City of Angels Sends Three into Action This Week – Maricela Cornejo, Seniesa Estrada and Adelaida Ruiz
By David A. Avila
Three City of Angels representatives head to other destinations this week and all of their bouts will be streamed or televised.
Maricela Cornejo (13-4, 5 KOs) a former middleweight title contender heads to Salinas, Puerto Rico to face Alma Ibarra (7-1, 4 KOs) on Thursday March 18. It will be televised by NBC Sports Network.
Cornejo, who now lives in Los Angeles, is a native of the state of Washington and had reportedly dropped down to 154 pounds. She had been fighting at 160 pounds but it’s often difficult to find competition above 160 pounds. The higher the weight the scarcer the participants. This fight was reportedly at 168.
Ibarra, 33, fights out of Monterrey, Mexico and has not fought since November 2019 when she lost by decision to American middleweight contender Raquel Miller in Canada.
Both Ibarra and Cornejo stand almost equal in height at 5’9 and 5’10 respectively. Each fighter needs a win to remain a contender. Cornejo wants another world title crack.
“Get this win Thursday night. This fight is my main focus. This is going to be a total war, the bloodiest fight. I’m ready for that. I’m looking forward to all that, come Thursday night,” said Cornejo during a conference call.
Cornejo has trained with legendary trainer Buddy McGirt in Los Angeles since last May 2020. She professes to have a better understanding on fight strategy.
“Buddy has helped me so much just knowing the fight game. I finally feel I’m there. I know what I have and so much to prove,” said Cornejo, whose last fight was for the WBC and WBO super middleweight world titles against champion Franchon Crews-Dezurn.
That fight took place more than two years ago. Though it ended in a loss, many were impressed by Cornejo’s gritty performance.
Cornejo knows that her foe has an amateur pedigree along with solid pro experience. It motivates her.
“I know I can throw it down. I don’t have all that amateur background – four amateur fights – I know I have that inside of me,” Cornejo said about competing with anyone. “Just if she wants to bring it, my right hand will be right there to welcome there.”
Seniesa
East L.A.’s Seniesa “Super Bad” Estrada (19-0, 8 KOs) vies for her first world title when she meets Mexico’s vaunted Anabel “La Avispa” Ortiz for the WBA minimum weight world title on Saturday March 20. DAZN will stream the fight.
Estrada’s last match took place last summer when she unleashed a seven-second knockout. That probably won’t occur in this instance. Ortiz has not lost a fight in nine years.
Ortiz has defended the WBA title 12 times since winning it on July 2013. Many expect a very competitive fight.
Estrada has never fought at 105 pounds or less. But she walks around at that weight and has been forced to fight bigger and heavier opposition. The fight will be 10 two-minute rounds.
Adelaida
A third Los Angeles-based fighter Adelaida Ruiz (9-0, 4 KOs) challenges Mexico’s Sonia Osorio (14-7-1, 3 KOs) for the interim WBC super flyweight title on Saturday March 20, at Riviera Nayarit, Mexico. It will be shown on pay-per-view at this link: https://www.fightsnight.com/adelaina-cobra-ruiz.html
Ruiz has long been one of Southern California’s best kept secrets and has developed a reputation as a no-nonsense hunter. She is never satisfied with a decision win and always goes for the knockout.
Osorio, 28, has only been stopped once as a pro and that was in her pro debut. She has fought many of the best fighters including Isabel Millan, Marlen Esparza and Seniesa Estrada. She is defending the title.
More Fight News
Argentina
Debora Gomez (7-5-1) defeated Carla Moreno (3-2) by majority decision after six round on Saturday March 13. The super flyweight bout was held in Cordoba.
Maria Ferreyra (1-0) won her pro debut by majority decision versus Maria Nieva (2-1) on Friday March 12. The super featherweight bout took place at Catamarca.
On Saturday March 20, lightweights Gabriela Celes (0-0) and Nicole Morales (0-1) meet four rounds at Buenos Aires.
