Jelena Mrdjenovich Leads Busy World Title Fight Weekend

By David A. Avila

Featherweights and super featherweight collide for world titles this week.

Canada’s Jelena Mrdjenovich (40-10-2, 19 KOs) meets Paola Torres (12-4-1, 4 KOs) for the WBA featherweight world title at the Wild Card Boxing Gym parking lot in Los Angeles on Thursday Dec. 17. NBC Sport Network will televise the 10-round fight.

Mrdjenovich, 38, has long been one of the best fighters in the world but has been inactive for many months for undisclosed reasons. But the return of Mrdjenovich will be of interest to many.

For several years Mrdjenovich was among the top female fighters pound for pound. She was among the last to defeat Layla McCarter back in 2005. And also has a win over Melissa Hernandez. Those are two extremely talented fighters that don’t get credit for their skills.

Torres, 31, lives in San Antonio, Texas and has never been stopped. But she has yet to beat a world champion after two prior attempts. Will the third time be the charm?

One world champion who was originally slated to be on this same boxing card was Amanda Serrano, the seven-division world titlist. When an opponent was unable to be secured for Los Angeles, her fight was moved to the Caribbean.

Serrano (38-1-1) will now be fighting against Dahiana Santana (36-12) on Wednesday in the Dominican Republic. This is a rematch. Both fought each other years ago with Serrano stopping Santana at Madison Square Garden back in 2017.

For years Serrano has itched for a fight with Mrdjenovich and her team had hoped to be on the same card to generate interest. It just wasn’t to be.

Super featherweights

IBF super featherweight titlist Maiva Hamadouche (21-1) and Nina Pavlovic (6-3-1) meet in a 10 round bout for the IBF world title in Milan, Italy on Thursday Dec. 17. It’s not clear if DAZN will stream the fight.

Hamadouche signed with Matchroom Boxing and is one of three super featherweight world titlists connected to the British promotion company. The others are Terri Harper and Hyun Mi Choi.

The French fighter will be facing a meager threat in young 23-year-old Pavlovic but anything can happen in boxing.

WBA super featherweight titlist Hyun Mi Choi (17-0-1) and Calista Silgado (19-11-3) meet on Friday Dec. 18, at Hollywood, Florida. DAZN will stream the world title clash. It’s the first time for anyone outside of South Korea to see Choi in action.

Choi is originally from North Korea but now fights out of South Korea and was signed by Matchroom. She faces Salgado who has 14 knockout wins and battled against Cindy Serrano, Amanda Serrano, Jennifer Han and Mikaela Mayer in losing causes. She has a puncher’s chance.

If Choi wins and Hamadouche wins the question will be who fights Harper?

America’s Mikaela Mayer will also probably be involved in a clash of the super featherweight world champions to see who emerges from the battles to be the undisputed super featherweight world champion. Things are getting interesting.

Super Fly   

An exchange of world titles took place this past weekend.

In Mexico, Lourdes “La Pequena Lulu” Juarez defeated Guadalupe Martinez for the WBC version while Tomoko Okuda won a technical decision over former champ Miyo Yoshida in Japan.

Juarez, 32, had toiled in the flyweight division as a top contender for years but was unable to secure a world title fight in that division. So, when the capricious WBC organization offered a fight at a heavier weight class, Juarez took it.

I guess the WBC expected Juarez to lose.

Despite not losing a fight in nearly seven years and defeating several opponents who would later get undeserved world title opportunities, the younger sister of Mariana “Barbie” Juarez was not offered a world title fight in the flyweight division for years. She was the number one contender for the flyweight division.

When offered to fight Martinez the super flyweight world titlist, many predicted Juarez would lose. Five others had failed in their quest to derail the champion but those other five were not the crafty and skilled Juarez.

Using her perfection of distance and perfectly timing her attacks, Juarez was able to upend the brawling style of Martinez and walk away with a convincing win after 10 rounds in Mexico City.

After her older sister Mariana “Barbie” Juarez had lost the WBC bantamweight world title to Yuliana Luna last month, Lourdes Juarez promised one Juarez sister would be ending 2020 with a world title.

“I give thanks to each and every one of you who followed my career and believed in me,” said Juarez.

