Lupita Martinez and Female Fight News Feb. 5, 2018
By David A. Avila
Undefeated records are the goal of many fighters but more than a few discovered the art of winning after losing quite a few fights.
WBC super flyweight titlist Guadalupe Martinez lost nine out of 15 fights before she discovered the secret of winning and snatched the world title from long-running champ Zulina Munoz last year. It was Munoz’s first career defeat after 50 pro bouts and shocked the female boxing world.
Martinez successfully defended the 115-pound division title against former bantamweight champion Irma Garcia this past Saturday in Mexico City. It was the second time within a year she defended the title since this past May.
After five years of suffering defeats against many top female fighters Martinez seems to have found her groove. Before last year, Martinez always fell short of beating fighters like Jasseth Noriega, Ava Knight or Naoko Shibata. But now the lanky and long armed Martinez knows the ingredients needed to win.
Martinez overwhelming victory against Munoz showed a fighter with an immense capacity to fight full tilt for 10 lung bursting rounds in Mexico City’s high altitude. If any of the current flyweight contenders feel like leaving the crowded 112-pound division they will have Martinez blocking the door.
It’s always good to see someone learn the art of boxing regardless of how long it takes. Martinez serves as a model for others that it’s never too late to learn. The science of winning a prize fight does exist.
PR vs Mexico
Speaking of fighters with many losses Florida’s Naomi Bosques travels to Juarez, Mexico to meet the new darling of Mexico Diana “La Bonita” Fernandez. It’s another Puerto Rico versus Mexico clash. They never seem to fail to entertain.
Mexico and Puerto Rico are natural opposites and have been for many decades. Carlos Ortiz vs. Sugar Ramos, Salvador Sanchez vs. Wilfredo Gomez, Julio Cesar Chavez vs. Edwin Rosario, Miguel Cotto vs. Antonio Margarito and many more of the these clashes have lit up the boxing ring over the past 60 years. Now it’s time for the women.
Last year we saw Amanda Serrano see her knockout string snapped by Mexico’s Yazmin Rivas in a televised fight in New York. Serrano went to plan B to hand Rivas a solid defeat. Many failed to appreciate the boxing skills showed on that January night in 2017. They also failed to realize Puerto Rico versus Mexico is seldom easy.
Now we have Bosques who has 10 losses in 24 fights but most have been against top competition such as Fighter of the Year Mariana Juarez, Lourdes Juarez and Heather Hardy. The Puerto Rican fighter has the ability to give Fernandez a difficult encounter.
Fernandez, 23, is a gutsy flyweight who stepped up her game and willingly traveled to Argentina to face IBF super flyweight titlist Debora Dionicius for the title. Though she lost she then accepted a fight against Lourdes “Little Lulu” Juarez and was edged by split decision last November. Don’t go by her looks, she has a mental toughness that has gained her a strong following in the Mexican border town.
Again, this is Puerto Rico versus Mexico. It should be an exciting confrontation. The WBC International flyweight title will be the reward for the winner.
Russia
Former Russian amateur boxing star Elena Saveleva travels back to her homeland to face Croatia’s Nevenka Mikulic in a 10 round clash at Saint Petersburg, Russia. Saveleva, 33, fights out of Pushkino, Russia and is co-promoted by Salita Promotions.
Salita Promotions has been stockpiling international female boxing talent and now has Claressa Shields, Elena Gradinar, Christina Hammer, Franchon Crews and Saveleva.
Saveleva was the first female boxer to ever fight in the Olympics back in 2012. She has won multiple world championships as an amateur and now wants to try the professional ranks.
“We plan to bring her to the United States,” said Dmitriy Salita of Salita Promotions who co-promote Saveleva. “She (Saveleva) is looking to fight her amateur rival Nicola Adams in the pros in the near future.”
With several top notch female fighters in various weight divisions Salita Promotions stands poised to open doors.
“We are working to raise woman’s boxing internationally to the next level,” said Salita.
Female Fight News
Argentina
Iara Altamirano (3-0-1) was the winner by decision after four rounds versus Maria Berrios (0-1) on Saturday Feb. 3. The bantamweight bout took place Rafael Calzada, Buenos Aires.
On Friday Feb. 9, lightweights Anahi Sanchez (17-3) and Ruth Aquino (8-3) meet in a six round fight at Venado Tuerto, Santa Fe. Also, flyweights Anyelen Espinosa (5-0) and Natalia Alderete (3-0) meet in a four round flyweight bout.
