Female Fight News for week of Dec. 25, 2017 Farewell
By David A. Avila
Welcome Brazil to the ranks of those countries with world champion prizefighters.
Rose Volante traveled to Argentina and knocked down Brenda Karen Carabajal twice in going 10 rounds to win the vacant WBO lightweight world title last Friday. But she barely won by majority decision.
Volante, 35, began fighting professionally as a boxer a mere three years ago but has never been defeated. She is the only Brazilian whether male or female with a world title and fights out of Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Congratulations.
McCarter
In Mexico City, last Friday, the great Layla McCarter dropped down in weight to fight Erika Hernandez in an eight round lightweight clash. McCarter showed why she has not been defeated in 10 years as she diffused each and every attack by the solid Mexican fighter.
McCarter, 38, now is set to meet with Norway’s Cecilia Braekhus in a welterweight showdown that will take place in 2018. The clash between two of the best female fighters at any weight will be televised by Showtime.
Braekhus, 33, has other options but looks to face McCarter and push female boxing to the forefront. A clash between these two highly talented prizefighters looks to be headed to Las Vegas if conditions can be met.
Mayweather Promotions backs McCarter and hopefully they can put their machine to work in boosting this fight to the levels it deserves.
K2 Promotions handles Braekhus and they have shown to be adept at finding the best environment for their fighters.
This is one of several mega showdowns in the female fight world that will take place in 2018.
Shields
WBC and IBF super middleweight titlist Claressa Shields will be fighting Tori Nelson on Jan. 12 at the Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona, New York. Showtime will televise.
Despite having only four pro fights Shields, 22, has shown to be a class above the others athletically. But what’s even more daunting has been her ability to pick up the pro style quickly. If you think she is good now, she is going to get even better.
Nelson, 41, has one crack at greatness despite being undefeated in 20 pro fights. This will be a tough test for the fighter based out of Virginia. If she has a chance to beat Shields the time is now. Every year Shields will get better and better.
Louisiana
Two former amateur stars now performing as pros will be clashing on Friday when Selina Barrios and Lisa Porter clash in a 10 round lightweight contest set for three-minute rounds. It takes place in Alexandria, Louisiana.
Barrios, 24, fights out of San Antonio, Texas and had a formidable amateur career but did not make the Olympic team. She has a whirlwind fighting style and was set to face a Russian fighter last month. The Russian fighter backed out during the weigh-ins.
Porter, 29, fights out of Long Beach, California and has a solid background as an amateur. She has a jab and move style and knows what to do in the boxing ring. She has a win and a draw on her record. The draw was with Katonya Fisher who defeated the talented Jessica McCaskill in a four round bout. Four rounds are not enough to determine closely matched fighters.
Barrios and Porter will be fighting in a 10 round clash which is perfect for these two fighters who need more than four rounds to determine a winner.
2018
These past 12 months have been the absolute best in history for female boxing. After decades of invisibility in the U.S.A female boxing emerged from the darkness and peeped out from behind a wall.
Now female prizefighting in the U.S. takes its proper place along with the other countries who had long made it a staple like Argentina, Germany, Mexico and Japan. Now almost every country in the world has female boxing.
This coming year looks to be even better than 2017.
Female Fight News
Argentina
Rose Volante (12-0) defeated Brenda Karen Carabajal (13-4-1) by majority decision after knocking her down twice in the 10-round fight on Friday Dec. 22. Volante, 35, fights out of Sao Paulo, Brazil and wins the WBO lightweight world title. The match took place in San Salvador de Jujuy.
Soledad Del Valle (13-10-4) beat Alejandra Maria (8-10-2) by majority decision on Friday Dec. 22. The flyweight match was held in San Luis. Del Valle wins the vacant South American title.
On Friday Dec. 29, super lightweights Erica Farias (24-2) and Ana Laura Esteche (13-4-3) meet in a super clash in Concordia. Esteche, 27, has the WBA, IBF, and WBO world titles. Farias, 33, holds the WBC world title. The two Argentine world champions are bitter rivals.
Colombia
Jenifer Rodriguez (3-2-2) was the winner by knockout in round two versus Yerardine Perez (0-1) on Friday Dec. 22. The lightweight clash took place in Cartagena.
France
Licia Boudersa (10-1-2) was the winner by unanimous decision after six rounds versus Bilitis Gaucher (5-11-2) on Saturday Dec. 23. The lightweight contest was held in Deauville.
Jasmina Nad (7-21-4) won by technical knockout in the third round over Cindy Bonhiver (6-12-1) on Saturday Dec. 23. The featherweight fight took place in Lille, Nord.
Hungary
On Saturday Dec. 30, super welterweights Klaudia Vigh (2-21-1) and Krisztina Ulveczki (0-0) meet in a four round fight in Kistarcsa.
Italy
On Tuesday Dec. 26, super lightweights Silvia Bortot (2-0-1) and Sandra Zekic (2-10) meet in a six round fight in Veneto.
Japan
Asami Jinnari (5-2-1) and Wakako Fujiwara (4-2-2) fought to a draw after six rounds on Sunday Dec. 17. The featherweight fight for the Japanese title took place in Kanazawa.
Kazakhstan
On Saturday Dec. 30, super featherweights Firuza Sharipova (7-1) and Djemilla Gontaruk (13-4-1) meet in a 10 round clash in Almaty. Also, super welterweights Inna Sagaydakovskaya (6-0) and Jennifer Retzke (16-3-1) meet in a 10 round clash.
Kenya
On Tuesday Dec. 26, featherweights Nicole Achieng (0-0) and Rebah Matanda (0-0) meet in a four round bout in Nairobi.
Mexico
Layla McCarter (40-13-5) won by unanimous decision after eight rounds versus Erika Hernandez (9-2-1) on Friday Dec. 22. The fight was held in the lightweight division at Mexico City. McCarter, 38, is the number one contender in the welterweight division. (For more on this fight read the story on this web site.)
Panama
Laura Ledezma (11-0) was victorious by unanimous decision after eight rounds versus Neisi Torres (13-7-1) On Friday Dec. 22. The super bantamweight fight took place in Panama City.
Switzerland
On Tuesday Dec. 26, bantamweights Aniya Seki (32-3-2) and Judit Hachbold (4-2) meet in an eight round contest in Berne.
Turkey
Gulsum Tatar (1-0) won her pro debut by knockout in round two versus Svitlana Vaskevych (0-1) on Saturday Dec. 23. The welterweight match took place in Istanbul.
USA
On Friday Dec. 29, lightweights Selina Barrios (2-0) and Lisa Porter (1-0-1) meet in a 10 round clash set for three-minute rounds in Alexandria, Louisiana. Both are very talented fighters despite their few rounds as professionals.
(Photo by JP Yim)