Four Americans in World Title Fights and More Female Fight News

By David A. Avila

Years ago, this seldom happened.

Four American women’s world title fights will compete against each other and they will be shown on various different media outlets. All are products of the ever-growing USA amateur boxing program.

Expect an explosion of even more boxers to emerge after this summer’s Tokyo Olympics.

WBC and WBO supermiddleweight titlist Franchon Crews-Dezurn (7-1) meets IBF and WBA super middleweight titlist Elin Cederroos (8-0) for the undisputed world championship on Saturday June 19, at LoanDepot Park in Miami, Florida. It will be on the Triller pay-per-view card on FITE.TV that includes Teofimo Lopez and George Kambosos.

Crews was a long-time participant for Team USA and took part in several international competitions. After her recent title fight with Mexico’s Alejandra Jimenez that saw her retain her WBC title and WBOs after that fighter failed PED tests, she returned to win earlier this year.

Sweden’s Cederroos unified the IBF and WBA titles with a victory over another American fighter Alicia Napoleon a year and a half ago. She has a powerful left hook and had a big height advantage in her last fight. This time both champions are about the same size.

In a different part of the same city, Melissa Odessa (4-0) meets veteran Calista Silgado (19-12-3) for the vacant IBO bantamweight world title on Saturday at the Doubletree MiamiMart Hotel at Miami, Florida. It will be streamed at this pay-per-view link: https://www.signaturepunch.tv/ppv-order-page1613669445848

Odessa was first set to face undefeated bantamweight Rosalinda Rodriguez but that bout fell out. She now faces the Silgado whose last fight was versus WBA super featherweight titlist Hyun Mi Choi in a losing cause. Silgado is tough.

Texas

WBC flyweight world titlist Ibeth “La Roca” Zamora (32-6, 12 KOs) defends against Marlen Esparza (9-1) on Saturday June 19, at Don Haskins Center in El Paso, Texas. The Golden Boy Promotion card will be streamed on DAZN.

Mexico’s Zamora has extensive experience in world title fights and has fought many of the best from minimumweight to light flyweight and now at flyweight. She grabbed titles at each of those divisions and has beaten opposition like Anabel Ortiz, Esmeralda Moreno, Naoko Shibata, Ava Knight and Melissa McMorrow. Experience at the professional level is her forte.

Esparza was the first American female to win an Olympic medal when she grabbed bronze at the 2012 London Olympics. The Houston boxer has proven to be very eager to face anyone, anywhere and recently accepted a place on a pay-per-view fight card within weeks of the event. She is a gamer and fully capable of beating anyone she faces with her speed and varying styles.

Las Vegas

WBO super featherweight titlist Mikaela Mayer (14-0, 5 KOs) makes her first defense of the title against a former top 5 pound-for-pound fighter in Erica Farias (26-4, 10 KOs) of Argentina on Saturday June 19, at the Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas. ESPN will televise the Top Rank fight card.

Mayer’s last fight saw her take the WBO title away from Poland’s Ewa Brodnicka by decision last Halloween in Las Vegas. After that win she expected to meet France’s Maiva Hamadouche but the IBF titleholder opted instead to participate in the Olympic trials though she has been a pro for many years. She wasn’t the only European pro to oddly participate in amateurs, others like Delfine Persoon and Christina Hammer took the same route to shove aside real amateurs.

Farias is a former lightweight and super lightweight world champion who was among the top female fighters pound for pound in the world. Her only losses were to other pound for pound fighters like Cecilia Braekhus, Delfine Persoon and Jessica McCaskill twice. But the Argentine fighter will be dropping down three weight divisions to fight under 130 pounds for the first time in 12 years. Will she be able to survive at such a low weight? She is now 36 years old but looks fit.

More Fight News

Argentina

Victoria Bustos (21-6) won by majority decision after six rounds versus Maria Capriolo (7-13-4) on Saturday June 12. The welterweight fight was held at Perez, Santa Fe.

Australia

On Saturday June 19, featherweights Sara Jalonen (1-0) and Tywarna Campbell (0-0) meet four rounds at Condell Park for the New South Wales state featherweight title.

Belgium

Olena Medvedenko (11-8) defeated Djemilla Gontaruk (16-8-2) by unanimous decision after 10 rounds on Saturday June 12. The EBU super lightweight title fight was held at Liege. Also, Calliope Slagmulder (3-1) beat Claudia Ferenczi (20-79-8) by decision in six round bantamweight fight.

Colombia

Daniela Cruces (3-0) won by technical knockout in the third round over Maryuri Atencio (0-1) on Saturday June 12. The featherweight fight took place at San Antonio de Palmito.

France

Souad Masmoudi (1-0) defeated Jovana Zdravkovic (0-2-1) by decision four rounds on Saturday June 12. The flyweight match was held at Ardennes.

Germany

On Saturday June 19, super bantamweights Phannarai Netisri (7-0) and Cheyenne Hanson (8-1) meet eight rounds for the WBC Youth title at Hamburg. Also, featherweights Hanna Hansen (0-0) and Nana Chakhvashvili (7-15) meet four rounds.

Japan

Federica Boni (0-0-1) and Asako Sugawara (0-0-1) fought to a majority draw after four rounds on Friday June 11. The super featherweight bout took place in Tokyo.

Mizuki Chimoto (3-0) defeated Yuko Kuroki (18-7-2) by majority decision after eight rounds on Monday June 7. The OPBF minimum title fight was held at Tokyo. Also, Kanako Taniyama (4-1-1) beat Yuko Henzan (8-11-4) by technical decision after four rounds for the Japanese bantamweight title.

Mexico

On Saturday June 19, super bantamweights Karen Rubio (5-0) and Estefany Alegria (1-0) meet four rounds at Guadalajara.

New Zealand

Rangi Hetet (1-0) defeated Miriata Callaghan (0-1) by unanimous decision after four rounds on Saturday June 12. The super welterweight match was held at Hamilton.

Spain

Melania Sorroche (17-2-2) won  by unanimous decision after six rounds against Marina Sakharov (5-12-2) on Saturday June 12. The super bantamweight fight was held in Barcelona.

United Kingdom

April Hunter (4-0) beat Klaudia Vigh (3-28-1) by decision after four rounds on Saturday June 12. The super welterweight bout took place at Newcastle, England.

On Friday June 18, super featherweights Linzi Buczynski (0-0) and Gabriella Mezei (11-24-5) meet four rounds at Sheffield, England.

USA

Anyela Lopez (2-1-1) defeated Jaica Pavilus (1-3) by unanimous decision after four rounds on Wednesday June 9. The featherweight fight took place at Long Beach, California.

On Saturday June 19, super middleweights Franchon Dezurn Crews (7-1) and Elin Cederroos (8-0) meet 10 rounds in Miami, Florida for the undisputed world championship.

On Saturday June 19, super featherweights Mikaela Mayer (14-0) and Erica Farias (26-4) meet 10 rounds for the WBO world title at Las Vegas, Nevada.

On Saturday June 19, flyweights Ibeth Zamora (32-6) and Marlen Esparza (9-1) meet 10 rounds at El Paso, Texas for the WBC world title.

On Saturday June 19, bantamweights Melissa Parker (4-0) and Calista Silgado (19-12-3) meet 10 rounds at Miami, Florida for the IBO world title.

On Saturday June 19, middleweights Melody Popravek (0-0) and Nina Gallegos (0-7) meet four rounds at Buckhead Fight Club in Atlanta, Georgia.

On Saturday June 19, lightweights Jaime Hayes (22-5-1) and Olivia Gerula (18-19-2) meet six rounds at Cranston, Rhode Island.

(Art work by Felipe Leon)