Australia
Shannon O’Connell (21-6-1) was the winner by split decision after 10 rounds versus Cherneka Johnson (13-1) on Saturday March 13. The WBC Gold bantamweight title fight took place at Bendigo, Victoria.
Ebanie Bridges (5-0) won by unanimous decision after eight rounds versus Carol Earl (3-4-1) on Saturday March 13. The Australian Bantamweight title fight took place at Condell Park, New South Wales. Also, Yolanda Schmidt (1-0) defeated Bianca Elmir (5-2) by split decision after a six round featherweight fight.
Taylah Robertson (2-0) beat Mai Nixon (0-1) by unanimous decision after six rounds on Saturday March 13. The super bantamweight bout was held at Nathan, Queensland.
France
Jeyssa Marcel (3-0) defeated Snezana Siljkovic (1-8-3) by unanimous decision after six rounds on Saturday March 13. The super bantamweight bout took place at Garges les Gonesse. Also, Johanna Wonyou (2-0) beat Sandra Maran (0-5) by decision in a bantamweight fight.
India
On Friday March 19, light flyweights Ramandeep Kaur (7-1) and Rinky Inder (1-0) meet six rounds at Bardez.
Italy
Martina Bernile (1-0-1) won by decision after eight rounds versus Giorgia Scolastri (1-1) on Saturday March 13. The flyweight clash was held at Sicilia.
Japan
On Thursday March 18, atomweights Saemi Hanagata (16-7-4) and Eri Matsuda (4-0) meet 10 rounds for the IBF world title at Tokyo.
Luxembourg
On Saturday March 20, super lightweights Katelynn Phelan (4-0) and Karina Kopinska (13-36-4) meet eight rounds at Dudelange.
Mexico
Diana Prazak (14-3) defeated Milagros Diaz (1-12) by decision after six rounds on Saturday March 13. The super featherweight fight took place at Tijuana. Prazak is a former super featherweight world champion. She had not fought in five years.
Beatriz Aguilar (7-5-1) defeated Crystal Morales (9-11-1) by decision after 10 rounds on Saturday March 13. The WIBA lightweight title fight took place at Guadalajara.
On Saturday March 20, super flyweights Sonia Osorio (14-7-1) and Adelaida Ruiz (9-0) meet 10 rounds for the interim WBC title at Rivera Nayarit. It will be shown on Fights Night pay-per-view.
New Zealand
On Saturday March 20, bantamweights Tasmyn Benny (11-7) and Christine Gillespie (6-0) meet three three-minute rounds at Thames. Also, lightweights Terri Wood (1-3) and Emma Geange (2-4) meet three two-minute rounds.
Poland
Ewa Brodnicka (20-1) defeated Milena Koleva (10-12-1) by unanimous decision after eight rounds on Saturday March 13. The lightweight fight took place at Strumykowa. Brodnicka is the former WBO super featherweight titlist.
Puerto Rico
On Thursday March 18, super welterweights Maricela Cornejo (13-4) and Alma Ibarra (7-1) meet eight rounds at Salinas, Puerto Rico. NBC Sports Network will televise.
Russia
On Saturday March 20, featherweights Elena Saveleva (5-1) and Olga Gurova (2-0) meet eight rounds in Moscow.
Tanzania
On Friday March 19, lightweights Najma Isike (0-0) and Halima Bandola (0-1) meet four rounds at Dar es Salaam.
United Kingdom
On Saturday March 20, super bantamweights Ellie Scotney (1-0) and Mailys Gangloff (4-1) meet six rounds at London. Also, featherweights Ramla Ali (1-0) and Bec Connolly (3-8) meet six rounds.
USA
Jessica McCaskill (10-2) beat Cecilia Braekhus (36-2) again but this time by unanimous decision after 10 rounds on Saturday March 13. The battle for undisputed welterweight world champion was held in Dallas, Texas.
On Saturday March 20, minimum weights Anabel Ortiz (31-3) and Seniesa Estrada (19-0) meet 10 rounds for the WBA world title at Fort Worth, Texas. DAZN will stream the fight.