Celebrating International Women’s Day, Superwomen Card and More News
By David A. Avila
Today is International Women’s Day and what better example to show determination and self-reliance than Claressa Shields piecing together her own boxing card when others abandoned her cause.
It was both poignant and inspiring.
After more than a year of trying to put together a fight between two undefeated super welterweights Shields and Canada’s Marie Eve Dicaire, it was finally done despite a worldwide pandemic and other problems. Not only did she secure her own fight, but added three other female bouts to give them exposure too.
With the help of Salita Promotions and her manager Mark Taffet the Shields all-women pay-per-view boxing card at Flint, Michigan called “Superwomen” proved that determination is everything. Regardless of the number of buys, simply accomplishing the task was extremely important. You can build on that.
According to Salita Promotions and Taffet, sales exceeded projections.
“Claressa has showed what is possible for female athletes and for women’s boxing. I am honored to be involved in her Herstoric career and I want to wish women around the world a happy and meaningful International Women’s Day,” stated Taffet.
Inside the boxing ring Shields once again demonstrated her off-the-charts fighting abilities and shoved aside a very game Dicaire. Though the Canadian fighter lost every round she never quit. Every round she tried to find the solution but was simply unable to find an antidote.
Shields becomes the first person of any gender to win undisputed titles in two separate weight divisions. It’s a lofty accomplishment that cannot be diminished.
When Shields first arrived on the professional boxing scene, I saw the talent but I also saw the flaws. The 2016 version of Shields could not beat this 2021 version. And the 2021 version will not be nearly as good as the 2026 version. Shields continues to improve each year.
Texas Revancha
In Spanish, the word for rematch is revancha and that’s what occurs on Saturday March 13, with Jessica McCaskill (9-2) and Cecilia Braekhus (36-1) clashing once again for the undisputed welterweight world championship. This time they meet in Dallas, Texas and DAZN will stream the match.
McCaskill and Braekhus engaged in a furious battle fought in close quarters for most of the 10 rounds last summer in Oklahoma City. McCaskill handed Braekhus her first loss as a professional and the Norwegian fighter retired soon after. Later still, she un-retired and announced she was asking for the rematch as written in the contract.
Just like their first encounter, the hungrier fighter will win this second fight. If Braekhus has gained the will to go over and beyond in avenging her first loss, then she can win. If McCaskill still harbors that fire to prove her first win was not a fluke, then she can win again.
It will be a test of wills and fiery determination.
McCaskill, who is half African-American and half Mexican-American will be making her first defense of the undisputed welterweight championship. She is trained and managed by Rick Ramos in Chicago.
Braekhus is a native of Colombia now living in Norway. She is trained by Abel Sanchez in Big Bear, California. Sanchez has prepared many Mexican style fighters including Miguel Angel Gonzalez and Gennady Golovkin.
Prepare for war.
More West Coast Wars
On March 20 two more title fights emanating from the West Coast of the USA take place in the smaller weight classes.
Seniesa “Super Bad” Estrada (19-0, 8 KOs) challenges WBA minimum weight titlist Anabel “La Ovispa” Ortiz (31-3, 4 KOs) in a 10-round fight at Fort Worth, Texas.
East L.A.’s Estrada has knocked out six of her last seven opponents including a seven-second destruction of Miranda Adkins last summer. This is her true first world title challenge.
Ortiz, 34, has defended her championship 12 times since winning the WBA title back in July 2013 against Japan’s Etsuko Tada. The Mexico City fighter has not lost a fight since Argentina’s Yesica Bopp accomplished the feat by decision in Argentina back in 2012.
On the same day but in Mexico, another Los Angeles fighter Adelaida “La Cobra” Ruiz (9-0, 4 KOs) battles Sonia Osorio (14-7-1, 3 KOs) for the interim WBC super flyweight title at Riviera Nayarit. It will be shown on pay-per-view.
More Fight News
Argentina
On Saturday March 13, flyweights Carla Merino (3-1) and Debora Gomez (6-5-1) meet six rounds at Rio Cuarto, Cordoba.
