Female Fight News April 30, 2018 HBO Enters the Female Fight Game
By David A. Avila
HBO will televise the welterweight world championship fight on Saturday between Cecilia Braekhus and Kali Reis.
Those words have caused tremors across the female boxing universe.
Television networks across the board had shown female boxing, some longer than others. But last week when HBO Boxing announced it would televise Braekhus and Reis from the StubHub Center this coming Saturday, they became the final network to open its’ cameras to female prize fights.
“I feel honored to be the first to be on HBO,” said Braekhus a Colombian born fighter living most of her life in Norway. “I’ve always looked forward to performing before an American audience. What better way.”
With HBO opening its cameras to women it will also be competing with other networks like Showtime and ESPN that are already showing women fights. Who knows what repercussions await?
For decades women have been paid much less than men. With HBO now in the ball game other networks will be competing with each other for the female prizefighter’s services. However, only for the good fights.
During the past 20 years female boxers, not all of them, have been picking and choosing easy opponents to maintain undefeated records. Those inflated records mean nothing when you have a great female fighter like Layla McCarter who has 13 losses but is considered the top or next to top female fighter in the world.
For those lacking knowledge of the female fight world, McCarter has not lost a fight since 2007. That’s 11 years of fighting whoever the promoters placed in front of her.
Many other female fighters exists that strike terror among others. Some have not been heard of simply because no one would fight them for fear of getting beat.
Television networks want to produce the most entertaining shows. They do not want to see one fighter running around the ring avoiding exchanges. Nor do they want to show lopsided fights. Entertainment is the name of the game.
When Braekhus faces Reis in the StubHub Center in Carson this Saturday, the female boxing world is praying for a competitive and entertaining clash.
Top Tier
Several notable fights took place in North America this past weekend including the lightweight unification clash between Ireland’s Katie Taylor and Argentina’s Victoria Bustos. It almost didn’t happen.
The day before the fight date, promoters were scrambling to find a replacement for Bustos because of alleged problems with her medical examinations. Calls went out across the U.S. with offers for five figures to fill in for the Argentine. One of those called was Brooklyn-based Melissa St.Vil who had recently fought in Finland two weeks ago. Eventually, Bustos did fight Taylor and engaged in a spirited battle with the former Olympic gold medalist.
Taylor won by unanimous decision and now holds both the IBF and WBA lightweight world titles.
In Canada, Jelena Mrdjenovich defended her WBC and WBA featherweight world titles against France’s Stephanie Ducastel. Their previous encounter took place in France where Mrdjenovich escaped with a draw. This time the fight took place in Edmonton and the champion comfortably retained the world titles by unanimous decision.
Despite 10 losses as a pro many consider Mrdjenovich another one of the top female fighters pound for pound. She’s faced a murderer’s row of foes including the aforementioned McCarter three times. She beat the talented McCarter once.
In Mexico, Mariana “Barby” Juarez, the top female fighter from that boxing crazy country, gave another standout performance in defeating Costa Rica’s Carolina Arias by unanimous decision in Puebla. A year ago Juarez captured the WBC bantamweight world title with an inspiring performance in front of 400,000 fans at the Zocalo in Mexico City. It remains an attendance record for any boxing event.
Female Fight News
Argentina
Maria Rivera (11-5-3) defeated Vanesa Taborda (9-10-3) by majority decision after 10 rounds on Saturday April 28. The battle for Argentina’s super flyweight title took place in Cipoletti. Also, Abril Vidal (1-0) beat Alejandra Juarez (0-4) by decision in a super welterweight match.
Melisa Dozo (1-1-3) beat Marisa Portillo (18-15-3) by majority decision after four three-minute rounds on Saturday April 28. The featherweight fight was held in Rosario.
Canada
Jelena Mrdjenovich (38-10-2) was victorious over Stephanie Ducastel (8-4-2) of France after 10 rounds on Saturday April 28. The WBA, WBC world featherweight world title fight took place in Edmonton and was a rematch. Their first encounter took place in France last year and ended in a split draw. Mrdjenovich, 35, is considered one of the top female fighters pound for pound.
On Saturday May 5, light heavyweights Annie Mazerolle (5-3) and Maria Velis (1-4) meet in a six round fight at Miramichi, New Brunswick.
