rounds on Wednesday Oct. 7. The super bantamweight fight was held in Bangkok.
United Kingdom
On Saturday Oct. 17, super flies Tiana Schroeder (6-0) and Ana Acevedo (7-3) meet eight rounds at Belfast Northern Ireland.
USA
Maya Hernandez (3-0) won by decision after four rounds against Sarah Click (2-16-2) on Saturday Oct. 10. The bantamweight fight took place in Long Beach, Calif.
Naomy Valle (16-1) won by unanimous decision after eight rounds versus Sheyla Moreno (5-2-1) on Saturday Oct. 10. The minimumweight fight took place in Chicago.
Azariah Cottrell (1-0) knocked out Karla Valenzuela (3-42-3) in the second round on Saturday Oct. 10. The lightweight match was held in Kansas City, Mo.
On Friday Oct. 16, featherweights Jaclyne McTamney (5-0) and Jessica Bellusci (7-7) meet six rounds Philadelphia, Pa. Also, super bantams Lisandra Contreras (3-0) and Erika Hernandez (3-9) meet six.
On Saturday Oct. 17, bantamweights Paige Gilbert (3-0) and Indeya Rodriguez (8-8-3) meet four rounds at Dallas, Texas.
On Sunday Oct. 18, bantamweights Rosalinda Rodriguez (14-0) and Mayela Perez (20-31-4) meet six rounds at Hollywood, Florida.