 

More Female Fight News

Argentina

Juliana Basualdo (3-2) won by unanimous decision after six rounds versus Micaela Sarfati (3-1-1) on Saturday Dec. 12. The super bantamweight fight was held in Buenos Aires.

Carla Merino (3-1) beat Maria Cuello (0-1) by decision after four rounds on Saturday Dec. 12. The super flyweight bout took place in Cordoba.

Carolina Ferrari (1-0) beat Angela Sanchez (0-3-1) by decision after four rounds on Friday Dec. 11. The flyweight match took place at Buenos Aires.

On Friday Dec.18, welterweights Victoria Bustos (19-6) and Claudia Lopez (26-11) meet eight rounds at Buenos Aires.

On Friday Dec. 18, super lightweights Anahi Sanchez (19-5) and Maria Capriolo (7-11-4) meet six rounds in Buenos Aires.

On Saturday Dec. 19, flyweights Debora Lopez (16-0-1) and Ayelen Granadino (5-0-2) meet 10 rounds for the WBO world title at Buenos Aires. Also, lightweights Yamila Belen (10-4) and Estefania Alaniz (5-3-1) meet 10 rounds for the Argentine title.

 

Colombia

Olga Julio (33-18-2) knocked out Geraldine Perez (0-9) in the first round on Thursday Dec. 10. The super flyweight contest took place at Corozal.

On Thursday Dec. 17, super bantamweights Alys Sanchez (16-7-1) and Paulina Cardona (25-23-6) meet eight rounds at Puerto Colombia. Also, lightweights Monica Henao (2-1-3) and Lira Huyke (1-0) meet eight rounds; a third bout features super bantamweights Daniela Salazar (0-3) and Mayerlis Torres (0-0) in a four round bout.

 

Democratic Republic of the Congo

On Saturday Dec. 19, lightweights Therese Yumba (1-0) and Anisha Basheel (8-6) meet 10 rounds for the African title at Kinshasa.

 

Dominican Republic

On Wednesday Dec. 16, super featherweights Amanda Serrano (38-1-1) and Dahiana Santana (36-12) meet eight rounds at Santa Domingo. This is a rematch.

 

France

Sabrina Flamand (1-1-1) defeated Helena Claveau (1-3-2) by decision after six rounds on Sunday Dec. 13. The featherweight bout was held at Bouches-du-Rhone.

 

Germany

Elvina White (5-0) knocked out Katarina Vistica (1-17) in the fourth round on Saturday Dec. 12. The super lightweight fight was held at Baden-Wurttemberg. Also, Alicia Holzken (6-0) beat Snezana Siljkovic (1-7-2) by decision in a flyweight match.

Nina Meinke (11-2) defeated Angela Cannizzaro (6-8-1) by decision after eight rounds on Saturday Dec. 12. The featherweight fight took place at Magdeburg.

On Saturday Dec.19, lightweights Lucy Wildheart (6-1) and Gabriella Mezzei (11-24-5) meet six rounds in Hamburg. Mezzei just fought last weekend and won by decision in England.

On Sunday Dec. 20, super middleweights Christina Hammer (25-1) and Sanna Turunen (6-3-1) meet 10 rounds for the interim super middleweight title at Cologne.

 

India

On Sunday Dec. 20, bantamweights Shivana Dahiya (1-2) and Neetu Pun (0-0) meet four three-minute rounds at Mumbai.

 

Italy

On Thursday Dec. 17, super featherweights Maiva Hamadouche (21-1) and Nina Pavlovic (6-3-1) meet 10 rounds for the IBF world title at Milan. This is Hamadouche sixth defense of the world title.

 

Japan

Tomoko Okuda (7-2-2) won by technical decision in the sixth round over Miyo Yoshida (14-2) on Sunday Dec. 13. The WBO super flyweight world title fight was held at Osaka. A cut over the eye of Yoshida forced the scheduled 10 round fight to end early with all three judges ruling in favor of hometown fighter Okuda.

