Female Fight News for week of Nov. 13, 2017 Maricela Cornejo
By David A. Avila
Two pound for pound best Belgium’s Delfine Persoon and Mexico’s Mariana Juarez eased by opponents this past weekend to retain their respective world titles.
It’s what’s expected for them.
Another pair of Mexican boxers are working toward establishing themselves: one as a solid contender and the other as a world champion again.
Maricela “La Diva” Cornejo (8-2) heads to Cancun, Mexico in a super middleweight clash against Irais Hernandez (2-0) in a six round contest on a Golden Boy Promotions card on Thursday. It’s been only three months since she last fought.
Though she’s a top 10 contender and was promised a world title fight last summer, the last-minute change only gave her a better view of the landscape. Though female weight divisions above 160 pounds have fewer competitors, the danger is increased.
Middleweights can hit. Plain and simple the females above 160 pounds all pack power in their fists. Cornejo is no exception.
Harnessing that power and using it strategically can be a fine line. Since the Washington native began training with Joel Diaz in the desert gym of Indio the sharpness in her punches is evident. Another factor in her training is that no other female boxers especially in her weight class exist near the training camp.
“She has to spar with the guys,” said Diaz who has been training her for almost a year now in Indio, a town located about 132 miles from Los Angeles where Cornejo previously lived. “They (guys) don’t take it easy on her.”
It’s necessary.
“I really like it here,” said Cornejo who also prepares specially conceived meals for a few of the other fighters in the camp. “I feel like an important factor for some of the fighters here.”
Weight is usually a problem for many prizefighters but seldom for the desert fighters. The remoteness of the training camp means focus stays primarily on boxing preparation.
“I’m used to the desert,” Cornejo says. “I just work hard.”
Though Cornejo may seem out of sight and out of mind in the faraway desert she’s right in the middle of the middleweight and super middleweight contenders and among the top three in the world.
Among those rated above are world champion Claressa Shields and Tori Nelson who are set to face each other in early January. And one division below is middleweight world champion Christina Hammer.
Cornejo has placed herself in a sniper’s position ready to pick whoever she desires. But it’s not on her mind.
“I’m just concentrating on winning my next fight,” she says.
On Thursday, Cornejo will be fighting Hernandez a hard-hitting middleweight from Tijuana. Despite only two pro fights Hernandez has two consecutive knockouts. Middleweights are like that…dangerous.
Tijuana’s next generation
Speaking of Tijuana one of its best female prizefighters returns to the ring when Kenia “La Gema” Enriquez (19-1) meets Jessica Nery Plata (21-1) in a light flyweight clash for the WBC world title on Saturday Nov. 18, in Obregon, Mexico.
Both Enriquez and Nery Plata represent the next wave of Mexican prizefighters ready to take on the world. In Enriquez case she really does want to take rule the world, not just Mexico.
Although the WBC world titles are coveted the champions from Mexico usually do not fight outside of Mexico. Most of the battles for the green belt take place in that country. In essence, it’s been really just a battle between Mexican fighters the last few years, especially in the light flyweight division.
Enriquez is not like that.
“I would like to fight for the whole world, I would like other countries to recognize the quality of boxing that Mexico has. I would like to go to Japan, Germany, and Argentina,” said Enriquez, 24, who formerly held the WBO flyweight world title. “I want to fight in those other countries because they are very good fighters and a lot of the world elites come from there.”
It’s a trait that very few possess that willingness to test the best in the rest of the world.
Female Fight News
Argentina
Daniela Rivero (4-0) was the winner by decision after six rounds versus Johana Gimenez (3-5-1) on Saturday Nov. 11. The bantamweight fight took place in Rafael Calzada, Buenos Aires. Also, Iara Altamirano (2-0-1) defeated Cintia Gonzalez by decision in a four round bantamweight bout.
On Saturday Nov. 18, flyweights Anyelen Espinosa (3-0) and Jennifer Mendoza (0-0-1) meet in a six round fight in Buenos Aires.
Australia
On Saturday Nov. 18, super featherweights Natalie Jenkinsen (0-0) and Siriwan Thongmanit (6-10-1) meet in a four round bout in Tweed Heads, New South Wales.
Belgium
Delfine Persoon (39-1) defeated Myriam Dellal (15-6-3) by unanimous decision after 10 rounds to retain the WBC world title on Saturday Nov. 11. The lightweight match was held in Zwevezele. Persoon, 32, had suffered a serious hand injury and finally returned to the boxing ring after a year. It was Persoon’s sixth successive title defense. Also, in another lightweight fight Florence De Coster (1-0) won her pro debut by decision after six rounds against Katarina Vistica (1-9).
Canada
Shelly Barnett (2-0) defeated Mariela Valverde (4-5) by decision after four rounds on Saturday Nov. 11. The super flyweight bout was held in Brampton, Ontario.
China
On Saturday Nov. 18, bantamweights Chunyan Xu (6-4) and Lijun Guo (0-0) meet in a six round fight in Da Lian.
El Salvador
On Saturday Nov. 18, super bantamweights Alys Sanchez (15-3-1) and Liliana Palmera (27-12-3) meet in a 10 round fight for the WBA world title in San Salvador. It’s a rematch of a fight that took place between them on August. In that fight Venezuela’s Sanchez, 31, won the title by split decision. Palmera, 35, fights out of Colombia. This is neutral territory.
