Female Fight News for week of June 12, Claressa Shields and more
By David A. Avila
With all eyes on Norway last weekend the rest of the female boxing world was lightly scheduled with scattered bouts. This week Claressa Shields brings attention to the USA with her coming bout in Detroit.
Shields, 22, recently signed a promotional contract with Salita Promotions a company that has successfully staged a number of boxing shows in the Michigan area in recent years.
The two-time Olympic gold medalist Shields (2-0) faces Mery Rancier (7-8-3) in a eight round bout for the vacant WBC Silver super middleweight title on Friday June 16. The Masonic Temple in Detroit, Michigan will be the host site. It will be shown on pay-per-view at a very low cost.
“Salita Promotions is to be commended for their commitment to Claressa Shields,” said Mark Taffet, Shields’ co-manager. “Dmitriy’s knowledge and expertise in Claressa’s home-base market of Detroit provides the perfect complements to Claressa’s once-in-a-century talent and determination to advance women’s boxing and change the sport of boxing forever.”
Twice Shields has fought as a professional and in both she showed audiences in Las Vegas and in Detroit how she was able to slice through the best female boxers in the world during two Olympics. She possesses speed, power and a thirst for victory that can’t be measured.
She’s a winner.
“I thank Salita Promotions for the commitment they have shown to me,” said Shields. “I promise all boxing fans that I will dedicate myself to being not only the world’s #1 female boxer and #1 pound-for-pound, but also a torch-bearer for boxing and women the world over. I can’t wait to get in the ring on June 16 to continue the journey.”
Rancier just recently fought Germany’s Nikki Adler for the WIBF and GBU super middleweight titles last March and lost by decision after 10 rounds.
More Americans
Other former amateur standouts Tyrieshia Douglas (11-1) and Ebony Rivera (7-0) clash for the UBF bantamweight title. This is Douglas first title defense since winning it in November 2015. The bantam battle takes place in Du Bums Arena in Baltimore, Maryland which is 28-year-old Douglas’ hometown.
Rivera, 26, fights out of North Carolina and is a southpaw with pretty good amateur experience. It’s a bantamweight showdown that seldom happens in the U.S. any more between American prizefighters who are always too concerned with keeping undefeated records and fighting subpar opponents. Not in this fight.
Argentina
South American female fight action takes place on back-to-back days with one of Argentina’s greatest fighters Marcela Acuna battling Australia’s Shannon O’Connell for that fighter’s IBF super bantamweight world title on Friday June 16 in Caseros, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
The next day in Santa Fe, Argentina, Daniela Bermudez meets Paola Benavidez for the vacant WBO bantamweight world title being vacated by Amanda Serrano. Too bad Bermudez opted to skip a fight with Serrano. It doesn’t mean much when you fight the easier boxer instead of the real champ. For more on the Argentina action read Diego Morilla’s story on this web site later this week.
Pound for pound
Most of the world media claims Cecilia Braekhus as the best female fighter pound for pound. She looked good in her win over Erica Farias last week but I truly cannot call her the best of the best while Layla McCarter is out there and willing to fight her. The American fighter McCarter has been calling out Braekhus for several years, not the other way around. That tells me something, it should tell other boxing writers something too.
McCarter has been fighting much longer than Braekhus and despite 13 losses as a pro, has not lost a fight since Braekhus first fought as a pro. Basically both are undefeated in the same time span. The female fight world would benefit from a showdown between the two.
Female Fight News for week of June 13, 2017
Argentina
Makarena Gallastegui (4-1) knocked out Lorena Moreyra (0-4) in the second round on Saturday June 10. The super bantamweight fight was held in Laprida, Buenos Aires.
Tamara Demarco (1-0) defeated Laura Salazar (0-5) by decision after four rounds on Saturday June 10. The light flyweight bout was held in Del Carril, Buenos Aires.
On Friday June 16, super bantamweights Marcela Acuna (45-6-1) and Shannon O’Connell (15-4-1) meet in a 10 round contest for the IBF world title in Caseros, Buenos Aires. (For more on this story look for Diego Morilla’s article on this web site). Also, Brenda Carabajal (11-3) and Gloria Yancaqueo (3-8-2) meet in a six round super featherweight fight.
On Saturday June 17, bantamweights Daniela Bermudez (21-3-2) and Paola Benavidez (7-2-1) meet in a 10 round fight in Arroyo Seco, Santa Fe for the vacant WBO bantamweight title. The title was formerly held by Puerto Rico’s Amanda Serrano who vacated it recently to concentrate on the heavier weight divisions.
Australia
April Adams (6-1-1) was the winner by decision after five rounds versus Sriwilai Marasri (9-5-2) on Saturday June 10. The bantamweight fight took place in Mansfield, Queensland.
Canada
On Thursday June 15, welterweights Maria Decaire (7-0) and Alejandra Ayala (5-1) meet in an eight round contest in Montreal, Quebec.
