Yokasta Valle and Deborah Rengifo Battle in Three-Minute Round Fight
By David A. Avila
Yokasta Valle stands eager to stay sharp and prove that 3-minute rounds are the future of all female world title fights when she meets Venezuela’s Deborah Rengifo in a nontitle fight set at 3-minute rounds on Saturday.
IBF minimumweight titlist Valle (21-2) has been one of the few world champions willing to globe-trot to any country. This time she stays home and faces Rengifo (14-7-1) in 10 three-minute rounds on Saturday August 7, at Oxigeno Human Playground in Heredia, Costa Rica. It will be streamed by TDMas.com.
The last time Valle fought she defended the title against Japan’s Sana Hazuki at the same venue and won by unanimous decision. But that fight was held in two-minute round stanzas.
Valle seeks to unify the minimumweight world titles and her team thought they had a deal set with WBC titlist Tina Rupprecht of Germany. But that fight was unable to take place in Costa Rica and Hazuki stepped in.
Now the Costa Rican world champion is eager to prove that women should fight three-minute rounds. This fight against Venezuela’s Rengifo is a start.
“Yokasta’s condition is something else,” said manager Mario Vega. “She’s a super athlete.”
Valle, 28, is eager to challenge America’s Seniesa Estrada, Germany’s Rupprecht or Japan’s Etsuko Tada.
Vega believes if Valle fights three-minute rounds she is near unbeatable.
“Her numbers are off the chart,” Vega says.
Christina Cruz pro debut
Longtime amateur standout Christina Cruz will be making her pro debut on Tuesday August 3, against Indeya Smith (1-2-1) at Madison Square Garden in New York City. FITE.tv will show the Triller Fight Club card live.
Cruz, a flyweight, had more than 120 amateur fights and hoped to make the US Olympic team and the Puerto Rican Olympic team but things did not pan out. Now 38, Cruz will try her skills against Smith a solid fighter from the Dallas area.
International Women’s Boxing Hall of Fame
Las Vegas will be the site for this year’s induction ceremony for the International Women’s Boxing Hall of Fame that takes place Saturday August 14, at the Orleans Casino and Hotel.
Because of the pandemic the hall of fame ceremony did not take place last year. This year will include new inductees from 2020 and 2021.
For tickets and more information go to this link: http://www.iwbhf.com/tickets.htm#.YQiZZI5KjIU
More Fight News
Argentina
Daniela Rivero (8-2) beat Laura Martinez (0-6) by decision after four rounds on Saturday July 31. Also, Daniela Uruena (0-1-1) and Gabriela Celes (0-0-1) fought to a draw in super featherweight fight that took place in Buenos Aires.
Carla Merino (4-2) won by technical knockout in the fourth round against Antonella Molina (1-9-1) on Saturday July 31. The bantamweight fight took place at Cordoba.
Colombia
Lira Huyke (2-2) defeated Maria Bertel (0-1) by knockout in the second round on Saturday July 31. The super bantamweight match was held at Santiago de Tolu.
Costa Rica
On Saturday August 7, minimum weights Yokasta Valle (21-2) and Deborah Rengifo (14-7-1) meet eight rounds at Heredia. Valle is the current IBF world titlist.
Dominican Republic
On Friday August 6, featherweights Carmarie Matos (0-0) and Deborah Cuevas (0-2) meet four rounds at Monte Plata.
Egypt
On Friday August 6, super bantamweights Fatma Saad (0-0) and Noha Al-Kelany (0-0) meet four rounds at North Coast.
France
Delphine Mancini (3-0) won by unanimous decision after six rounds versus Claudia Ferenczi (20-81-8) on Saturday July31. The bantamweight match was held at Isere.
Elsa Hemet (2-4-1) defeated Marija Zivkovic (1-7-1) by decision after four rounds on Saturday July 31. The welterweight bout took place at Val d’Oise.
Japan
Megumi Watanabe (1-0) defeated Sawako Fukuhara (0-2) by technical knockout in the third round on Monday July 26. The atomweight fight was held at Tokyo.
On Sunday August 8, light flyweights Sarasa Ichimura (3-8-1) and Aoi Watanabe (3-4) meet six rounds at Osaka.
Mexico
On Friday August 6, super lightweights Prisca Vicot (11-8) and Kathia Rodriguez (3-5) meet four rounds at Torreon.
On Saturday August 7, super welterweights Karin Mora (0-0) and Cristian Martinez Sanchez (1-1) meet four three-minute rounds at Vera Cruz.
New Zealand
On Saturday August 7, super featherweights Mea Motu (9-0) and Rangi Hetet (1-0) meet five rounds at Hamilton.
Ukraine
Anastasiia Kovalchuk (3-0) knocked out Alina Ternesiuk (0-1) in the first round on Friday July 30. The super bantamweight bout was held at Lviv.
United Kingdom
Sandy Ryan (1-0) won by decision after six rounds versus Kirstie Bavington (3-2-2) on Saturday July 31. The super lightweight fight took place at Brentwood.
Rebecca Ainscough (1-0) beat Vaida Masiokaite (2-8-4) by decision after four rounds on Friday July 30. The lightweight bout was held at Liverpool.
On Saturday August 7, bantamweights Ebanie Bridges (5-1) and Bec Connolly (3-9) meet six rounds at Brentwood.
USA
On Tuesday August 3, flyweights Christina Cruz (0-0) and Indeya Smith (1-2-1) meet four rounds at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
On Friday August 6, super bantamweights Amanda Pavone (8-0) and Jaica Pavilus (1-3) meet four three-minute rounds at Windham, New Hampshire.
On Saturday August 7, super welterweights Logan Holler (9-0-1) and Chevelle Hallback (32-8-2) meet eight rounds at Plant City, Florida.
On Saturday August 7, featherweights Fei Faiva (4-0-1) and Elizabeth Tuani (1-1) meet four rounds at Rock Hill, South Carolina. Also, super flyweights Ashley Sciscente (2-0) and Randee Lynn Morales (2-2) meet in a four round bout.