Female Fight News May 13, 2018 Risks
By David A. Avila
In the female prizefighting world because of the smaller number of fighters in the world compared to men, it’s imperative that all opportunities are seized. An estimated 18,000 men boxers exist in the fight world compared to less than 2,000 female boxers worldwide.
Women fighters can’t worry about maintaining undefeated records or else they become stagnant from underuse.
Risks have to be taken whether it’s fighting in another country or facing heavier opponents. Female boxers can’t afford to be choosy.
This past weekend a number of elite female prizefighters in Germany, Argentina, Mexico and the USA took the dangerous path with some various results.
A battle for the light flyweight world title in Argentina saw the hometown girl Andrea Sanchez lose by knockout to Mexico’s Guadalupe Bautista for the IBF world championship. It took place in Sanchez’s hometown Villa Angela.
Bautista, 26, had a 50/50 record but had faced top notch competition in Mexico including battles against the likes of Lourdes Juarez, Monserrat Alarcon and Ibeth “La Roca” Zamora. Two of those mentioned are world champions.
Sanchez had never faced anyone dangerous and was expected to win by decision. Bautista had faced exemplary competition and knew how to deal fighting in somebody else’s hometown. Her experience paid off.
In Germany, former champion Nikki Adler lost her previous fight to superstar Claressa Shields. No shame in that. So the German prizefighter sought to regroup and fight for another title against Belgium’s Femke Hermans. The fight took place in Germany and the visitor Hermans won by decision.
Hermans, 28, had fought overseas against Alicia Napoleon in New York City and lost back in March and had also fought Hungarian boxer Elene Sikmashvili and won. She was battle ready and willing to fight Adler in her native land and was victorious.
But traveling abroad doesn’t always favor the visiting fighter.
Last Saturday, New Zealand’s Baby Nansen challenged former Olympian Mikaela Mayer for a six round super featherweight clash in New York City and was trounced. But the loss doesn’t hurt Nansen’s opportunities for the future. It enhances them mostly because she survived and was standing on both feet at the end against Mayer.
“Props to Nansen for having a solid chin,” said Mayer, who was shooting for a fourth knockout in five fights but left with a unanimous decision win after six rounds. “I felt I was hitting her with some clean, hard, shots but she wasn’t going down.”
The fight between Mayer and Nansen was streamed live in ESPN app and showcased the skills each fighter possesses. It was Mayer’s fifth time shown on ESPN and Nansen’s first time seen by American audiences. Despite the loss, Nansen’s profile gets stronger and her abilities have been assessed.
Mayer also proved in her victory to have enough ammunition to last six rounds with nary a blip.
“It was my first time going six rounds and I felt good,” Mayer said on Monday. “I felt I could have gone four more so its good confidence going into future fights.”
In Mexico, the border city if Tijuana saw Kazakhstan’s Aida Satybaldinova fight against an unknown opponent in a super lightweight clash and Japan’s Tomomi Takano, a rated bantamweight, fought a heavier opponent. Both contested for titles. Satybaldinova won the WBF title and Takano lost by split decision the WBF super bantamweight title.
Both accepted the risks going in and emerged with different results.
Taking chances is what’s it’s all about for women’s prizefighting. It’s different from the men’s fight world where some male world champions seldom if ever fight outside of their native soil.
Floyd Mayweather and Oscar De La Hoya never fought outside of U.S. borders although De La Hoya once fought in the border town of El Paso, Texas. Women usually fight at least once in another country. Someone like Layla McCarter has fought multiple times in other countries from South Africa to Asia.
It’s a different world for women prizefighters.
Female Fight News
Argentina
Guadalupe Bautista (11-10-2) was the winner by technical knockout in round eight over Andrea Sanchez (8-2-1) on Saturday May 12. The win gives Mexico’s Bautista, 26, the vacant IBF light flyweight world title. The fight was held in Villa Angela, Chaco.
Marisa Nunez (8-9-2) stopped Ruth Aquino (8-5) in the fourth round on Saturday May 12. The win gives Nunez, 34, the vacant Argentine lightweight title and took place in Tandil, Buenos Aires. The win snapped a four-fight losing streak.
Aixa Adema (1-0-1) defeated Lucia Ruiz (2-2) by split decision after four rounds on Friday May 11. The super flyweight contest was held in Florencio Varela.
On Friday May 18, super flyweights Debora Dionicius (27-0) and Daniela Asenjo (7-2-2) meet for the IBF world title at Villaguay, Entre Rios. Dionicius, 30, is making her 12th defense of the world title since winning it in 2012.
On Friday May 18, super featherweights Ana Guichapani (8-0) and Cintia Castillo (8-2) meet in an eight round contest at Quilmes, Buenos Aires.
