Female Fight News and results for Aug. 21, 2017 American Television
By David A. Avila
American television has not fully bought into female prizefighting. It’s a slow painstaking ordeal that needs to be taken in baby steps.
But it’s difficult for the female boxing community to maintain patience.
While MMA forges ahead with television and more lucrative paydays for women the boxing world has yet to see television fully open its doors to the sport. But it will soon happen.
Television in America is quite different from television in other countries. Here we have more than 800 channels almost 24 hours a day. In countries like Mexico, Argentina and others they have fewer than a couple of dozen. Less competition means female boxing does not get lost in the shuffle. It thrives outside of the U.S. border.
In Mexico, the top female Mariana “La Barby” Juarez dominates the airwaves when she fights. In April, her fight for the WBC bantamweight world title against Catherine Phiri drew more than 400,000 people. Plus, it was shown on national television.
Juarez has become a superpower at age 37 years old. The Mexico City queen of boxing probably makes more money than any other female boxer in the world today. She has earned it in her extensive career that goes beyond what the records say. When Juarez began female boxing was illegal in Mexico.
Can you imagine that?
The petite-looking Juarez began boxing in the late 1990s and was famous for her clashes against now retired Ana Maria Torres. Two of their fights are not listed on any records. They were basically fighting underground.
Juarez has earned all that she has gained.
All of Juarez’s fights are televised and she commands a great deal of marketing power in Mexico. She owns her own gym and has proven to be a rather shrewd businesswoman.
Can an American female prizefighter follow in her footsteps?
American TV
In the U.S. the doors were slightly opened for women beginning a year ago when Heather Hardy and Shelly Vincent were shown on a national televised broadcast. Then, starting in January 2017, Amanda Serrano, Claressa Shields, Marlen Esparza, Layla McCarter, Katie Taylor and Mikaela Mayer were all on televised bouts by Showtime, ESPN and Fox Sports.
That’s quite a difference from the year before or the decade before.
Female boxing finally has an apparatus to show its American talent at last. But the fighters are getting restless and who can blame them.
For decades American women have sat on the sidelines while other countries flourished in the sport.
Showtime remains the only premium channel that showcases female boxing and they have done this while trying to minimize the risk. What most female boxing fans and the boxing community fail to realize is that the heads of the networks who gamble on female boxing are risking their jobs. If they fail, they are fired.
The heads of all the television networks like HBO, CBS, NBC etc. all risk their jobs if they don’t show improved numbers in ratings. Ratings mean everything for networks and each time a female bout is shown the networks need to see that needle go up.
When ratings go up then interest by television networks goes up too.
Recently, Amanda Serrano the perky Puerto Rican living in Brooklyn was told by the WBO sanctioning group that she has the go-ahead to fight for a record sixth world title in a sixth weight division. That’s history making material that has never been done in female boxing.
If you love female boxing then this is the time to show your love.
Serrano and Showtime
Talks between Serrano’s promoter Lou DiBella and Showtime have taken place and are continuing. The target date looks like late November or early December. At the moment, Argentina’s Ana Laura Esteche, a gruff no-nonsense pugilist from South America will be the foe selected. She has the WBO super lightweight world title and Serrano wants it.
This is not an easy fight but Serrano relishes the opportunity.
“As of now I’m the only female to hold world titles in five divisions but I’m greedy. I want more,” said Serrano chuckling despite needing to fight a foe at 140-pounds. That’s 18 pounds more than her last fight. “It’s something I want to do to cement my legacy in boxing.”
It’s an incredible feat.
A few out in the boxing world think it’s an easy fight because Esteche is not known here in the U.S. She is well known in boxing crazy Argentina.
I remember once sitting down with Roger Mayweather the former world champion and trainer of his nephew Floyd Mayweather. I and one other were talking about boxing of course inside a Las Vegas boxing gym. This other guy, a writer for a boxing web site, wanted to know about Roger’s attitude toward Oscar De La Hoya who had just won the WBO middleweight world title and a sixth title in six divisions in 2004.
“Why? What’s there to say?” asked Mayweather.
The writer said “Aren’t those titles tainted? Look at who he fought to win the title, this guy Felix Sturm,” said the writer to Mayweather.
Mayweather looked at him and said those famous words he’s known for saying: “you don’t know s**t about boxing,” before adding that anytime you win a world title is a big thing. They don’t give you the title, you got to earn it against another human being who wants it just as bad.
“If you think it’s so easy why don’t you get in the ring with De La Hoya,” Mayweather said before ousting the writer from of the gym.
That’s how I feel about Serrano’s accomplishments. If it was so easy why aren’t others doing it?
