Female Fight News for week of Dec. 4, 2017 Sulem Urbina
By David A. Avila
America finally catches up.
After years of female prizefighting from the U.S. taking a back seat to the rest of the world the women in the states are finally getting recognition.
Two former amateur stars appear on major fight cards in opposite sides of the U.S. That has seldom if ever happened in American female boxing. Two major fight cards at the same time with female fights.
First, Mikaela Mayer the talented super featherweight from Southern California appears at Madison Square Garden Theater in New York City on Saturday. Meanwhile in Las Vegas, Nevada, Sulem Urbina appears at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino on the same day.
Let’s talk about Urbina.
Raised in both Mexico and Arizona, the flyweight sensation was a national amateur champion in Mexico.
Urbina faces her strongest opponent to date when she meets Sonia Osorio in a six round contest. She’s excited about fighting in Las Vegas.
“It’s going to be great for my parents to see me fight,” said Urbina who lives in Phoenix. “They haven’t seen me (fight) since I left to be on the Mexican team. It’s been four years since I fought on this side of the border.”
Urbina turned professional in 2016 and signed with Mexico’s Zanfer Promotions. All of her fights until now have taken place in Mexico. The reason is simple: it’s very difficult to obtain fights in the U.S. with so few promoters willing to stage female bouts.
“I never have problems getting fights in Mexico, only on this side of the border,” said Urbina, 27, adding that it was the primary reason she signed with Zanfer.
It’s been quite a journey for the petite boxer who began in the sport as a young girl in Phoenix.
“I was always a very athletic little girl playing on all school teams and just loved sports. My two older brothers started attending a boxing club near our home and I wanted to tag along. My brothers didn’t want to take me but my father supported me and forced them to,” said Urbina. “I was ten years old and I fell in love with the sport. I was surrounded in my school by a lot of kids that currently boxed so to me it was just as popular as basketball.”
A time arrived when she was forced to quit by her mother, but her love for the sport and her insistence to be allowed to box saw her return to the sport and eventually fight for Team Mexico after winning the national title in Mexico.
Fighting on both sides of the border has also seen her adapt different skill sets.
“Some people say I’m a boxer-puncher. In Mexico I’m considered a pure boxer and in the USA a brawler. To me I use whatever style is needed to win a fight,” she said.
On Saturday Urbina faces Sonia Osorio a veteran of 16 pro fights including a world title challenge a year ago against Isabel Millan. It’s not an easy fight.
Recently, Urbina sparred with San Diego’s talented Amaris Quintana for a couple of days in the Coachella desert. It was intense work.
“She is a very experienced boxer and she knows when to throw punches and when not to throw punches,” said Quintana, 27, who is a strong strawweight and light flyweight division fighter. “I had never sparred her before. She is a very good fighter. And like most Mexican fighters she doesn’t quit.”
But coming out of the amateur boxing world the transition to the professional style is not simple.
“I competed internationally for so many years that the transition has been from fight to fight. The pros are like coming into a whole different sport,” explained Urbina whose trainer is also her husband. “I am working on my power and more pro-like combinations and going after that body more than I did in the amateurs. It takes time and with each fight I see improvement.”
Urbina’s fight against Osorio will probably be one of the earlier bouts. The fight will not be televised in the U.S. although two bouts on the card will be shown on HBO Latino. (For more information check on my Facebook profile for possible streaming.)
On Wednesday we will provide a story on Mikaela Mayer’s approaching bout.
Japan calling
An intense battle between light flyweights took place last week when Naoko Fujioka and Yokasta Valle of Costa Rica clashed for the vacant WBO world title in Tokyo. Fujioka won by wide scores on two judge’s cards but the 10-round fight was very close.
Valle jumped ahead using a very strong jab and some rapid combinations early in the fight. Fujioka used her strength and quickness to rally back and take control of the fight. Each round saw some furious rallies in what is clearly a candidate for Fight of the Year.
A rematch is a possibility and hopefully it can take place in the U.S. where American audiences can see these two talented fighters. Both boxers have expressed interest to fight in the U.S.
Last call
Next week Ireland’s Katie Taylor defends the WBA lightweight world title against Chicago’s Jessica McCaskill in the United Kingdom. It will be the last major female clash of the year. Expect this to be a competitive fight.
Female Fight News
Argentina
On Friday Dec. 8, super featherweights Karen Carabajal (14-0) and Cintia Castillo (7-1) meet in a 10 round bout for the vacant Argentine title in Buenos Aires D.F.
On Saturday Dec. 9, bantamweights Cherneka Johnson (7-0) and Gretel De Paz (4-2) meet in an eight round fight for the vacant WBA Oceania title in Warrnambool, Victoria.
Australia
April Adams (8-1-1) defeated Kori Farr (2-4-2) by unanimous decision after eight rounds on Saturday Dec. 2. The super bantamweight fight was held in Mansfield.
On Friday Dec. 8. super flyweights Sylvia Scharper (7-1-2) and Rungnapha Kaewkrachang (13-10-1) meet in a 10 round clash for the WIBA title in Flemington, Victoria.
Canada
Annie Mazzerolle (5-3) was the winner by decision over Martha Gaytan (11-8) on Saturday Dec. 2. The cruiserweight fight was held in Moncton, New Brunswick.
On Thursday Dec.7, welterweights Marie Eve Dicaire (9-0) and Silvia Zuniga (7-15) meet in an eight round fight in Montreal. Also welterweights Jessica Camara (2-0) and Giovanna Gonzalez (3-1) meet in a four round bout.
