Networks Pushing Forward with Women’s Prizefighting

DAZN, Showtime and Women’s Boxing and Female Fight News

 

By David A. Avila

Three years have passed since female Olympians removed their head gear and obtained professional licenses.

In 2016, former gold medalists Claressa Shields and Katie Taylor departed the amateur boxing world and entered the prize rings without skipping a beat.

Women’s prizefighting continues to grow because of the two undisputed champions and their many exploits continue to attract more and more fans worldwide. Lately, three separate media outlets have dedicated time toward female boxing.

In Los Angeles, DAZN arrived to announce the Saul “Canelo” Alvarez versus Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev WBO light heavyweight fight. The streaming outfit also spoke a little about their interest and involvement in women’s boxing.

Two weeks ago they streamed back-to-back days of female world title prizefighting. Was it an aberration or a sign of things to come?

Joseph Markowski, executive vice president of DAZN in North America, said during the L.A. kickoff press conference that female prizefighting is a mainstay on the streaming network that presented Franchon Crews versus Maricela Cornejo in Los Angeles and Amanda Serrano versus Heather Hardy in New York City in mid-September.

“We see huge potential in women’s boxing,” said Markowski and likens it to women’s pro tennis where winnings by women are amongst the largest in all sports. “We are optimistic in its growth.”

Markowski expects to see unified lightweight world champion Katie Taylor become a mega attraction in the U.S. as she is in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Every time she fights the number of hits grows more each time said the DAZN executive.

He also added that the numbers for the New York and Los Angeles female title fights were very good but did not reveal the numbers. What he did offer was that more female fights are being discussed and that Jessica McCaskill’s rematch with Argentina’s Erica Farias looks to be an exciting future match.

Showtime

Next week Claressa Shields (9-0) seeks to add a super welterweight world title when she meets Croatia’s Ivana Habazin (20-3) for the vacant WBO world title and a version of the WBC title on Saturday Oct. 5, in Flint, Michigan. Showtime will televise the main event.

No further female bouts have been discussed by the television network but Shields remains the top American female attraction in the USA. She is also the top paid American female prizefighter and seeks to unify the super welterweight division too.

Last week during a conference call Showtime said it remains in the female fight game.

“Showtime has a long history of showing women in boxing,” said Chris DeBlasio, Showtime spokesman. “Since 2017 we have featured todays elite women’s boxing.”

ESPN showcases Top Rank’s Mikaela Mayer but has not ventured outside of her fights. They could become a player in the game if they choose but so far they remain committed only to Mayer a former American Olympian.

UFC Fight Night has jumped into the female fight game with Roy Jones Jr. Promotions sponsoring several fight cards featuring female co-main events.

Next year could be a stellar year for female prizefighting viewing.

 

Nicola Adams and WBO

Great Britain’s Nicola Adams, a former two-time Olympic gold medalist, meets Maria Salinas for the WBO flyweight world title on Friday Sept. 27 in Kensington, England.

Adams, 36, won gold medals in 2012 and 2016 and then was given the WBO flyweight title without beating the actual champion Mexico’s Arely Mucino. Both were supposed to meet earlier this year but Adams was injured and unable to challenge Mucino. Then when Mucino suffered an injury she was basically stripped of the title and it was given to Adams without a fight.

The WBO did not respond to our query.

 

More Female Fight News

Argentina

Florencia Juarez (6-0) defeated Carla Merino (1-1) by majority decision after four rounds on Saturday Sept. 21. The bantamweight fight was held in Buenos Aires.

On Saturday Sept. 28, lightweights Yanina Lescano (5-1) and Pamela Benavidez (10-9-3) meet in a four round fight at Concordia.

 

Australia

Bianca Elmir (4-1) was the winner by unanimous decision after six rounds versus Suman Kumari (3-2-1) on Saturday Sept. 21. The super bantamweight fight was held in Southport, Queensland.

On Friday Sept. 27, super featherweights Lauren Eagle (21-4-1) and Kirti (6-2) meet in an eight round fight at Yagoona, New South Wales.

 

Canada

On Thursday Sept. 26, light flyweights Kim Clavel (9-0) and Xenia Corneac (10-4) meet in an eight round bout at Montreal.

On Saturday Sept. 28, super lightweights Kandi Wyatt (8-1) and Dayanna Gonzalez (6-2) meet in a six round fight at Calgary. Also, super bantamweights Bree Howling (0-0) and Claudia Vargas (0-4) meet in a four round bout.

 

Finland

On Saturday Sept. 28, flyweights Lotta Loikkanen (5-0) and Oksana Romanova (10-26-1) meet in a six round fight at Rysa.