Australia
Rebecca Hawker (2-0) defeated Amanda Klein (0-1) by unanimous decision after six rounds on Friday March 5. The super featherweight match was held at Eatons Hill, Queensland.
On Saturday March 13, super bantamweights Ebanie Bridges (4-0) and Carol Earl (3-3-1) meet eight rounds for the vacant Australian title at Condell Park, New South Wales. Also, featherweights Bianca Elmir (5-1) and Yolanda Schmidt (0-0) meet six rounds.
On Saturday March 13, bantamweights Cherneka Johnson (13-0) and Shannon O’Connell (20-6-1) meet 10 rounds at Bendigo, Victoria.
Bolivia
On Saturday March 13, super flyweights Carla Campos (2-1) and Luz Vargas (0-1) meet six rounds at Santa Cruz de la Sierra.
France
Licia Boudersa (17-1-2) defeated Ksenija Medic (1-20-2) by unanimous decision after six rounds on Saturday March 6. The super featherweight fight was held at Nord.
Estelle Mossely (9-0) won by unanimous decision after 10 rounds versus Verena Kaiser (14-2) on Friday March 5. The IBO lightweight world title fight took place at Nantes.
Germany
Felicitas Vogt (7-0) beat Sonja Soknic (0-9) by third round technical knockout on Saturday March 6. The super bantamweight bout took place at Baden-Wurttemberg.
Bilgenur Aras (5-1) defeated Marion Farkas (0-9) by first round technical knockout on Saturday March 6. The featherweight match was held at Hessen. Also, Eva Hubmayer (3-1) stopped Fagbule Oluwafanke (0-3) in the third round of a lightweight bout.
India
On Saturday March 13, lightweights Chandni Mehra (7-1) and Geeta Solanki (1-0) meet four rounds at Greater Noida. Also, super featherweights Shradha Jamliya (1-4) and Jai Shree Chouhan (0-1) meet four rounds.
Italy
On Saturday March 13, flyweights Martina Bernile (0-0-1) and Giorgia Scolastri (1-0) meet eight rounds at Mazara del Vallo, Sicilia.
Mexico
Citlali Ortiz (1-0) knocked out Citlali Garcia (0-1) in the fourth round on Saturday March 6. The super welterweight fight was held at Mexicali.
On Saturday March 13, super featherweights Diana Prazak (13-3) and Milagros Gabriela Diaz (1-11) meet six rounds at Tijuana. It’s been six years since Prazak last fought in a prize fight. She lost to Layla McCarter by knockout in Las Vegas.
On Saturday March 13, lightweights Crystal Morales (9-10-1) and Beatriz Aguilar (6-5-1) meet 10 rounds for the vacant WIBA title at Tequila, Jalisco.
South Africa
On Friday March 12, welterweights Hannah Rankin (9-5) and Kholosa Ndabayini (13-9) meet eight rounds at Cape Town.
USA
Claressa Shields (11-0) defeated Marie Eve Dicaire (17-1) by unanimous decision after 10 rounds on Friday March 5. The WBA, WBO, WBC, IBF super welterweight title fight for the undisputed championship was held at Flint, Michigan. Also, Danielle Perkins (3-0) defeated Monika Harrison (2-2-1) by decision after eight rounds for the WBC Silver heavyweight title; Marlen Esparza (9-1) defeated Shelly Barnett (4-4-2) by unanimous decision after six bantamweight rounds; and Jamie Mitchell (6-0-2) won by fifth round knockout over Noemi Bosques (12-16-3).
On Saturday March 13, welterweights Jessica McCaskill (9-2) and Cecilia Braekhus (36-1) fight for the undisputed welterweight world championship at Dallas, Texas. This is a rematch for the IBO, IBF, WBO, WBA, WBC welterweight titles.
Venezuela
Yenifer Leon (13-3) knocked out Yanetsy Gomez (0-4) in the first round on Saturday March 6. The minimum weight match took place at Turmero. Also, Bestalia Sanchez (10-1) beat Estefania Matute (1-15) by decision after six rounds in a light flyweight bout.
(Photo by Salita Promotions)