Canada
On Saturday Feb. 10, light flyweights Kim Clavel (1-0) and Jessica Guerrero (3-2) meet in a four round fight at Shawinigan, Quebec.
China
On Tuesday Feb. 6, super bantamweights Shaofeng Wang (0-0) and Xia Lu (0-0) make their pro debuts against each other in Shijiazhuang, China. The fight is set for four three-minute rounds.
France
On Saturday Feb. 10, super featherweights Elhem Mekhaled (6-0) and Marion Montanari (2-3) meet in an eight round clash for the French national title at Limoges, France.
Germany
Sandra Attanassow (8-0-1) was the winner by unanimous decision after 10 rounds versus Liliana Martinez (21-18) to win the vacant WBC International title. The featherweight clash was held in Leipzig, Germany.
Japan
Chaoz Minowa (5-0) was the winner by knockout in the second round versus Superball Sithsaithong (0-2) on Tuesday Jan. 30. The light flyweight match was held in Tokyo.
Mexico
Guadalupe Martinez (17-9) defeated challenger Irma Garcia (18-3-1) to retain the WBC world title on Saturday Feb. 3. The super flyweight battle took place in Tlalnepantla, Mexico City. Martinez, 25, was making the second defense of the belt that she took from Zulina Munoz in May 2017. The challenger Garcia, a southpaw, is a former WBA bantamweight world champion. Both fight out of Mexico City.
Cristina Mora (7-0-2) was the winner by split decision versus Gabriela Sanchez (3-2-1) after six rounds on Friday Feb. 2. The flyweight match took place in San Francisco de los Romo, Aguascalientes. Also, Maryan Salazar (7-2) defeated Naomi Arellano (4-1) by decision in an action packed four round light flyweight clash.
On Friday Feb. 9, light flyweights Estefania Orozco (0-1) and Karla Jimenez (0-0) meet in a four round bout in Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas.
On Saturday Feb. 10, flyweights Diana Laura Fernandez (16-2) and Noemi Bosques (11-10-3) meet in a 10 round contest for the vacant WBC International title in Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua. Fernandez, 23, fights out of Juarez. Bosques, 34, fights out of St. Petersburg, Florida.
Philippines
On Sunday Feb. 11, light flyweights Shione Ogata (8-6) and Floryvic Montero (3-3) meet in a eight round fight in Paranaque City.
Russia
On Saturday Feb. 10, flyweights Elena Saveleva (3-0) and Nevenka Mikulic (7-10-1) meet in a 10 round clash at Saint Petersburg, Russia. Saveleva, 33, fights out of Pushkino, Russia and is co-promoted by Salita Promotions. Mikulic, 38, fights out of Karlovac, Croatia.
South Korea
On Saturday Feb. 10, light flyweights Min Ji Lee (1-1) and Eun Bit Hwang (1-0) meet in a four round contest at Namyangju, South Korea.
Switzerland
On Saturday Feb. 10, super bantamweights Pamela Treand (6-0) and Tamar Nazarashvili (3-0) meet in a six round fight in Nyon, Switzerland.
Thailand
Phannaluk Kongsang (3-3-1) defeated Tassana Paladsrichuoy (0-3) by stoppage in the third round on Saturday Feb. 3. The super flyweight fight took place in Bangkok.
United Kingdom
On Saturday Feb. 10, lightweights Terri Harper (1-0) and Borislava Goranova (11-52-3) meet in a four round fight in Yorkshire.
USA
On Wednesday Feb. 7, middleweights Raquel Miller (5-0) and Szilvia Szabados (17-11) meet in a six round clash in New York City. (POSTPONED).
On Thursday Feb. 8, lightweights Ikram Kerwat (8-1) and Angel Gladney (9-13-1) meet in an eight round fight in Pensacola, Florida.
On Saturday Feb. 10, super featherweights Nydia Feliciano (9-9-3) and Alycia Baumgardner (4-0) meet in an eight round clash in Philadelphia, Penn. Feliciano, 29, fights out of New York City. Baumgardner, 23, fights out of Ohio and all of her wins have come via knockout.
On Saturday Feb. 10, super lightweights Mariah Prussia (0-0) and Micaela Fox (0-2) meet in a four round contest in Fargo, North Dakota.
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