Chile
On Saturday Dec. 9, super flyweights Daniela Asenjo (5-1-2) and Isis Mascarena (3-0) meet in an eight round contest for the vacant Chilean title in San Francisco de Mostazal.
Czech Republic
Fabiana Bytyqi (12-0) won by technical knockout in the second round versus Fatuma Yazidu (16-5) on Saturday Dec. 2. The minimum weight fight for the vacant WBC Silver title was held in Usti nad Labem. Also, Lucie Sedlackova (11-0-1) defeated Irma Adler (16-10) to win the vacant WBC Silver featherweight title.
Finland
Sanna Turunen (3-0-1) defeated Borislava Goranova (10-51-3) by decision after eight rounds on Saturday Dec. 2. The middleweight fight was held in Salo.
France
Helene Lascombe (1-0) won by decision after four rounds against Anne Schneider (0-1) on Saturday Dec. 2. The featherweight fight took place in Nevers.
Germany
Tina Rupprecht (7-0) defeated Anne Sophie Da Costa (24-4) by decision after 10 rounds on Saturday Dec. 2. The win gives Rupprecht the vacant WBC interim minimum weight title. The fight took place in Bayern.
Kim Jaeckel (2-0) won by technical knockout in the second round over Manja Thies (0-2) on Saturday Dec. 2. The lightweight fight was held in Hameln.
Japan
Naoko Fujioka (17-2) won by decision after 10 rounds versus Costa Rica’s Yokasta Valle (13-1) to win the vacant WBO light flyweight world title on Friday Dec. 1. The bout was held in Tokyo. (For more on this read Yuriko Miyata’s story on this web site).
Tenkai Tsunami (24-12) defeated Carleans Rivas (6-5-3) by knockout in the second round on Wednesday Nov. 29. The win gives Tsunami the vacant WBO Asian Pacific light flyweight title and a shot at Fujioka. The match took place in Tokyo. (For more on this read Yuriko Miyata’s account on this web site).
On Saturday Dec. 9, super bantamweights Tomoko Okuda (4-1) and Tomoko Hayashi (3-2) meet in a six round clash in Sakai, Osaka.
On Monday Dec. 11, minimum weights Yumiko Shimooka (3-4) and Umi Ishikawa (5-0) meet in a six round clash in Tokyo.
Kenya
Fatuma Zarika (30-12-2) defeated Catherine Phiri (13-3) by unanimous decision after 10 rounds on Saturday Dec. 2. The battle for the WBC super bantamweight title took place in Nairobi. Zarika, 32, was making her first title defense. Phiri is the former bantamweight champion and fights out of Zambia. In another female bout,
Luxembourg
Marie Helene Meron (3-0) won by technical knockout over Caroline Andre (2-3) in the fifth round on Sunday Dec. 3. The welterweight fight was held in Rumelange.
Mexico
Monserrat Alarcon (10-3-2), who holds the WBO flyweight world title, won by unanimous decision in a light flyweight fight after 10 rounds versus Yesenia Martinez (17-16) on Saturday Dec. 2. The fight took place in Guadalajara.
New Zealand
On Saturday Dec. 9, lightweights Tania Reid (1-0) and Quinita Hati (0-3) meet in a six round fight in Hawera.
Panama
On Wed. Dec. 6, super bantamweights Laura Ledezma (10-0) and Neisi Torres (13-6-1) meet in an eight round fight in Panama City.
South Africa
On Friday Dec. 8, lightweights Bonita Van Jaarsveld (3-0-1) and Maria Martin (2-2) meet in a six round fight in Hammanskraal.
South Korea
Shin Young Park (3-0-1) and Chan Mi Lim (2-4-1) fought to a draw after six rounds on Sunday Dec.3. The flyweight contest took place in Seoul.
Spain
Elin Cederros (2-0) defeated Ester Konecna (1-6-1) by decision after six rounds on Saturday Dec. 2. The super middleweight fight was held in Valencia.
Joanna Ekedahl (3-0) knocked out Hristina Stojadinovic (0-2) in the second round on Saturday Dec. 2. The super welterweight fight was held in Villarubia de Santiago.
Switzerland
Vissia Trovato (10-0) was the winner by decision after six rounds versus Jasmina Nad (6-21-4) on Saturday Dec. 2. Super bantamweight fight was held in Ascona.
United Kingdom
Chantelle Cameron (5-0) stopped Viviane Obenauf (12-4) in the sixth round to win the vacant IBO lightweight title on Saturday Dec. 2. The fight took place in Leicester.
USA
On Thursday Dec. 7, welterweights Aleksandra Lopes (18-4-2) and Natasha Spence (8-3-1) meet in an eight round contest in Lincoln, Rhode Island.
On Saturday Dec. 9, super featherweights Mikaela Mayer (2-0) and Nydia Feliciano (9-8-3) meet in a four round bout at New York City. It will be televised. Mayer is a former US Olympian.
On Saturday Dec. 9, flyweights Sulem Urbina (6-0) and Sonia Osorio (10-5-1) meet in a six round fight in Las Vegas. Urbina is a former Mexico national champion.
Venezuela
Ana Fernandez (15-8) defeated Genesis Pinango (1-1-1) by unanimous decision on Saturday Dec. 2. The flyweight fight took place in Petare.