 

France

On Saturday Sept. 28, featherweights Licia Bourdersa (14-2-2) and Laura Griffa (18-3) meet in a 10 round IBO world title fight at Lille, Nord.

 

Japan

Tomoko Okuda (5-2-2) and Kanako Taniyama (2-0-1) fought to a draw after eight rounds on Monday Sept. 16. The bantamweight title fight was held in Sakai, Osaka.

On Monday Sept. 23, featherweights Wakako Fujiwara (8-3-2) and Yoshie Wakasa (6-1) meet in an eight round title fight at Osaka. Also, featherweights Miki Matsuda (5-5) and Kimika Miyoshi (13-12-1) meet in a six round fight.

On Sunday Sept. 29, light flyweights Shione Ogata (11-6) and Gretel De Paz (5-5-1) meet in an eight round fight at Toyonaka, Osaka. Also, minimum weights Momoko Kanda (10-10-2) and Kaori Nagai (3-2-3) meet in a six round bout.

 

Mexico

Leticia Uribe (6-14) won by unanimous decision after six rounds versus Fredee Gonzalez (6-15-1) on Monday Sept. 16. The featherweight bout was held in Hidalgo.

 

New Zealand

On Saturday Sept. 28, heavyweights Sarah Long (3-3) and Alrie Meleisea (4-0) meet in four three-minute rounds at Auckland.

 

Russia

Anna Krasnoperova (2-0) beat Laura Yessenkeldi (0-1) by decision after four rounds on Monday Sept. 16. The lightweight bout was held in Moscow.

 

Singapore

On Saturday Sept. 28, super bantamweights Nurshahidah Roslie (14-2) and Fan Yin (8-0) meet in a 10 round title fight at Singapore.

 

South Africa

On Saturday Sept. 28, bantamweights Bukiwe Nonina (14-4-1) and Flora Machela (6-5) meet in a six round fight at Johannesburg.

 

Spain

Enerolisa De Leon (5-2-2) knocked out Karla Mendoza (0-1-2) in the first round on Saturday Sept. 21. The featherweight fight was held in Madrid.

 

Switzerland

On Saturday Sept. 28, welterweights Oliva Boudouma (8-1) and Alekasandra Vujovic (4-11-2) meet in a six round bout at Estavayer.

 

Taiwan

ShiTing Lin (1-0) beat YiChing Liu (0-1) after four rounds on Sunday Sept. 22. The featherweight fight was held in Taipei. Also, Ching Hsin Wang (2-0-1) and Chian Huei Chin (0-0-1) fought to a draw after a four round flyweight bout.

 

Thailand

Sunsanee McDonnell (1-0) beat Saule Tolegen (0-1) by decision after four rounds on Saturday Sept. 21. The welterweight fight was held at Pattaya.

 

United Kingdom

On Friday Sept. 27, lightweights Kallia Kourouni (10-2) and Monica Gentili (6-11) meet in a six round fight at Bethnal Green, London.

On Friday Sept. 27, flyweights Nicola Adams (5-0) and Maria Salinas (21-7-3) meet in a 10 round title fight at Kensington, London.

On Saturday Sept. 28, super welterweights Nikita Silvera (0-0) and Augustina Markelionyte (1-0) meet in a four round fight at Staffordshire.

On Saturday Sept. 28, featherweights Bec Connolly (2-6) and Monika Antonik (1-17) meet in a four round match at Swindon.

 

USA

Chevelle Hallback (31-8-2) defeated Szilvia Szabados (18-16) by unanimous decision after six rounds on Saturday Sept. 21. The super welterweight fight was held at St. Petersburg, Florida. Also, Jasmine Artiga (7-0) beat Judit Hachbold (5-9) by decision after a six round super flyweight fight.

Shadasia Green (3-0) beat Mexico’s Irais Hernandez (2-4-2) by unanimous decision after six rounds on Saturday Sept. 21. Green had won her first two fights by knockout, but had to settle for a decision win against hardened veteran Hernandez at Wilkes-Barre, Penn.

On Saturday Sept. 28, bantamweights Tiffany Van Soest (3-2) and Jady Menezes (1-2) meet in three three-minute rounds at Miami, Florida. Chommanee Sor Taehiran (1-0) and Aline Pereira (0-0) in three round fight; plus Rebekah Irwin (2-0) and Tony Lawson (0-0) in three round fight. All bantamweight fights.

On Saturday Sept. 28, super bantamweights Shuretta Metcalf (7-3-1) and Carla Torres (5-5) meet in a six round contest at Irving, Texas.

 

Zimbabwe

On Saturday Sept. 28, welterweights Anisha Basheel (8-6) and Happy Daudi (7-6-1) meet in six three-minute rounds at Harare.

 

(Photo by JP Yim)