Chile
Daniela Asenjo (7-2-2) beat Virginia Carcamo (4-5-2) by decision after six rounds on Saturday April 28. The super flyweight fight was held in Valdivia.
France
Segolene Lefebvre (10-0) defeated Gabriela Bouvier (13-9-1) by unanimous decision after 10 rounds on Saturday April 28. The battle for the WBF super bantamweight title took place in Salle Gayant. Lefebvre is 24 and lives and trains out of Fourmies, Nord.
Germany
Joanna Koelln (10-0) defeated Kim Jaeckel (2-1) by decision after eight rounds on Saturday April 28. The lightweight fight was held in Adendorf. The winner Koelln is 18 and fights out of Stade.
On Saturday May 5, super flyweights Xenia Jorneac (8-3) and Tamar Nazarashvili (4-2) meet in a four round fight at Bayern.
Italy
Lorena Marasco (0-0-1) and Nina Pavlovic (0-1-1) fought to a draw after six rounds on Saturday April 28. The super featherweight match took place in Gambolo.
Silvia Bortot (4-0-1) beat Milena Svonja (3-4) by points after six rounds on Wednesday April 25. The super lightweight bout took place in Veneto.
Japan
Yume Hirayama (2-0) defeated Akane Wada (0-2) by decision after four rounds on Sunday April 22. The super flyweight match was held in Fukuoka.
On Thursday May 3, super flyweights Yui Akai (2-0) and Yuki Koseki (5-5) meet in a four round bout at Amagasaki. Also, Aya Morita (1-1) and Miki Matsuda (2-4) meet in a four round bantamweight fight.
On Sunday May 6, super bantamweights Yuri Sekiwa (0-0) and Tsugumi Honda (0-0) meet in a four round contest at Osaka.
Mexico
Mariana Juarez (49-9-4) defeated Costa Rica’s Carolina Arias (14-3) by unanimous decision after 10 rounds on Saturday April 28. The battle for the WBC bantamweight world title took place in Puebla, Mexico.
Maryan Salazar (8-2) beat Joselyn Martinez (4-3-1) by decision after eight rounds on Saturday April 28. The light flyweight bout was held in Aguascalientes.
Isabel Millan (21-4-1) defeated Brenda Ronzon (0-4) by decision on Saturday April 28. The super flyweight fight was held in San Rafael, Guadalajara.
Amaris Quintana (11-3-2) knocked out Carol Castro Madrid (6-12) in the third round on Saturday April 28. The light flyweight fight was held in Tijuana. It was Quintana’s second consecutive knockout win. Quintana, 28, fights out of California.
South Korea
Hee Jung Yuh (20-3) knocked out Rungnapha Kaewkrachang (13-13-1) in round eight on Sunday April 22. The super flyweight clash took place in Daegu.
Spain
Violeta Gonzalez (6-1) stopped Lenka Kardova (3-1) in the third round on Saturday April 28. The bantamweight fight took place in Bilbao, Spain.
Sweden
On Saturday May 5, lightweights Lucy Wildheart (2-0) and Nana Chakhvashvili (5-4) meet in a six round fight at Stockholm.
Thailand
Phannaluk Kongsang (4-5-1) beat Jia Yi Chan (0-1) by decision after six rounds on Friday April 27. The flyweight bout was held in Ramkamhaeng, Bangkok. Also, Kanyarat Yoohanngoh (1-1) won by technical knockout in round two over Kattreya Sada (0-1).
USA
Katie Taylor (9-0) was the winner by unanimous decision versus Argentina’s Victoria Bustos (18-5) after 10 rounds on Saturday April 28. The win gives Ireland’s Taylor, 31, both the IBF and WBA lightweight world titles. The unification bout was held in Brooklyn, New York.
Alycia Baumgardner (6-0) was the winner by split decision over Kirstie Simmons (8-4) on Friday April 27. The super featherweight clash took place in Louisville, Kentucky.
On Saturday May 5, welterweights Cecilia Braekhus (32-0) and Kali Reis (13-6-1) meet in a 10 round clash at Carson, California for the WBC, WBA, WBO and IBF world titles. It will be televised on HBO.
On Saturday May 5, super featherweights Shelly Vincent (21-1) and Edina Kiss (14-6) meet in a 10 round contest at Mashantucket, Connecticut.