Yokasta Valle vs Sana Hazuki and More Fight News
By David A. Avila
One of the world’s most talented divisions finds Costa Rica’s Yokasta Valle defending the IBF minimumweight world title against Japan’s Sana Hazuki on Saturday.
Valle (20-2, 9 KOs) meets number one contender Hazuki (8-4-1, 2 KOs) at Oxigeno Human Playground in Heredia on Saturday Jan. 30. The fight can be seen on www.TDMas.com.
Valle, 28, has always shown fearlessness when it comes to fighting overseas. She was originally scheduled to face WBC titlist Tina Rupprecht in a rematch in Germany, but a resurgence in the coronavirus in Europe and the rest of the world changed that. The fight was then switched to Costa Rica but Rupprecht’s team is rumored to have had second thoughts.
Rupprecht’s team pulled out when it could not change the terms of the contract.
In steps Hazuki, who is the actual number one contender for the IBF, and at age 36 remains a viable threat. All Japanese fighters are dangerous.
Hazuki has never challenged for a world title but recently captured the OPBF minimum weight title by split decision over Eruka Hiromoto over a year ago in November 2019.
For Valle this will be her second defense of the IBF title she wrested from Spain’s Joana Pastrana in August 2019 in Marbella, Spain. Fighting in other countries has become a trademark for Valle who exhibits a fearlessness not always seen in prizefighters.
Both of Valle’s losses have been overseas. The first defeat came against the great Naoko Fujioka when they fought in Tokyo, Japan on December 2017. Their 10-round encounter was a furious affair that saw Fujioka pull out a win with a rallying effort. It was a back-and-forth war that showed Valle’s abilities.
Whether fighting outside or inside, Valle seems comfortable. But fighting in her home country where she has become a national icon can bring big paydays. She hopes she can lure some of the big stars in her weight class to Costa Rica. One star in particular is Seniesa Estrada who is scheduled to fight Anabel Ortiz for the WBA minimum weight world title in March.
“I think, and I can dream, we can do that fight here in Costa Rica, get 30,000 people in the National Stadium,” said Mario Vega co-manager of Valles in an interview this past September via telephone from the Central American country. “We work very hard and we have everything here to do it. We have a country behind us.”
A match between Valle and Estrada was nearly made two years ago but her trainer was unable to secure a visa. That snipped the fight from happening.
Other light flyweights and minimum weight fighters have emerged and Valle would like a crack at all of them. But first comes Hazuki on Saturday.
Christy Martin Promotions
Once again a large fight card featuring two female fights will be promoted by Christy Martin on Saturday Jan. 30, at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
Martin, a Hall of Fame inductee, has been promoting fights for several years now and has blazed a trail in the southeastern seaboard.
The main event features Shinard Bunch (11-1) versus Travis Castellon (16-4-1) in a six round super lightweight clash.
Mia Ellis (1-0) and Myashia Oglesby (0-7) meet in a lightweight bout while Aida Biggs (0-0) and Camille Casson (0-7) meet in a welterweight match.
Seniesa Estrada vs Anabel Ortiz
It’s not official but Seniesa “Super Bad” Estrada and WBA minimum weight champion Anabel Ortiz have agreed to fight on March 20 at the American Airlines Arena in Dallas, Texas.
Estrada and Ortiz were originally slated to meet last year but the Mexican fighter caught the coronavirus while training in Las Vegas so their fight was postponed. An alternative bout with WBO titlist Etsuko Tada was arranged but that fighter’s manager failed to disclose a prior arrangement to meet a fighter in Viet Nam. Once again Estrada was forced to wait.
Ortiz was given clearance by doctors to fight in March so now she will defend against East L.A.’s Estrada in Texas with fans in attendance.
The last time Estrada fought she knocked out her opponent Miranda Adkins in a mere seven seconds. It set a world record for fastest knockout in female boxing history. It also garnered more than a million hits within a week of occurring.
Ortiz will be making her 13th defense of the WBA title since winning it by split decision against Etsuko Tada back in July 2013. Tada now holds the WBO version.
More Fight News
Argentina
On Saturday Jan. 30, super flyweights Micaela Lujan (8-1-1) and Debora Gomez (6-4-1) meet 10 rounds for the IBF world title at Buenos Aires. Also, lightweights Maira Moreno (6-1) and Estefania Alaniz (5-4-1) meet 10 rounds.
China
On Saturday Jan. 30, super flyweights Choi Leng Tang (0-0) and Oi Li Chen (1-0) meet four rounds at Macao.
Costa Rica
On Saturday Jan. 30, minimum weights Yokasta Valle (20-2) and Sana Hazuki (8-4-1) meet 10 rounds for the IBF world title at Heredia. This is Valle’s second defense. This is Hazuki’s first world title challenge.
India
On Sunday Jan. 31, bantamweights Suman Kumari (4-3-1) and Urvashi Singh (6-2) meet eight rounds at New Delhi. Also, flyweights Tenzin Pema (0-0) and Priyanshee Priyanshee (0-1) meet four rounds.
Japan
Nanae Yamaka (4-0) won by first round knockout over Ai Sugimoto (2-1) on Thursday Jan. 21. The bantamweight fight was held in Tokyo. Also, Yurie Kishi (2-1) defeated Mikiko Muto (2-6) by decision in a atomweight fight; plus Kazuyuki Watanabe (2-3-2) knocked out Shota Kato (0-1-1) in the second round of a super bantamweight bout; and flyweight Saki Horiguchi (1-3-1) beat Risa Mihara (0-1). All took place in Tokyo at Korakuen Hall.
On Friday Jan. 29, minimum weights Shuka Furuya (0-0) and Amy Matsushita (0-0) meet four rounds at Tokyo.
Mexico
On Friday Jan. 29, lightweights Leila Beaudoin (3-0) and Maria Esquivel (4-16-1) meet six rounds at Cuernavaca.
On Saturday Jan. 30, light flyweights Yanali Ayon (5-1) and Tania Martinez (0-1) meet four rounds in Tijuana. Also, light flyweights Jacqueline Tamayo (0-0-2) and Karla Islas (3-14-1) meet four rounds.
Nicaragua
On Saturday Jan.30, bantamweights Wendellin Cruz (2-0-1) and Jamileth Vallejos (1-3-1) meet four three-minute rounds at Managua. Also, super bantamweights Eveling Ortega (0-3) and Ninoska Guevara (0-0) meet four three-minute rounds.
Tanzania
On Friday Jan. 29, super lightweights Happy Daudi Mwagike (9-7-1) and Lolita Muzeya (15-0) meet eight rounds at Dar-es-Salaam. Also, super flyweights Stumai Muki (3-0) and Revai Madondo (2-2-1) meet six rounds.
USA
On Saturday Jan. 30, lightweights Mia Ellis (1-0) and Mysasia Oglesby (0-7) meet four rounds at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Also, welterweights Aida Biggs (0-0) and Camille Casson (0-7) meet four rounds. The boxing card is staged by Hall of Fame fighter Christy Martin.
On Saturday Jan. 30, flyweights Maryguenn Vellinga-Hinz (1-0) and Danielle Bennett (1-0) meet four rounds at Tooele, Utah. Also, middleweights Ashley Johnson (0-0) and Deborah Willies (0-0) meet four rounds.