Mariana Juarez, Ramona Kuehne and Female Fight News for week of July 10, 2017
By David A. Avila
It’s almost like Christmas in July.
Katie Taylor’s coming to town to add yet another star attraction to the world of women’s boxing in the USA. And there is one more female Olympian to come who is signing with Top Rank Promotions according to two sources. Her name is Mikaela Mayer.
The gifts to female prizefighting keep on coming.
Two of the world’s bigger producers of female combatants Germany and Mexico served a plate full of competitive fights including world title affairs.
Mexico’s Mariana “Barby” Juarez defended her WBC bantamweight world title successfully against Japan’s Terumi Nuki on Saturday in Zapopan, Jalisco. It was the extremely popular Juarez’s first defense of the world title.
How popular is Juarez?
Her world title win in April was witnessed by more than 400,000 people at the Zocalo in Mexico City. Sure the seats were free but what other boxer female or male could attract that many fans?
Juarez has returned to a more pure boxing style that seemed to work well against the aggressive Nuki. The stocky power-punching boxer from Osaka was right-punch crazy all night. That allowed Mexico’s Juarez to employ a stiff left jab that scored all night.
Nuki had some good moments especially in the fourth round when Juarez stayed in front and the two exchanged. Several roundhouse rights by Nuki connected to the body and head of Juarez. But mostly, Juarez hit and moved when needed to win eight of 10 rounds on all three judge’s cards.
In other Mexico fights Isabel Millan (19-3-1) defeated Leticia Uribe (4-10) by decision after eight super flyweight rounds. Millan recently traveled to Japan and was stopped by that country’s super star Naoko Fujioka. No embarrassment there. It continues the two nation’s rivalry of female boxing powerhouses. It’s warrior nation versus warrior nation.
Germany rocks
Female boxing in Germany has erupted especially this past weekend as Ramona Kuehne defended her WBO super featherweight world title against Djemilla Gontaruk in Ludwigshafen. The Berlin-based prizefighter won by decision. It was her eighth defense of the WBO title since winning it in 2010. So far her only loss came to Ina Menzer in 2010 who retired in 2013.
On the same Ludwigshafen fight card, Nicole Wesner remained undefeated and retained her lightweight titles by unanimous decision after 10 rounds with Hasna Tukic. Could we possibly see cross-Atlantic Ocean action later this year or next year?
Another Olympian
Ireland’s Taylor has been a force in the amateur female boxing world for many years now. Along the way she captured several amateur world championships and an Olympic gold medal in 2012. Since becoming a professional her tornado-like approach has sliced through every opponent she’s faced.
The Irish athlete has a large following in the United Kingdom and many expect her to succeed in gathering an army of followers in the USA as well. Her crowd-pleasing style appeals to boxing fans.
Another arriving in the pro ranks is American lightweight Mikaela Mayer who is also a former Olympian who participated last year but lost in the second round. Many say she was a victim by crooked judges in her bout versus Russia’s Anastasia Belyakova. After her bout and others, several judges from the Eastern bloc were sent home by the Olympic committee.
With blazing speed and height Mayer possesses many attributes that can assist her toward a world title match once she acclimates to the pro style. It should come quickly to her. She also has movie star looks. At 27 years of age she has plenty of time to adapt.
Mayer was born on the Fourth of July.
Once the two Olympians get to the top it gets interesting. Waiting for either with big smiles will be Amanda Serrano and Layla McCarter who can both make 135 with ease.
Those are all potential mega fights for female prizefighting. Big money fights.
American pro stars
Both McCarter and Serrano are recognized by many as the two best American female fighters pound for pound. In fact, they are two of the best anywhere in the world.
McCarter, 38, has been fighting as a welterweight but is actually a lightweight out of Las Vegas. She hasn’t lost a fight in 10 years and is considered to be the very best female boxer pound for pound. She’s knocked out three of the past five opponents.
Serrano, 28, has been fighting as a bantamweight and super bantamweight but also has won world titles as a featherweight, super featherweight and lightweight. The Puerto Rican boxer-puncher decided to drop down in weight classes to etch her name in the history books as the first woman to win five world titles in five weight divisions.
The Brooklyn boxer will be fighting on July 21 against Hungary’s Edina Kiss in Puerto Rico. The original opponent decided not to take the fight so Kiss has stepped in. Both fought each other in 2016. Serrano won by knockout. It remains the only time Kiss has lost by knockout.
It won’t be too long before female prizefighting reaches the star levels now seen in MMA. It’s coming.
Female Fight News for week of July 10
Argentina
Macarena Ledesma (6-0) was the victor by decision after six rounds versus Maria Ruiz (5-10-1) on Saturday July 8. The super lightweight match was held in Rosario, Santa Fe.
Tania Pereyra (1-2-1) snapped a two-fight losing streak with a decision win over Alejandra Reynoso (1-3-1) on Saturday July 8. The lightweight match was held in Las Heras, Mendoza.
