DiBella Female Fight Card on UFC Fight Pass and More News

 

By David A. Avila

Brooklyn’s Heather “the Heat” Hardy travels to the south where she meets Canada’s Jessica Camara in a lightweight clash that is one of four female prize fights.

Hardy, a former featherweight world champion, moves up to the lightweight division and will lead a DiBella Entertainment fight card on Friday May 14, that will be streamed live on UFC Fight Pass.

Lou DiBella, the head of DiBella Entertainment, has long been gathering up many of the best female prizefighters in the East Coast that includes Hardy. Once again the New York-based promoter showcases some of that talent, but this time the Broadway Boxing series fight card will be held at Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

Because of the pandemic, DiBella decided to move his Broadway Boxing series to the south.

Hardy (22-1) jumps up two weight divisions to the 135-pound lightweight ranks where she will fight Camara (7-2) in an eight-round fight at Embassy Suites Nashville SE in Murfreesboro, Tenn.

It’s been almost two years since Hardy’s last fight that took place against fellow Brooklyn fighter Amanda Serrano in a torrid scrap. Though she lost to the pound for pound great, Hardy realized that fighting as a 126-pound featherweight was no longer feasible.

Camara fights out of Montreal and started out as a welterweight before settling into the lightweight division. She has solid experience and is expected to provide fireworks in her match with Hardy on Friday. She has fought twice in the U.S. and recently signed with American manager Brian Cohen.

Also participating on the same fight card is lightweight contender Melissa St. Vil (13-4-4) who fights former world champion Olivia Gerula (18-18-2) in another eight-round clash.

St. Vil challenged Delfine Persoon for the WBC lightweight title back in 2019 but was unsuccessful, She bounced back with wins over Dahiana Santana and Jessica Camara since then. The Brooklyn-based fighter has a fierce reputation and has traveled all over the world to compete including in China. Few fighters are as entertaining or accessible as St. Vil.

Gerula, 42, formerly held the WBC super featherweight world title back in 2009 when she defeated Jelena Mrdjenovich in a battle between Canadians. She successfully defended the title twice before losing to Frida Wahlberg in back to back efforts. Gerula has been fighting professionally since 1997 and has fought many of the best.

Another eight rounder features former amateur standout Mikiah Kreps. She was recently signed by DiBella Entertainment and will be fighting Alex Love in an eight-round bantamweight bout. Kreps is co-managed by Jerry Casarez and current super featherweight world titlist Jamel Herring.

“She’s very popular in the upstate New York area and our team will work with Jamel and Jerry to expand her popularity as we help to provide the biggest opportunities for her career,” said DiBella.

Kreps, 24, formerly won the National Golden Gloves in 2014 and 2017 in her division and last October was victorious in her pro debut by knockout in Tijuana, Mexico.

A fourth female prize fight pits pro debuting welterweights Stevie Jane Coleman and Kelsey Wickstrum in a four-round bout.

The DiBella boxing card begins at 5:30 p.m. PT on UFC Fight Pass.

 

Speedy Recovery

The hand re-injury to WBC super featherweight titlist Terri Harper forced a cancellation of the unification clash against Korea’s Hyun Mi Choi the WBA super featherweight titlist set for this Saturday.

It was a heartbreaking casualty for Harper and for boxing fans all over.

Choi has been preparing for this clash in Southern California and seemed in great form to compete against England’s Harper. It was yet another pitfall for the pseudo super featherweight tournament put together by Matchroom Boxing who promote Harper and Choi along with France’s Maiva Hamadouche the IBF titlist.

The fourth world titleholder Mikaela Mayer holds the WBO version and is tentatively set to fight next month in Las Vegas, Nevada.

 

More Fight News

Argentina

Juliana Basualdo (4-2) won by split decision after six rounds versus Florencia Juarez (6-1) on Saturday May 8. The super bantamweight fight was held in Buenos Aires.

On Saturday May 15, flyweights Aldana Lopez (0-0) and Maria Cuello (0-1) meet four rounds at Buenos Aires.

 

Australia

On Saturday May 15, featherweights Rebecca Hawker (2-0) and Amanda Klein (0-1) meet eight rounds at Mansfield, Queensland for the Australian title.

 

Belgium

On Saturday May 15, bantamweights Calliope Slagmulder (1-1) and Stasa Vedic (0-0) meet four rounds at Amay, Liege.

 

Canada

On Saturday May 15, super bantamweights Bree Howling (2-0) and Erika Hernandez (5-6-1) meet four rounds at Quebec City.

 

France

Mailys Gangloff (5-2) won by technical knockout of Romane Geffray (1-3-1) in the fourth round on Friday May 7. The bantamweight fight was held at Morbihan.

 

Germany

Elina Tissen (24-2) defeated Everline Odero (10-10-2) by unanimous decision after 10 rounds on Saturday May 8. The WBF featherweight title fight was held at Warendorf.

On Saturday May 15, lightweights Natalie Zimmermann (4-0) and Tiziana Olmo (0-0) meet six rounds at Rostock.

 

Mexico

On Friday May 14, light flyweights Dana Fraire (0-0) and America Bayori (1-0) meet four rounds at Ciudad Obregon.

 

New Zealand

Mea Motu (8-0) won by unanimous decision after four rounds versus Michaela Jenkins (1-1) on Saturday May 8. The lightweight bout took place at Auckland.

Karen Te Ruki (3-2) defeated Ariane Nicholson (1-1) by majority decision after six rounds on Friday May 7. The welterweight fight took place at Auckland. Also, Troy Garton (2-0) beat Leonnie Summer (0-1) by decision in a super featherweight match.

On Saturday May 15, welterweights Ariane Nicholson (1-1) and Gentiane Lupi (6-3-1) meet six rounds at Tauranga.

 

Poland

On Friday May 14, super lightweights Ewa Piatkowska (15-1) and Judy Waguthii (17-9-4) meet six rounds at Warsaw. Piatkowska is a former world champion.

 

Russia

On Saturday May 15, light flyweights Anna Levina (6-1) and Halima Vunjabei (9-6-1) meet 10 rounds at Moscow. Also, middleweights Luiza Davydova (4-2) and Yuliya Smyzhina (0-1) meet six rounds; and super bantamweights Kristina Ismailova (1-0) and Lidia Sakhonchik (0-4) meet four rounds.

 

USA

On Friday May 14, lightweights Heather Hardy (22-1) and Jessica Camara (7-2) meet eight rounds at Murfreesboro, Tenn. Also, lightweights Melissa St. Vil (13-4-4) and Olivia Gerula (18-18-2) meet eight rounds; bantamweights Mikiah Kreps (1-0) and Alex Love (3-0) meet eight rounds; and welterweights Stevie Jane Coleman (0-0) and Kelsey Wickstrum (0-0) meet four rounds. UFC Fight Pass will stream the card.

 

(Photo by Felipe Leon)