On Saturday May 19, super lightweights Erica Farias (25-2) and Yamila Reynoso (10-3-3) meet in a 10 round clash for the WBC super lightweight world title held by Farias. The fight takes place at Goya. Farias, 33, is making her fourth defense of the title. Also, Evelyn Bermudez (7-0) meets Debora Gomez (5-1) in a six round flyweight match.
China
On Tuesday May 15, flyweights Li Ping Shi (2-2) and Hyun Hee Kil (4-1) battle for the vacant WBC Asian Boxing Council title at Xi An, China. Also, Zhangwen Chen meets YuFei Wu in a flyweight match.
Colombia
On Saturday May 19, super bantamweights Liliana Palmera (28-12-3) and Yazmin Rivas (37-10-1) clash for the WBA world title at Monteria. Palmera, 36, is making the first defense of the title she won in November. Rivas, 30, fights out of Mexico and is a former bantamweight world champion. Also, featherweights Dayana Cordero (16-5-3) and Neisi Torres (13-7-1) meet in an eight round bout.
Dominican Republic
On Saturday May 19, featherweights Dyana Vargas (4-0) and Diana Garcia (14-26) meet in an eight round fight. Also, Crystal Nova (7-0) and Rocio De Leon (1-21-1) meet in an eight round featherweight bout. Both take place in Santiago de los Caballeros.
France
Helene Lascombe (3-0) beat Elise Bussiere (2-1) by decision after six rounds on Saturday May 12. The featherweight clash took place in Nievre.
Anne Sophie da Costa (25-3) defeated Halima Vunjabei (6-4-1) by decision after 10 rounds on Saturday May 12. The win retains the WBF light flyweight title to Da Costa, 35. It took place in Reims.
Germany
Femke Hermans (7-1) defeated Nikki Adler (16-2) by unanimous decision after 10 rounds on Saturday May 12. Hermans, 28, fights out of Belgium. The fight took place in Augsberg, Bayern. Also, Sarah Bormann (5-0) knocked out Claudia Ferenczi (16-64-7) in the seventh round to win the vacant GBU and WIBF international flyweight titles.
On Friday May 18, featherweights Elina Tissen (22-2) and Nina Meinke (7-1) meet in a 10 round match for the GBU and WIBF titles at Potsdam, Brandenburg.
Indonesia
Felmi Sumaehe (4-0) won by technical knockout of Daorueng Pakkhetanang (1-9) in the second round on Sunday May 13. The bantamweight fight took place in Jakarta.
Mexico
On Friday May 18, super flyweights Mayeli Flores (5-0) and Jaqueline Mucio (4-4-1) meet in a six round fight in Nezahualcoyotl, Mexico City.
On Saturday May 19, light flyweights Esmeralda Moreno (35-10-1) and Yesenia Gomez (13-5-2) meet in a 10 round fight at Quintana Roo for the WBC world title.
On Saturday May 19, minimum weights Maria Vargas (9-3) and Barbara Martinez (3-3) meet in a 10 round fight at Morelia for the vacant Mexican title.
New Zealand
On Saturday May 19, featherweights Tania Reid (1-0-1) and Quinita Hati (0-3-1) meet in an eight round fight for the New Zealand title at New Plymouth.
Peru
On Saturday May 19, super flyweights Linda Lecca (13-2-2) and Maribel Ramirez (11-9-2) meet in a 10 round fight for the WBA world title at Lima.
Philippines
Norj Guro (11-7-1) defeated Joan Ambalong (6-8-1) by unanimous decision after six rounds on Monday May 7. The flyweight match was held in Lala, Lanao del Norte.
Romania
Cristina Garrobo (3-0) knocked out Eliza Patruban (0-1) in the third round on Saturday May 12. The flyweight fight was held in Bragadiru.
Spain
On Saturday May 19, super featherweights Katherina Thanderz (8-0) and Bojana Libiszewska (5-28) meet in a six round fight in Valencia.
United Kingdom
Savannah Marshall (2-0) won by technical knockout in the second round versus Ester Konecna (1-7-1) on Saturday May 12. The super middleweight contest took place in Bolton, England.
On Saturday May 19, super flyweights Nicola Adams (3-0) and Soledad del Valle (13-11-4) meet in a 10 round fight at Leeds, Yorkshire.
USA
Mikaela Mayer (5-0) defeated Baby Nansen (6-3-1) by unanimous decision after six rounds on Saturday May 12. The super featherweight bout took place in New York City.
Leanna Martinez (3-0) won by first round technical knockout over Karina Solares (0-1) on Saturday May 12. The super flyweight match took place in Pojoaque, New Mexico.
On Friday May 18, featherweights Ronica Jeffrey (15-1) and Jasmine Clarkson (4-11) meet in an eight round fight at Queens, New York.
(Photo by JP Yim)