Brazil
On Saturday June 17, super lightweights Adriana Araujo (0-0) and Elaine Albuquerque (1-1) meet in a six round bout in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Colombia
Saimar Siris Acosta (2-0) knocked out Geraldine Perez (0-1) in the second round on Friday June 9. The flyweight fight was held in Barranquilla, Colombia.
Denmark
On Saturday June 17, featherweights Sarah Mahfoud (2-0) and Jessica Sanchez (0-3-2) meet in a four round bout in Aarhus, Denmark.
Estonia
On Saturday June 17, featherweights Elena Gradinar (5-0) and Galina Ivanova (16-15-4) meet in a eight round clash in Kalev, Estonia.
Germany
Leonie Giebel (11-0-1) beat Maja Milenkovic (5-10) by decision after eight rounds on Saturday June 10. The super featherweight match was held in Paderborn, Germany. Also, Beke Bas (9-0) defeated Karina Kopinska (9-18-3) by decision after four rounds in their lightweight fight.
Hungary
Alexandra Lakatos (6-0-1) vanquished Kleopatra Tolnai (12-11-1) by unanimous decision after eight rounds on Sunday June 11. The super flyweight battle took place in Budapest. Also, Ema Kozin (8-0) stopped Jelena Drakulic (0-2) by technical knockout in the second round of their middleweight fight.
Mexico
Alondra Ballesteros (1-0) beat Maricela Ortega (0-2) by unanimous decision after four rounds om Sunday June 11. The minimum weight fight took place in San Juan de Los Lagos, Jalisco.
Arely Mucino (24-3-2) defeated Jessica Martinez (4-8) after eight rounds on Saturday June 10. The super flyweight fight was held in Guaymas, Sonora. Also, Jessica Diaz (4-1) beat Valeria Perez (8-3) by decision after four rounds in their bantamweight match.
Guadalupe Ramirez (7-9) was the winner by unanimous decision after 10 rounds against Maria Goreti (4-6) on Friday June 9. The win in Mexico City gives Ramirez the vacant Mexico light flyweight title. Also, Maribel Ramirez (11-9-2) beat Eloisa Martinez (2-5-1) by technical knockout in the seventh round of their flyweight fight.
On Saturday June 17, flyweights Jacqueline Coutino (5-2) and Karina Fernandez (9-2-1) meet in an eight round clash in Comitan, Chiapas. Also, super flyweights Diana Fernandez (15-0) and Alejandra Nuricumbo (1-0) meet in a eight round contest.
On Saturday June 17, light flyweights Sandra Robles (17-2) and Katia Gutierrez (19-7) meet in a eight round bout in Chiapas.
Norway
Cecilia Braekhus (31-0) defeated Argentina’s Erica Farias(24-2) by unanimous decision after 10 rounds on Friday June 9, to retain the WBC, WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO welterweight titles. The championship fight took place in Bergen, Norway. Also, Valgerdur Gudstendottir (2-0) beat Marianna Gulyas (14-25) in a super featherweight fight; and Joanna Ekedahl (1-0) beat Nikolett Papp (4-1) by decision in a super welterweight match.
Philippines
Casey Morton (5-0-3) defeated Phannaluk Kongsang (0-3) by unanimous decision after six rounds on Saturday June 10. The super flyweight match was held in Barangay,Cebu. Morton, 33, fights out of San Francisco, California. Kongsang, 22, fights out of Thailand.
Spain
On Friday June 16, featherweights Violeta Gonzalez (3-0) and Kristina Jeffenic (0-8) meet in a six round contest in Bilbao.
On Saturday June 17, super lightweights Verena Kaiser (7-0) and Lela Tersahvili (8-7-1) meet in a six round fight in Peniscola, Valencia.
Sweden
Patricia Herghult (8-0) defeated Aleksandra Vujovic (2-2-1) by unanimous decision after six rounds on Saturday June 10. The super lightweight fight was held in Jonkoping, Sweden.
United Kingdom
On Friday June 16, middleweights Stacey Copeland (0-0) and Borislava Goranova (10-46-3) in a four round bout set at three-minute rounds in Manchester, England.
USA
Sonya Lamonakis (10-2-3) and Laura Ramsey (10-7-1) fought to a draw after 10 rounds on Saturday June 10. The heavyweight fight was held in Worcester, Mass. Both were fighting for the vacant WBF heavyweight title. It will remain vacant.
Shurreta Metcalf (2-2) was the winner by majority decision after four rounds versus Brittany Ordonez (1-1) on Saturday June 10. The featherweight match was held in San Antonio, Texas.
On Friday June 16, super middleweights Claressa Shields (2-0) and Mery Rancier (7-8-3) meet in an eight round bout for the WBC Silver title in Detroit, Michigan.
On Saturday June 17, bantamweights Tyrieshia Douglas (11-1) and Ebony Rivera (7-0) meet in a 10 round fight for the UBF bantamweight title in Baltimore, Maryland.