Marlen Esparza Brushes Aside Osorio, Wants Seniesa Estrada
By Tarrah Zael
2012 Olympic bronze medalist and WBO NABO Flyweight champion Marlen Esparza (7-0, 1 KO) of Houston, Texas retained her belt against Mexico’s former world title challenger Sonia Osorio (13-7, 3-1 KO) at Fantasy Spring’s Thursday Night Fights on July 18.
This was Esparza’s (7-0, 1 KO) first title defense since claiming the belt April 6th, after winning the unanimous decision over Ecuador’s Jhosep Vizcaino, and only her second fight since giving birth to her son January 3rd.
In the opening rounds Esparza was the more technical and smarter boxer of the two. She landed quick jabs and combinations; Osorio threw wild left hooks and overhand rights leaving herself noticeably open in her stance.
Throughout the rounds we see Osorio landing hard punches against her opponent, and a good exchange from both warriors but Esparza was the busier of the two. “I couldn’t control her head like I wanted too. Once I found it, I found it too late. It was more about staying composed but I like to fight”.
The judges scored the bout 78-74, 79-73 an 79-73 a unanimous decision win for Esparza.
We saw the fighter in Esparza come out as a mean streak when boxing her counters, but in this fight, we also saw her outbox and outpoint her opponent “it was more about staying composed but I like to fight,” she said in her after fight interview with Goldenboy’s Beto Duran.
The same way we saw the aggressive fighter in Esparza is the same if not more of what we saw in undefeated light flyweight contender Seniesa Estrada (17-0, 7-0 KO) who has displayed her aggression and power multiple times in her previous fights.
There is a well-known ongoing war between Esparza and Estrada, the hype about a super fight between these two is wanted by both fighters in the near future. “Yes, I really want Seniesa. We both should just get it done already. I don’t see the point in waiting for it. We both want world title shots,” said Esparza.
Although Esparza sounds more than enthused to fight her rival soon; In Estrada’s last fight in June she said, “everyone knows about the rivalry between me and Marlen Esparza. Eventually, that fight is going to happen. For now, I want a title shot. I want to face Yesenia Gomez.”
If the fight between Esparza and Estrada doesn’t happen this year, maybe in the early year of 2020 when the title shot these two want will be arranged.
(Photo by Al Applerose)