Daniela Bermudez Continues to Dazzle and Female Fight News
By David A. Avila
Down Argentine way there’s a bantamweight named Daniela Bermudez and more than a few argue she could be the best female fighter in the world at any weight.
Arguments are mounting as she decisively defeats one after another.
Bermudez (28-3-3) knocked out Alys Sanchez (16-7-1) in the ninth round of their WBO bantamweight world title fight on Friday Feb.28 in Santa Fe, Argentina. It was the fifth defense of the title.
Now 30 year olds, Bermudez has been a professional since March 2010 but it wasn’t a gangbuster start as two of her first four contests ended in a draw. In her second year as a pro she engaged in two pitched battles with rugged Edith Matthysse and she lost once and won by majority decision. Immediately after that she met Argentine standout Yesica “La Tuti” Bopp for the WBA light flyweight world title.
Bermudez lost to Bopp on September 2011 but that experience showed exactly where she stood among the many Argentine female contenders.
In her third year Bermudez moved up in weight and challenged for the interim WBA bantamweight title and interim WBA super flyweight title. She won both and remained in the super flyweight division throughout 2012.
On May 2013, Bermudez fought undefeated Neisi Torres for the vacant WBO bantamweight world title and knocked her out in one round. That fight served notice to all potential foes that the “La Bonita” Bermudez had become a very dangerous fighter.
Though she had captured the bantamweight title she maintained the interim super flyweight title for one fight on September 2013. The next January she fought for the WBO super flyweight world title against Linda Laura Lecca and won by knockout in the eighth round. She then dropped down a weight division and challenged Bopp and lost once again in April 2014.
Bopp remains one of Argentina’s best fighters in history. But Bermudez has shown that maybe if they met at bantamweight a different outcome might occur.
Still, it was an attempt to win another weight division against the best. Bermudez returned back to the super flyweight level and won two more fights.
Bermudez biggest gamble came on August 2016 when she traveled to Mexico City to challenge Mariana “Barby” Juarez in a fight that saw both move up to the bantamweight level. The Argentine fighter managed to defeat the mighty Juarez on her own turf. That put Bermudez on the radar for good.
On April 2018, Bermudez then challenged IBF super bantamweight world titlist Marcela Acuna another Argentine legend and defeated her soundly to win a third division world title. Not even Mexico’s Jackie Nava could handle Acuna like Bermudez.
Since that amazing win nearly every boxing publication has established Bermudez on their pound for pound lists. Bermudez has definitely arrived among the upper tier and eagerly awaits more challenges.
Super featherweights
WBO super featherweight titlist Ewa Brodnicka (18-0) defends against Djemilla Gontaruk (16-6-2) in a 10 round fight at Dzierzoniow, Poland. This her fourth defense of the title since winning it on April 2018.
The super featherweight division has become one of the most hotly contested divisions in the female fight world. Just recently England’s Terri Harper ripped the WBC title from Finland’s Eva Wahlstrom. Two others Delfine Persoon and Maiva Hamadouche are opting to try out for the Olympics. American contender Mikaela Mayer has a fight coming up on St. Patrick’s Day against veteran fighter Melissa Hernandez. Other talented fighters remain out there like Melissa, St. Vil, Tiara Brown, Helen Joseph, Ronica Jeffrey, and Alycia Baumgardner.
In South Korea, there’s Hyun Mi Choi holding on to the WBA version.
By the end of this year clarity will be achieved one way or the other. By the end of this month we should know which two super featherweights move to the head of the class.
More Female Fight News
Argentina
Gabriela Alaniz (7-0) won by technical knockout in the fourth round over Anyelen Espinosa (8-2) on Saturday Feb.29. The flyweight match was held in Buenos Aires.
Daniela Bermudez (28-3-3) knocked out Alys Sanchez (16-7-1) in the ninth round on Friday Feb. 28. The WBO bantamweight world title fight took place at Santa Fe. Bermudez, 30, has defended the title six times and in one of those fights defeated the great Marcela Acuna.