Fiji
Anaseini Dakua (1-0-1) beat Visila Kolitapa (0-1-1) by decision after four rounds on Saturday Nov. 11. The middleweight fight took place in Lautoka.
Finland
Lotta Loikkanen (2-0) was the winner by knockout in the third round over Ana Simeonova (2-8-1) on Saturday Nov. 11. The super flyweight contest was held in Juuka.
France
Maiva Hamadouche (17-1) was the winner by fourth round knockout of Milena Koleva (9-11-1) on Saturday Nov. 11. The super featherweight clash took place in Montigny-le-Bretonneux. Also, Nahed Kharchi (1-0) beat Marine Tollet (0-1) by decision in a bantamweight bout.
On Friday Nov. 17, featherweights Sabah Gades (0-0) and Marina Djekic (1-1) meet in a four round fight in Rodez.
Germany
On Saturday Nov. 18, featherweights Elina Tissen (21-2) and Karina Kopinska (10-20-3) meet in a 10 round fight for the GBU and WIBF featherweight titles in Sassenberg.
Japan
Etsuko Tada (17-3-2) was the victor by unanimous decision versus Naoko Shibata (17-5-1) on Friday Nov. 10. The minimum weight battle took place in Tokyo and featured two of the top contenders in the division. (For more on this fight read the story on this site by Yuriko Miyata.)
On Friday Nov. 17, light flyweights Kaori Nagai (1-2-2) and Yumi Narita (2-2-1) meet in a four round fight in Osaka.
On Sunday Nov. 19, minimum weights Natsuki Tarui (1-5-1) and Smile Nagisa (0-0) meet in a four round bout in Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi.
On Sunday Nov. 19, light flyweights Konomi Kodama (0-1) and Sachiko Kondo (0-1) meet in a four round fight in Gifu, Gifu.
On Monday Nov. 20, minimum weights Jun Yabuki (8-0) and Fuka Komura (5-0) meet in a six round clash in Tokyo. Yubuki, 26, fights out of Tokyo. Komura, 20, fights out of Osaka.
Mexico
Mariana Juarez (47-9-4) won by sixth round technical knockout over Germany’s Alesia Graf (29-7) on Saturday Nov. 11. The battle for the WBC bantamweight world title took place in Guanajuato. It was Juarez’s second world title defense. (For more on the fight read the story on the web site ThePrizefighters.com)
On Thursday Nov. 16, super middleweights Maricela Cornejo (8-2) and Irais Hernandez (2-0) meet in a six round contest in Cancun. It will be streamed on ESPN3.
New Zealand
Alrie Meleisea (4-0) beat Sarah Long (2-3) by decision after eight rounds on Saturday Nov. 11. The heavyweight fight took place in Auckland.
On Saturday Nov. 18, heavyweights Lani Daniels (1-0) and Trish Vaka (0-1) meet in a eight round fight for the vacant New Zealand title.
Philippines
Erika Hanawa (8-1) won by technical knockout in the third round of Sornsawan Khunmarn (2-5) to win the vacant OPBF minimum weight title. Also, Yuko Henzan (5-6-4) and Phannaluk Kongsang (2-3-1) fought to a split draw after weight rounds on Friday Nov. 10 in Puerto Princesa City.
South Korea
On Saturday Nov. 18, super featherweights Hyun Mi Choi (14-0-1) and Jessica Gonzalez (7-3-2) meet in a 10 round fight for the WBA world title in Incheon. This is Choi, 27, four title defense since 2014. Gonzalez, 29, fights out of Mexico City and her last fight was a technical draw against Melissa St. Vil due to a clash of heads that caused a cut. Also, in another title fight, Hye Soo Park (4-7-1) and Hei Tao Zhang (2-0) meet for the WBF light flyweight titles.
Spain
Yolanda Ramos (4-0) defeated Catalina Diaz (3-1) by unanimous decision after eight rounds on Saturday Nov. 11. The light flyweight match was held in Las Palmas, Canary Islands.
United Kingdom
Chantelle Cameron (4-0) won by technical knockout in the third round against Edith Ramos (6-2-1) to win a regional title on Saturday Nov. 11. The lightweight fight took place in Edinburgh, Scotland.
On Saturday Nov. 18, lightweights Sam Smith (6-1) and Monika Antonik (1-5) meet in a four round fight in Manchester, England.
USA
Jordanne Garcia (2-0) was the winner by decision versus Katie Ramirez (0-2-1) after four rounds on Saturday Nov. 11. The super welterweight match was held in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Jasmine Artega (3-0) won by first round knockout of Kathryn Talley (0-3) on Friday Nov. 10. The super bantamweight fight took place in Tampa, Florida.
On Saturday Nov. 18, super welterweights Alicia Napoleon (7-1) and Nikolett Papp (4-1) meet in a six round fight in Queens, New York. Also, light flyweights Natalie Gonzalez (3-0) and Judit Hachbold (4-2) meet in a six round contest.
On Saturday Nov. 18, flyweights Poula Estrada (5-0) and Aracely Palacios (8-8) meet in a six round fight in Lancaster, Calif.
On Saturday Nov. 18, featherweights Tiara Brown (3-0) and Natalie King (0-7) meet in a four round fight in Washington D.C.
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READ: MARICELA CORNEJO AND FEMALE FIGHT NEWS FOR WEEK OF NOV. 13, 2017