Naoko Fujioka vs Tsunami Tenkai in Japan and Female Fight News
By David A. Avila
A battle of titans takes place in Japan as Naoko Fujioka defends the WBA flyweight world title against Tsunami Tenkai on Friday July 12, in the famous Korakuen Hall in Tokyo.
These are Japan’s two best female fighters.
Fujioka (18-2, 7 KOs) has won five world titles in five weight divisions and finally meets Tenkai (26-12, 15 KOs) a devastating puncher whose last 10 wins have come via knockout.
Japan has been producing some of the finest female prizefighters the past decade especially after its governing body began recognizing women’s boxing. It helped ignite interest for women in a country where boxing is hugely popular.
Distance has long been the problem for any prizefighter hailing from Asia that seeks to compete with the rest of the world. Though Japan has long been a stronghold for prizefighting, the cost of flying fighters from the Americas or Europe to Japan is an extravagant cost.
Fighters like Fujioka and Tenkai realized that the only way to compete was to accept fights overseas where impartial judges left them vulnerable to losses.
It didn’t matter for these two fighters.
Tsunami Tenkai, 34, quickly realized the only way to guarantee success was to knock her opponents unconscious. In her last 10 wins all were achieved via the knockout. The hard-hitting warrior from Okinawa has developed a feared reputation for her relentless pressure style.
Over the years Tenkai has traveled to Mexico, South Korea and Chile and discovered the only way to guarantee victory was bludgeoning her opponents into involuntary submission. She has 15 knockouts in her 14-year career as a pro.
The champion Fujioka, 43, has dreams of fighting in the USA. Over the years she has watched epic world title fights take place on the other side of the Pacific Ocean and seen a few Japanese fighters engage in places like California, Nevada and Florida. She has actively sought a fight through various channels on visits to California and itches for an opportunity to prove herself against anyone from light flyweight to super flyweight.
But a fight in the US will have to wait as she achieves another goal in fighting her fellow Japanese fighter Tsunami Tenkai.
Fujioka has been fighting professionally for 10 years and in that time has gathered world titles in the minimum weight, light flyweight, flyweight, super flyweight and bantamweight divisions. She has speed, agility and power and has used her superb athletic abilities to accrue all of those world titles while losing only twice by decision in other countries.
Several years ago in Mexico she defeated that country’s greatest female prizefighter Mariana “Barby” Juarez. It remains Fujioka’s greatest victory.
According to some reports the Fujioka-Tsunami fight will be streamed via YouTube.com.
For more on this epic fight read Yuriko Miyata’s story: https://tpf.ib.tv/boxing/2019/07/02/battle-of-japanese-titans-naoko-fujioka-vs-tsunami-tenkai/
Poland’s Tigress
WBC super welterweight titlist Ewa Piatkowska (12-1) returns to the boxing ring for a six round non-title bout on Friday July 12, after a brief absence due to an injury. Cameras will be rolling for this event against Kamilla Boka (3-2).
“It’s a fight made for the documentary they are filming about me,” said Piatkowska on Monday. “And to check my arm after an injury.”
The super welterweight champion known as “the Tigress” also does boxing analysis for a Polish television outlet. She plans to become a sports broadcast journalist when she retires.
Costa Rica’s Yoka
Former world champion Yokasta Valle (17-2) of Costa Rica travels to Spain to fight Joana Pastrana (15-1) for the IBF minimum weight world title on August 4, in Marbella, Spain on the Mediterranean coast.
Valle, 26, formerly held the title but moved up in weight to make attempts for the light flyweight title against both Japan’s Naoko Fujioka and Germany’s Tina Rupprecht. She lost both in a pair of great battles.
Once again Valle will be traveling overseas, will the third time be the charm?
Las Vegas free
A free event featuring WBC super featherweight titlist Eva Wahlstrom (22-1-1) defending the belt takes place on Aug. 2, takes place at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. Roy Jones Jr. will promote the event that will be shown on UFC Fight Pass.
Ronica Jeffrey (17-1) has been selected to vie for the world title against Finland’s Wahlstrom who is making her fifth defense of the title since winning it in April 2015.
Wahlstrom’s last fight was a losing cause against current unified lightweight world champion Katie Taylor last December in New York City.
Jeffrey, 36, fights out of Brooklyn, New York.
More Female Fight News
Argentina
Edith Matthysse (16-10-1) defeated Cintia Castillo (9-7) by split decision after 10 rounds on Saturday July 6. Argentine featherweight title fight took place at Plottier.
On Friday July 12, flyweights Anahi Lopez (13-0-1) and Debora Gomez (5-3-1) meet in a 10 round fight for Argentine title at Luis Gillon, Buenos Aires.
