Female Fight News for week of May 1, 2017 Back to Back TV
By David A. Avila
Female boxing hit another historic note with back-to-back weeks of television coverage. Two more brilliant boxers were seen across America for the first time ever.
That had never happened before and both are considered among the best female boxers pound for pound.
On Saturday, Las Vegas prizefighter Layla McCarter won by technical knockout of Szilvia Szabados in the seventh round with a crisp left hook to the body. The entire USA was able to witness the knockout performance by the fighter most recognized as the best female boxer in the world on Fox Sports 2.
A week ago another gem was seen when Amanda Serrano’s knockout win was also televised live by Showtime Extreme from Brooklyn, New York. Fans around the USA saw the Puerto Rican win her fifth world title in her fifth weight division. It was an incredible feat captured by television.
Two female fights televised back-to-back. Who would have believed it could happen a year ago?
Meanwhile, in England, former amateur superstar Katie Taylor showed she belongs in the professional world too in winning by stoppage over Germany’s Nina Meinke. The fight took place on the under card of the heavyweight showdown between Anthony Joshua and Wladimir Klitschko in London. Television was not able to capture it for American audiences, but those in Europe did see it.
According to Showtime’s Stephen Espinoza there are negotiations to bring Ireland’s Taylor to American shores to display her talent.
It just keeps getting better for female prizefighting.
Another Olympian
This coming Saturday, in Las Vegas, another former Olympian will be performing at the T-Mobile Arena on May 6. Houston’s Marlen Esparza is set to fight on the massive fight card and her fight will be televised on the free portion of the HBO telecast that precedes the pay-per-view portion.
The last time, in her pro debut, it was painful to see Esparza fight someone with scant experience in a boxing ring. But this time she faces Samantha Salazar a boxer from Dallas with some experience against decent fighters. An added note is it will be held in three-minute rounds, not the usual two-minute frames.
Also in Europe, WBC super featherweight titlist Eva Wahlstrom defends the title against Argentina’s Mayra Gomez on Saturday May 6, in Turku, Finland. Supposedly Wahlstrom was supposed to fight Haiti’s Melissa St. Vil who holds the WBC Silver title and was ready for the match. But somehow St. Vil was scratched from the fight. According to a press release from Wahlstrom’s promoter it was St. Vil who canceled. However, St. Vil said she was never contacted and further claimed “I would never refuse a title fight.”
Attempts to reach the WBC office for clarification from its president were unsuccessful.
Is there something fishy in Finland?
Female Fight News for week of May 1
Argentina
Ruth Pastermostti (0-0-1) and Romina Gorosito (0-3-1) fought to a draw after four rounds on Friday April 28. The flyweight match up took place in Cordoba, Argentina.
Australia
On Friday, May 5, welterweights Sarah Dwyer (1-2) and Jay Freedome (0-0) meet in a four round bout in Metro City, Northbridge.
Brazil
On Saturday May 6, lightweights Rosa Volante (9-0) and Yamila Abellaneda (5-0) fight 10 rounds for the WBO Latino title in Santos, Sao Paulo. Also, featherweights Danila Ramos (1-0) and Morgana Oliveira (0-0) fight a four round bout.
China
On Sunday May 7, flyweights Hei Tao Zhang (1-0) and Dipka Tiwari (1-0-2) meet in a 10 round contest in Xi An, China.
Colombia
Monica Henao (1-0-1) and Glenis Cardona (2-12-3) fought to a draw after four rounds on Saturday April 29. The lightweight match took place in Palmarde Varela, Colombia. Henao, 29, fights out of Colombia. Cardona, 22, also fights out of Colombia.
Finland
On Saturday May 6, Ewa Wahlstrom (19-0-1) defends the WBC super featherweight title versus Mayra Gomez (18-5) in a 10 round bout taking place in Turku, Finland. This is Wahlstrom’s third defense of the title since April 2015.
France
Oshin Derieuw (5-0) defeated Aleksandra Vujovic (2-1) by decision after six rounds on Saturday April 29. The super lightweight clash was held in Henin-Beaumont, France.
Elodie Bouchlaka (3-1-2) captured the vacant French bantamweight title by decision against Fatima El Kabouss (2-3) after eight rounds on Saturday April 29. The bantamweight title fight took place in Canohes, France.
Germany
Alicia Kummer (11-1) captured multiple titles by defeating Timea Belik (4-3) by decision after 10 rounds on Saturday April 29. The super lightweight fight for the GBU, GBC, WIBA, WIBF titles was staged in Winterhude, Germany.
Japan
Monserrat Alarcon (9-3-2) of Mexico captured the WBO flyweight world title by technical decision over champion Nana Yoshikawa (7-2) after only seven rounds on Saturday April 29. A cut suffered by Alarcon due to accidental head clashes forced the fight to be cut short. Alarcon floored Yoshikawa twice in the fight that took place in Osaka, Japan.
Mexico
Irma Garcia (17-2-1) was victorious over Judith Rodriguez (8-12) after a 10 rounds clash on Saturday April 29. The bantamweight fight took place in Chihuahua, Mexico. Garcia is a southpaw who fights out of Mexico City and is a police officer. Rodriguez, 35, also fights out of Mexico City. Also, a super bantamweight fight saw Melissa Esquivel (2-0) win by first round technical knockout of Monica Gutierrez (0-1).
Mayela Perez (16-21-4) defeated Edith Flores (0-5) by decision after 10 rounds on Saturday April 29. The atomweight match took place in Saltillo, Mexico. Also, Madai Ruvalcaba (1-0) won her pro debut by knockout of Estrella Hernandez (0-4) in the first round of their light flyweight clash.
On Friday May 5, super flyweights Nora Cardoza (11-5-2) and Estrella Hernandez (0-4) meet in a six round fight in Durango, Mexico.
On Friday May 5, light flyweights Brenda Ramos (9-5) and Carolina Garcia (1-5) meet in a six round match in Monclova, Coahuila, Mexico.
Poland
On Saturday May 6, super lightweights Oleksandra Sidorenko (5-0) and Mirjana Vujic (4-6) meet in an eight round clash in Baranki, Poland.
Spain
On Friday May 5, minimum weights Joana Pastrana (8-1) and Sandy Coget (8-5-1) meet in a 10 round bout set for three-minute rounds in Madrid. Both are fighting for the vacant EBU title.
United Kingdom
Katie Taylor (5-0) won the battle of undefeated by stoppage of Nina Meinke (5-1) in the seventh round due to a cut suffered by the German fighter. The lightweight bout was set for 10 rounds on Saturday April 29 on the under card of the Anthony Joshua-Wladimir Klitschko heavyweight title fight in London, England.
USA
Layla McCarter (39-13-5, 10 Kos) won by technical knockout in the seventh round over Szilvia Szabados (16-10, 6 Kos) on Saturday April 29. The lightweight clash took place in Las Vegas, Nevada. A McCarter left hook to the body ended the fight. Szabados fights out of Hungary. McCarter, 38, is considered the top female fighter pound for pound.
Jessica McCaskill (4-1) won by unanimous decision versus Brenda Gonzalez (4-2) after six rounds on Friday April 28. The lightweight contest took place in Chicago, Illinois. McCaskill, 32, fights out of Chicago. Gonzalez, 35, fights out of New Mexico.
On Saturday May 6, flyweights Marlen Esparza (1-0) and Samantha Salazar (2-3-1) meet in a four round fight set at three-minute rounds. Esparza, 27, is a former 2012 Olympic bronze medalist.
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