Female Fight News: The Age of Streaming is Upon Us
By David A. Avila
Maybe streaming can do the job after all.
It’s been two weeks since HBO unlaced their gloves and announced it was finished with prizefighting. But just as quickly, two major streaming companies grabbed those tossed away gloves and streamed two female world title fights on the same night.
That never happened with the television networks. Two women fights were streamed on the same night for American audiences on different fight cards.
In one last salvo HBO announced it will televise Heather Hardy’s rematch with Shelly Vincent on its last broadcast of a boxing event on Oct. 27, from New York City. When both last fought, in the summer of 2016, it was the Fight of the Year.
Perhaps if HBO had opened the door to women’s boxing years ago it would not be in this predicament. Other countries like Argentina, Mexico and Germany found tremendous success televising women and still do. HBO never wanted to gamble. But that’s just Monday night quarterbacking.
Showtime has been willing to televise women but with men flooding the only available spots there’s scant room for women to edge their way on cards. Its mega fight or bust when it comes to female prizefighting on television. Showtime also streamed some female fights but marketing for those bouts was minimal.
Streaming
When Top Rank announced its deal with ESPN last year it was thought to be solely television broadcasting. But later we soon discovered it also meant streaming via ESPN+, an app that cost about $5 dollars a month to use.
Previously the ESPN+ app had brought boxing fans several streamed bouts featuring American super featherweight Mikaela Mayer. The former Olympian, who is originally from Southern California, has quickly built up a fan base and those streamed fights have been gobbled up by fans. Incidentally, ESPN+ will be streaming Mayer’s fight on Saturday Oct. 13 as she fights for the NABF super featherweight title.
“I’m excited because I’m ready to step up and work my way up to these big fights,” said Mayer who is aware of the progress women are making terms of being visible to fans via television and streaming. “I can’t wait.”
Look for more on Mayer on this web site later this week.
Historic double treat
On Saturday, ESPN* streamed the Kenia Enriquez vs. Norleidys Graterol light flyweight title fight live from Tijuana, Mexico. It was a pivotal moment for women’s boxing. It meant that an American broadcast of a female event in another country could be the norm. For American viewers many were watching the extremely talented Enriquez perform for the very first time.
Also last Saturday, the new DAZN streaming service brought many a first glimpse of Chicago’s Jessica McCaskill winning the WBC super lightweight world title from Argentina’s long-time champion Erica Farias. This fight was streamed a few hours before ESPN3 stream Enriquez fight. It was the first time ever that two female world title fights could be seen by American audiences on the same night.
History was made on Saturday though it was not mentioned. First, McCaskill became the first female fighter from Chicago to win a major world title and then Enriquez was shown on another streaming app defending her interim light flyweight strap. Both were WBC title fights.
Also jumping into the streaming game has been Facebook with a relationship with Golden Boy Promotions. They have yet to stream a female fight but it’s very possible that their undefeated light flyweight Seniesa “Superbad” Estrada will be headlining a boxing card soon.
One superhot match could be Seniesa Estrada versus Kenia Enriquez. That would add blue hot sizzle to any streamed fight card.
More Female Fight News
Argentina
Claudia Andrea Lopez (25-9) defeated Gladys Segui (3-5-1) by majority decision after four rounds on Saturday Oct. 6. The super welterweight fight was held at Cipolletti. Also, Abril Vidal (4-0) beat Natalia Sisterna (1-2) in a super welterweight bout.
Cristina Del Valle (11-11-2) knocked out Cintia Castillo (8-5) in the third round on Friday Oct. 5. The featherweight fight took place in Cordoba.
On Saturday Oct. 13, light flyweights Yesica Bopp (34-1) and Sandra Robles (21-2) battle for the WBA world title at Buenos Aires. Bopp, 34, has not lost a fight in five years when she was defeated by Mexico’s Jessica Chavez. Robles, 24, is a southpaw who fights out of Tijuana, Mexico.
Belgium
Oshin Derieuw (9-0) defeated Elfi Philips (9-5-3) by split decision after eight rounds on Friday Oct. 5. The super lightweight fight took place in Ghent. Derieuw, 31, fights out of France.