Female Fight News
Argentina
Debora Dionicius (25-0) retained the IBF world title by unanimous decision against Mexico’s Diana Fernandez (16-1) on Saturday Aug. 19. The super flyweight clash between undefeated fighters was held in Malvinas Argentinas, Buenos Aires. (For more on this story read Diego Morilla’s piece on this web site.)
Victoria Bustos (18-4) kept the IBF world title by unanimous decision over Maria Capriolo (7-7-4) after 10 rounds on Friday Aug. 18. The lightweight championship fight took place in Rosario, Santa Fe. Also, Brenda Carabajal (12-3-1) defeated Maria Ruiz (5-11-1) by technical knockout in the sixth round in a lightweight clash.
Luna Torroba (12-6-2) defeated Vanessa Taborda (8-9-3) by unanimous decision after six rounds on Friday Aug. 18. The flyweight match took place in Anguil, La Pampa.
Lucia Ruiz (2-0) won by majority decision against Romina Gorosito (0-6-2) after four rounds on Friday Aug. 18. The light flyweight contest took place in Florencio Varela, Buenos Aires.
On Friday Aug. 25, bantamweights Iara Cortes (1-1) and Adriana Maldonado (1-6-2) meet in a four round contest in Quilmes, Buenos Aires.
Canada
Annie Mazerolle (4-3) beat Claire Hafner (1-1) by majority decision after six rounds on Saturday Aug. 19. The heavyweight fight took place in Shediac, New Brunswick.
Chile
Isis Mascarena (3-0) was the victor over Laura Valdebenito (1-2) by decision after four three-minute flyweight rounds.
Finland
On Saturday Aug. 26, super featherweights Eva Wahlstrom (20-0-1) and Irma Adler (16-8) meet in an eight round contest in Olavinlinna, Savonlinna.
Indonesia
Felmi Sumaehe (1-0) won her pro debut by knockout of Febri Lubis (0-1) in the fifth round on Sunday Aug. 20. The super bantamweight fight was held in Jakarta.
Kazakhstan
On Saturday Aug. 26, lightweights Firuza Sharipova (6-1) and Milena Koleva (9-9-1) meet in a 10 round contest for the WIBA world title in Astana. Sharipova, 22, fights out of Taraz, Kazakhstan. Koleva, 29, fights out of Berlin, Germany.
Lithuania
On Saturday Aug. 26, super bantamweights Ana Starovoitova (2-0) and Marina Sakharov (1-7-2) meet in a six round fight in Vilnius.
Mexico
Magali Rodriguez (17-5-1) won by unanimous decision versus Kathia Rodriguez (3-3) on Friday Aug. 18. The super lightweight contest took place in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon.
Paola Torres (11-2-1) knocked out Perla Rojas (1-3) in the fifth round on Friday Aug. 18. The featherweight clash took place in Castanos, Coahuila de Zaragoza. Also, Brenda Ramos (10-5) defeated Brenda Ronzon (0-2) by decision in a light flyweight fight; plus Edith Ramos (6-1-1) beat Beatriz Jimenez (4-3-1) by split decision in a super featherweight match.
Peru
Linda Lecca (13-2-2) retained the WBA world title by unanimous decision over Mexico’s Karina Fernandez (10-3-1) On Saturday Aug. 19. The battle for the super flyweight championship took place in Trujillo the birth place of Lecca who is 29. The challenger Fernandez, 26, fights out of Juarez, Mexico. She is the sister of Diana Fernandez who fought on the same night in Argentina and lost a world title fight also.
Philippines
On Friday Aug. 25, light flyweights Carleans Rivas (5-4-3) and Floryvic Montero (3-2) meet in six round bout in Makati City, Manila.
Poland
Sylwia Maksym (1-0) won her pro debut by unanimous decision over veteran Bojana Libisszewska (5-24) after four rounds on Saturday Aug. 19. The super featherweight fight took place in Miedzyzdroje.
USA
Raquel Miller (4-0) defeated Kita Watkins (7-16) by unanimous decision after four rounds on Saturday Aug. 19. The middleweight fight took place in Richmond, California. The winner Miller, 32, fights out of San Francisco. Watkins, 38, has lost eight consecutive fights but all were to high ranking contenders and world champions.
On Friday Aug. 25, super featherweights Alycia Baumgardner (3-0) and Rolanda Andrews (9-8-1) meet in four round fight in Warren, Michigan.
On Saturday Aug. 26, super middleweights Savannah Marshall (0-0) and Sydney LeBlanc (4-3-1) meet in a four round match in Las Vegas, Nevada.
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READ: HEATHER HARDY “I DIDN’T COME THIS FAR, JUST TO COME THIS FAR.”