Cintia Castillo (7-0) was the winner by decision after six rounds versus Valeria Almiron (2-14) on Friday July 7. The featherweight bout took place in Cordoba, Cordoba.
Natalia Alderete (2-0) defeated Micaela De Los Angeles (2-2) by decision after four rounds on Friday July 7. The bantamweight fight took place in San Miguel, Tucuman.
On Friday July 14, featherweights Makarena Gallastegui (4-1) and Gloria Yancaqueo (3-8-3) meet in a four round match in Tres Arroyos, Buenos Aires.
On Friday July 14, lightweights Anahi Sanchez (15-2) and Maria Brito (11-18) meet in a six round fight in Pergamino, Buenos Aires.
On Friday July 14, featherweights Silvana Gomez (2-0) and Paola Farfan (0-0) meet in a four round bout in San Pedro de Jujuy, Jujuy.
Australia
On Friday July 14, super lightweights Sarah Dwyer (2-2) and Kylie Hutt (2-0-1) meet in a five round match in Metro City, Northbridge.
Bosnia
Ivana Habazin (16-3) won by unanimous decision over Valentina Stankovic (0-1-1) after six rounds on Wednesday July 5. The welterweight clash took place in Ribnica, Bosnia. Also, Jasmina Merdic (2-2) knocked out Hristina Stojadinovic (0-1) in the third round of their super middleweight meeting.
China
On Wednesday July 12, IBF minimum weight titlist Zong Ju Cai (9-1) defends against Gretchen Abaniel (17-8) in a 10 round contest in Shenzhen, China. The champion Ju Cai, 25, fights out of Zinan, China and is making her first title defense. Abaniel, 31, fights out of the Philippines and previously lost to Zu Cai in 2015. In another female fight, Ya Hong Yu (4-0) meets Caiging Yin (0-0) in a four round super flyweight bout.
France
Myriam Dellal (15-5-3) defeated Aleksandra Vujovic (2-3-1) by unanimous decision after eight rounds on Saturday July 8. The super lightweight fight took place in Marseille.
Germany
Ramona Kuehne (26-1) retained the WBO super featherweight world title by decision over Djemilla Gontaruk (13-4-1) after 10 rounds on Saturday July 8. Belgium’s Gontaruk, 25, was overweight and not eligible for the title. Kuehne, 37, was making her eighth defense of the WBO title since 2010. Also, Nicole Wesner (13-0) retained her lightweight titles by unanimous decision after 10 rounds with Hasna Tukic (9-7). Both title fights took place in Ludwigshafen.
Patricia Braesick (1-2) won her first pro fight by first round knockout over Marion Farkas (0-4) on Saturday July 8. The middleweight fight took place in Kempten, Bayern.
Italy
On Saturday July 15, lightweights Giulia Grenci (1-0) and Katarina Vistica (1-6) meet in a four round fight in Cecchina, Lazio.
Japan
On Tuesday July 11, minimum weights Nao Ikeyama (18-3-2) and Saemi Hanagata (13-6-3) meet in 10 round clash in Tokyo, Japan.
Mexico
Mariana “Barby” Juarez (46-9-4) retained the WBC bantamweight world title by unanimous decision after 10 rounds versus Japan’s Terumi Nuki (9-2) on Saturday July 8. The championship match took place in Zapopan, Jalisco. Juarez, 37, was making the first defense since winning the world title last April 1. Nuki, 28, fights out of Osaka, Japan. In other fights Isabel Millan (19-3-1) defeated Leticia Uribe (4-10) by decision after eight super flyweight rounds; Angelica Monserrat (3-4) beat Irene Cibrian (0-3-1) by decision after six light flyweight rounds; Erika Cruz (4-1) beat Aide Rodriguez (5-1-2) by decision after four super bantamweight rounds.
Silvia Torres (16-0-1) won by unanimous decision over Maria Vargas (8-3) after eight rounds on Saturday July 8. The minimum weight fight took place in Tlalpan, Mexico City.
Spain
On Friday July 14, super featherweights Katharina Thunderz (5-0) and Karina Kopinska (9-19-3) meet in a six round clash in Benidorm, Valenciana. Also, Eva Naranjo (8-0) and Jasmina Nad (6-17-4) meet in a six round super flyweight clash.
United Kingdom
Chantelle Cameron (2-0) won by knockout of Poland’s Bojana Libiszewska (5-23) in the fourth round on Saturday July 8. The lightweight fight took place in Glasgow, Scotland.
USA
Sonia Osorio (9-5-1) was the winner by decision after four rounds versus Noemi Bosques (11-10-3) on Friday July 7. The super flyweight contest took place in Tampa, Florida. The winner Osorio fights out of Mexico City. The loser Bosques, 34, fights out of St. Petersburg, Florida.
On Saturday July 15, super welterweights Alicia Napoleon (7-1) and Mary McGee (23-3) meet for the vacant IBF world title in Uniondale, New York. It pits Napoleon, 31, a natural super welterweight against McGee, 30, a natural lightweight but a former contender who has fought world champions such as Holly Holm and Erica Farias. It should be an interesting clash.
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