Belgium
On Saturday March 7, bantamweights Jill Serron (7-1) and Enerolisa De Leon (5-3-2) meet 10 rounds at Limburg. Also, super lightweights Joyce Van Ee (1-0) and Ann Verheyen (0-0) meet six rounds.
Bulgaria
Joana Nwamerue (2-0) defeated Marija Zivkovic (1-5) by decision after four rounds on Friday Feb. 28. The lightweight contest took place at Sofia.
Cambodia
Thi Thu Nhi Nguyen (4-0 won by split decision after 10 rounds versus Kanyarat Yoohanngoh (7-5) on Saturday Feb. 29. The minimum weight title fight was held at Bavet. Also, Thi Linh Tran (1-0) won by decision after six rounds versus Bo Mi Re Shin (9-1-3) in a lightweight bout.
France
Rima Ayadi (3-0) defeated Karina Kopinska (13-32-4) by unanimous decision after six rounds on Saturday Feb. 29. The lightweight match was held in Calvados.
Mailys Gangloff (4-1) knocked out Nana Dokadze (1-5) in the first round on Friday Feb. 28. The bantamweight fight took place at Nice.
Flora Pilo (3-0) beat Aleksandra Ivanovic (0-2) by decision after six rounds on Friday Feb.28. The super lightweight match was held at Moselle.
Germany
On Saturday March 7, super featherweights Naomi Mannes (2-0) and Denisa Cicoova (3-4) meet for rounds at Hessen.
Mexico
On Friday March 6, light flyweights Tania Enriquez (14-0) and Elizabeth Lopez (7-2-4) meet 10 rounds for the WBC Silver title at Tijuana.
On Friday March 6, minimum weights Ana Laura Reyes (5-6) and Joseyln Casilla (4-4-1) meet six rounds in Mexico City.
New Zealand
Karen Te Ruki (2-1) won by split decision after eight rounds against Tania Reid (2-3-1) on Saturday Feb. 29. The New Zealand super lightweight title fight was held in Auckland. Also, Elli-Bliss Reynolds (2-0) beat Holly McMath (0-1) by majority decision after four rounds in a super bantamweight fight.
Poland
On Saturday March 7, super featherweights Ewa Brodnicka (18-0) and Djemilla Gontaruk (16-6-2) meet 10 rounds for the WBO world title at Dzierzoniow. The champion Brodnicka, 35, is making her fourth defense of the title since winning it on April 2018.
Switzerland
On Saturday March 7, welterweights Ornella Domini (14-2) and Szilvia Szabados (18-17) meet 10 rounds for the EBU title at Geneva.
United Kingdom
Carly Skelly (3-0) won by decision after four rounds versus Claudia Ferenczi (20-75-8) on Friday Feb. 28. The super flyweight contest took place at Liverpool.
Stevi-Ann Levy (2-0) won by decision after four rounds against Gabriella Mezei (10-24-5) on Friday Feb. 28. The super featherweight fight was held in Norfolk.
On Saturday March 7, lightweights Sangeeta Birdi (1-1) and Bojana Libiszewska (6-39) meet four rounds at London, England.
USA
Schemelle Baldwin (3-1-2) and Sarah Rueda (0-1-1) fought to a draw after four rounds on Saturday Feb. 29. The middleweight fight took place at Hockessin, Delaware.
Jasmine Artiga (7-0-1) and Myrka Aguayo (3-2-1) fought to a draw after four rounds on Saturday Feb. 29. The super flyweight match took place at St. Petersburg, Florida.
Marissa Messer (2-0) won by split decision after four rounds against Shawna Ormsby (0-1) on Friday Feb. 28. The flyweight match was held in Worcester, Mass.
Shuretta Metcalf (9-3-1) won by split decision after four rounds versus Britain Hart (3-4-3) on Friday Feb. 28. The bantamweight fight took place at Irving, Texas.
(Photo by Ramon Cairo/ O.R. Promotions)