On Saturday Oct. 13, super featherweights Djemilla Gontaruk (13-5-1) and Monica Gentili (6-9) meet in a six round contest at Herstal.
Canada
On Saturday Oct. 13, light flyweights Kim Clavel (3-0) and Cintia Martinez (4-2-1) meet in a four round bout at Montreal.
Finland
Lotta Loikkanen (4-0) was the winner by decision after eight rounds versus Claudia Ferenczi (17-67-8) on Friday Oct. 5. The light flyweight match took place at Joensuu.
France
On Thursday Oct. featherweights Maiva Hamadouche (18-1) and Helen Joseph (15-3-2) meet in an eight round nontitle contest at Orleans. Mamadouche, 28, is the IBF super featherweight world titlist. Also, featherweights Wendy Vincent (0-6-2) and Ainara Mota (2-4-2) battle in an eight round bout.
On Saturday Oct. 13, featherweights Helene Lascombe (4-0) and Elise Bussiere (2-2) meet in an eight round fight at Pongues-les-Eaux.
Germany
On Saturday Oct. 13, featherweights Marina Sakharov (3-7-2) and Sonja Soknic (0-8) meet in a four round fight at Wolfhagen.
On Sunday Oct. 14, super middleweights Ema Kozin (14-0-1) and Irais Hernandez (2-1-2) meet in a 10 round clash at Munich. Kozin, 19, fights out of Germany. Hernandez fights out of Tijuana, Mexico. This is a rematch of a fight that took place last month and ended in a split draw in Croatia.
Mexico
Kenia Enriquez (21-1) was the winner by unanimous decision over Venezuela’s Norleidys Graterol (7-1) after 10 rounds on Saturday Oct. 6. The battle for the interim WBC light flyweight title took place in Tijuana. Enriquez, 24, fights out of Tijuana and the fight was streamed live by ESPN3.
New Zealand
On Saturday Oct. 13, heavyweights Sarah Long (2-3) and Ashley Campbell (0-1) meet in an eight round clash at Auckland for the New Zealand title.
Panama
Jehiny Gallardo (1-0) beat Teresa Almengor (0-1-2) by decision after four rounds on Friday Oct. 5. The bantamweight fight was held at Panama City.
Spain
Joana Pastrana (14-1) knocked out Siriporn Taweesuk (40-5) in the seventh round on Friday Oct. 5. The battle for the IBF minimum weight world title took place in Madrid. Pastrana, 28, was making the first defense of the world title she won in June.
Jennifer Miranda (2-0) defeated Jessica Sanchez (1-6-3) by unanimous decision after eight rounds on Monday Oct. 1. The win gives Miranda the Spanish featherweight title.
United Kingdom
Nicola Adams (5-0) was the winner by unanimous decision after 10 rounds against Mexico’s Isabel Millan (22-5-1) on Saturday Oct. 6. The win gives Adams the interim WBO flyweight title.
Terri Harper (4-0) knocked out Bec Connolly (1-3) in third round on Friday Oct. 5. The lightweight match was held at Yorkshire, England.
On Saturday Oct. 13, lightweights Chantelle Cameron (7-0) and Dahiana Santana (36-9) meet in a 10 round clash for the IBO title at London, England.
USA
Jessica McCaskill (6-2) was the winner by unanimous decision after 10 rounds versus Argentina’s Erica Farias (26-3) on Saturday Oct. 6. The battle for the WBC super lightweight world title took place in Chicago. The fight was streamed live on DAZN.
Crystal Hoy (6-8-4) won by technical knockout over Noemi Bosques (11-13-3) in the third round on Saturday Oct. 6. The super flyweight match was held at St. Petersburg, Florida. Also, super flyweights Avril Mathie (2-0-1) and Samantha Salazar (5-5-2) fought to a split draw after six rounds.
On Saturday Oct. 13, super featherweights Mikaela Mayer (7-0) and Vanessa Bradford (4-0-2) meet in a 10 round clash for the vacant NABF title at Omaha, Nebraska. Mayer, 28, will be in a 10 round fight for the first time. Bradford, 34, fights out of Edmonton, Canada. ESPN+ will stream beginning at 6 p.m. PT.