Kanako Taniyama (3-1-1) defeated Miki Matsuda (5-7) by majority decision after six rounds on Sunday Dec. 13. The bantamweight clash was held in Osaka on a card that featured many female fights. Wakako Fujiwara (10-3-2) beat Yuko Henzan in a featherweight fight at six rounds; Yumi Narita (5-4-3) beat Mont Blanc Miki (4-4-1) in a six round minimumweight fight; Mariana Hamada (2-0-1) beat Saeka Hori (0-1) in a four round super flyweight bout; and Sumire Yamanaka (1-0) defeated Arika Shimono (0-1) in an atomweight match.

Nanako Suzuki (5-2) took the win by decision after six rounds against Megumi Hosoda (3-2) on Thursday Dec. 10. The minimum weight fight was held at Tokyo.

 

Mexico

Lourdes Juarez (31-2) defeated Guadalupe Martinez (20-10) by unanimous decision after 10 rounds on Saturday Dec. 12. The WBC super flyweight world title fight took place in Mexico City. Juarez, 32, is the younger sister of Mariana “Barby” Juarez.

Diana Fernandez (23-3) won by decision over Mariana Ruiz (6-2-1) after 10 rounds on Saturday Dec. 12. The super flyweight bout took place at Chihuahua.

On Friday Dec. 18, flyweights Ashley Gonzalez (10-1) and Karla Islas (3-14-1) meet six rounds in Tepic.

On Friday Dec.18, super lightweights Indira Chan (0-0) and America Rodriguez (0-1) meet four rounds in Cancun.

On Friday Dec. 18, lightweights Jaica Pavilus (0-2) and Viridiana Garcia (0-0) meet four rounds at Agua Prieta, Sonora.

On Sunday Dec. 20, minimum weights Elizabeth Beltran (1-0) and Sayuri Mejia (0-2) meet four rounds at La Paz.

 

New Zealand

On Saturday Dec. 19, featherweights Mea Motu (3-0) and Katala Hansen (0-0) meet four rounds at Auckland.

 

Russia

Aza Dzherieva (3-0) knocked out Kristina Abdulina (0-2) in the first round on Thursday Dec. 10. The super bantamweight fight was held at Vladikavkaz. Also, Elena Kuzina (3-0) beat Svetlana Khautova (0-1) by decision in a light heavyweight bout.

 

Serbia

On Friday Dec. 18, super flyweights Saida Bukvic (5-0) and Oksana Romanova (10-30-1) meet eight rounds at Belgrade.

 

South Africa

Matshidiso Mokebisi (13-8-1) defeated Kholosa Ndobayini (13-9) by majority decision after six rounds on Saturday Dec. 12. The super lightweight match was held at Kroonstad. Also, Lufuno Mutshayi (1-2-1) beat Nosiacwase Dube (0-1-1) by majority decision after four super bantamweight rounds.

 

Tanzania

On Sunday Dec. 20, flyweights Veronika Thomasi (0-1) and Halima Bandola (0-1) meet four rounds at Dar-Es-Salaam.

 

Thailand

Chisakan Ariphipat (3-0-1) stopped Paphavadee Kongthon (0-3) in the first round on Saturday Dec. 12. The super flyweight bout took place at Pathum Thani. Also, Cholthicha Boonsri (2-0) defeated Promporn Poolsawat (1-1) by decision after six flyweight rounds.

 

United Kingdom

Gabriella Mezei (11-24-5) was the winner by decision after four rounds versus Cathy McAleer (4-1) on Friday Dec. 11. The featherweight bout took place in Sheffield.

 

USA

Anyela Lopez (1-1-1) and Fei Faiva (4-0-1) fought to a draw after four rounds on Saturday Dec. 12. The featherweight fight took place in Jonesboro, Georgia.

On Thursday Dec. 17, featherweights Jelena Mrdjenovich (40-10-2) and Iranda Paula Torres (12-4-1) meet 10 rounds for the WBA world title at Los Angeles, California.

On Friday Dec. 18, super featherweights Hyun Mi Choi (17-0-1) and Calista Silgado (19-11-3) meet 10 rounds for the WBA world title at Hollywood, Florida.

On Saturday Dec. 19, super bantamweights Melissa Parker (2-0) and Brittany Sims (1-0) meet eight rounds for the NABF title at Greenville, South Carolina.

 

(Photo by CTV News Edmonton)