Austria
Nicole Wesner (16-0) beat Pasa Malagic (12-6) by unanimous decision after 10 rounds on Saturday July 6. The lightweight title fight took place in Vienna. Also, Prisca Vicot (11-6) defeated Olena Medvedenko (6-6) by unanimous decision after 10 rounds in a super lightweight title fight.
Denmark
Alicia Holzken (5-0) beat Xenia Jorneac (10-4) by decision after 10 rounds on Thursday July 4. The flyweight match was held at Aabenraa.
Estonia
Augustina Markelionyte (1-0) beat Gintare Steiblyte (0-1) by decision after four rounds on Friday July 5. The middleweight fight took place at Parnu.
France
Laetitia Azalier (15-1) knocked out Cintia Cinjel (6-2) in the third round on Saturday July 6. The flyweight match took place at Beziers. Also, Aurelie Froment (3-0-1) beat Ksenija Medic (0-15-2) by decision after four rounds in a lightweight bout.
Justine Lallemand (7-1-1) fought to a draw with Snezana Siljkovic (1-5-2) after six rounds on Saturday July 6. The flyweight bout took place at Sedan.
Angelina Panza (1-0-2) defeated Melita Joo (0-1-1) by first round knockout on Sunday June 30. The super lightweight fight took place at Strasbourg.
Germany
Bilgenur Aras (4-0) won by technical knockout in the second round over Nino Gviniashvili (1-5-1) on Saturday July 6. The featherweight fight took place at Hessen.
Jessica Schadko (5-0) beat Christina Barry (1-6) by decision after six rounds on Saturday July 6. The welterweight match was held at Bayern.
On Saturday July 13, lightweights Maryna Malovana (2-0) and Claire Ciantar (3-5) meet in a 10 round title fight at Munich.
Italy
On Friday July 12, featherweights Anna Brozzi (0-0) and Jovina Milovanovic (0-2) meet in a four round bout at Lazio.
Japan
On Friday July 12, flyweights Naoko Fujioka (18-2) and Tenkai Tsunami (26-12) meet in a 10 round WBA world title fight at Tokyo. It’s a battle of the best. Also, super bantamweights Yuri Sekiwa (1-2) and Ai Sugimoto (1-0); Emi Unuma (0-1) and Megumi Hosoda (2-1); plus Airi Motoki (1-0-1) and Kei Sugimoto (1-1) meet in four round fights.
Mexico
Evelyn Bermudez (12-0-1) fought to a draw after 10 rounds versus Silvia Torres (20-1-2) on Saturday July 6. The IBF light flyweight world title fight was held in Mexico City. (For more on this read Felipe Leon’s story on thePrizefighter.com)
On Saturday July 13, welterweights Karen Garcia (4-2) and Jennifer Salgado Hernandez (0-1) meet in a four round fight at Rosarito Beach.
Panama
On Saturday July 13, flyweights Yaditza Perez (9-13-1) and Zuseth Hoyte (0-5) meet in a six round clash at Boquete.
Poland
On Friday July 12, super welterweights Ewa Piatkowska (12-1) and Kamilla Boka (3-2) meet in a six round bout at Dzierzoniow. Piatkowska holds the WBC super welterweight world title.
South Korea
On Monday July 15, bantamweights Soo Rin Kim (4-0-1) and Ting Zhang (0-0) meet in a four round match at Daejeon.
Spain
Catalina Diaz (6-2) won by decision after 10 rounds against Judit Hachbold (5-8) on Saturday July 6. The minimum weight title fight took place at Andalucia.
Miriam Gutierrez (12-0) knocked out Bianka Majlath (3-2) in the second round on Friday July 5. The lightweight title fight took place at Torrelodones, Madrid.
United Kingdom
Sam Smith (9-3-1) and Vaida Masiokaite (1-5-2) fought to a draw after four rounds on Saturday July 6. The super lightweight fight took place at London.
Amy Timlin (2-0) beat Sonia Klos (0-6) by decision after four rounds on Saturday July 6. The super bantamweight fight took place at Walsall.
Lisa Whiteside (2-0) beat Claudia Ferenczi (19-71-8) by decision after six rounds on Friday July 5. The flyweight match took place at Bolton.
On Friday July 12, lightweights Natasha Jonas (7-1) and Bec Connolly (2-5) meet in a six round clash at Liverpool.
USA
On Saturday July 13, featherweights Shurretta Metcalf (6-3-1) and Karen Dulin (3-18-1) meet in six three-minute rounds at Irving, Texas.