Bantamweight Battle: Shannon Courtenay Defends WBA Title vs Jamie Mitchell and More
By David A. Avila
Ever since Shannon Courtenay cracked into the land of the world champions with a lethal right cross a year ago, the bantamweight from England has opened eyes with a swagger and a curtsey.
No backward steps for this fighter.
WBA bantamweight titlist Courtenay (7-1, 3 KOs) ups the ante when she defends against American bantamweight Jaime Mitchell (6-0-2, 4 KOs) on Saturday Oct. 9, at Echo Arena in Liverpool, England. DAZN will stream the Matchroom Boxing card.
After winning the title against Dorota Norek by knockout last December, Courtenay followed that victory with a tornado-like battle against Australia’s Ebanie Bridges this past April in London. It was one of the best fights of the year.
Now Courtenay engages with yet another relatively unknown bantamweight with modest credentials, but still undefeated.
Mitchell at 36, has a few years in age but has faced some competition in a professional career that began only four years ago. She also has seven years as an amateur that included contests against Marlen Esparza, Melissa Odessa Parker and Christina Cruz.
You never know how an amateur boxer makes the transition into the professional side of boxing, especially in a 10-round fight. It’s longer and the punches are much harder.
Courtenay, 28, has shown an ability to dig down deep and find that extra reservoir of energy needed in a championship fight. She did it against Rachell Ball in her only loss and also showed the same gumption against Norek and Bridges in her wins.
It’s a good step if Courtenay plans to unify against the other bantamweight champions such as Mexico’s Yulihan Luna, Denmark’s Dina Thorslund, America’s Melissa Odessa Parker and Argentina’s Maria Cecilia Roman. Any one of these champions would be worth watching on the world stage.
First, Courtenay needs to defeat Mitchell.
Super light tourney
A unification clash between super lightweights Kali Reis (18-7-1, 5 KOs) and Jessica Camara (8-2) will take place on Nov. 19, at the SNHU Arena in Manchester, New Hampshire USA. DAZN will stream the Matchroom Boxing and Golden Boy Promotions fight card it was announced today.
“This is a fantastic quadruple header of world title action,” said promoter Eddie Hearn about the fight card that features three other world title fights with WBO middleweight titlist Demetrius Andrade defending against Ireland’s Jason Quigley in the main event.
The female world title fight between Reis and Camara is all part of a women’s super lightweight tournament that begins on October 30 in London, England as IBF titlist Mary McGee fights WBC titlist Chantelle Cameron in the first stage.
Super Feathers
For those unaware, WBO super featherweight titlist Mikaela Mayer will battle IBF titlist Maiva Hamadouche of France on Friday Nov. 5, at the Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas. Tickets are already on sale for the clash between 130-pound champions.
Mayer (15-0, 5 KOs), a 2016 Olympian, grabbed the WBO title from Ewa Brodnicka by decision a year ago and defended it this past June against former world champion Erica Farias of Argentina.
Hamadouche (22-1), attempted to compete in this year’s Tokyo Olympics but was beaten during qualifications. She still holds the IBF title and it will be at stake when she meets Mayer.
Mayer and Hamadouche have an ongoing grudge match via social media. The winner will proceed to fight the winner between England’s Terri Harper and South Korea’s Hyun Mi Choi. No date has been determined for those two due to a persistent injury suffered by Harper.
More Fight News
Argentina
Clara Lescurat (3-0) won by decision after six rounds versus Roxana Bermudez (3-4-2) on Saturday Oct. 2. The flyweight bout was held in Buenos Aires. Also, Lucia Perez (1-0) knocked out Gisela Luna (0-5) in a welterweight match; and Camila Avaca (1-0-1) and Micaela Castro (0-0-1) fought to a majority draw after four flyweight rounds.
Micaela Diaz (1-0) defeated Brenda Lorenzo (0-1) on Friday Oct. 1. The super lightweight fight took place at Buenos Aires.
On Friday Oct. 8, lightweights Yamila Abellaneda (12-4-1) and Sofia Rodriguez (3-4) meet six rounds at Buenos Aires. Also, light flyweights Oriana Sanchez (1-1) and Mayra Loyola (0-0-1) meet four rounds.
Australia
Sarah Higginson (3-0-1) beat Danni Mace (0-1) by knockout in the fourth round on Friday Oct. 1. The Australian bantamweight title fight took place at Northbridge.
Belgium
On Saturday Oct. 9, bantamweights Amy Naert (3-0) and Claudia Ferenczi (20-82-8) meet four rounds at West Vlaanderen.
Czech Republic
Fabiana Bytyqi (18-0-1) won by majority decision after six rounds versus Fara El Bousairi (3-1) on Saturday Oct. 2. The flyweight bout was held at Usti nad Labem. Bytyqi is a minimum weight world titlist.
Dominican Republic
On Friday Oct. 8, welterweights Claribel Mena (5-1) and Rocio De Leon (1-25-2) meet four rounds at Santo Domingo.
France
Sandy Meunier (1-0) won by technical knockout in the third round over Kateryna Drozd (0-2) on Saturday Oct. 2. The super welterweight match was held at Loire-Atlantique.
Germany
Phannarai Netisri (9-0) defeated Vera Kubickova (0-2) by unanimous decision after six rounds on Sunday Oct. 3. The super bantamweight fight took place at Hamburg.
Italy
Stephanie Silva (4-0) defeated Olena Gurieva (1-1) by decision after eight rounds on Saturday Oct. 2. The flyweight bout took place in Roma. Also, Mahjouba Oubtil (1-0) knocked out Alina Samsonova (0-4) in the first round of their super lightweight fight.
Sandy Ryan (2-0) knocked out Aleksandra Vujovic (4-15-2) in the fourth round on Friday Oct. 1. The welterweight fight took place at Milan.
On Sunday Oct. 10, flyweights Consuelo Portolani (2-2) and Kitti Kolompar (1-5) meet six rounds at Milan.
Malawi
On Sunday Oct. 10, super flyweights Chimwemwe Banda (1-2) and Ndau Chilimba (0-0) meet four three-minute rounds at Lilongwe.
Panama
Nataly Delgado (8-3-1) beat Eloisa Martinez (2-14-3) by unanimous decision after six rounds on Friday Oct. 1. The super flyweight fight was held in Panama City. Also, Yanissa Castrellon (2-1) beat Azucena Zuniga (1-3) by decision after four flyweight rounds.
South Korea
Min Jung Kim (1-0-1) won by decision after four rounds versus Hye Jin Choi (0-2) on Saturday Oct. 2. The flyweight bout took place at Yangsan.
Spain
Cristina Garrobo (5-1-1) knocked out Dariel Simova (0-3) in the second round on Saturday Oct. 2. The bantamweight match was held in Madrid.
Tanzania
On Friday Oct. 8, flyweights Lulu Kayage (7-5-3) and Egine Kayange (4-1) meet six rounds at Dar Es Salaam.
United Kingdom
Ebonie Jones (1-0) won by decision after six rounds versus Vaida Masiokaite (2-11-4) on Saturday Oct. 2. The bantamweight match took place in London.
Tereza Dvorakova (4-5) won by decision after four rounds against Hannah Jones (0-1) on Saturday Oct. 2. The lightweight fight was held at Derbyshire.
Jade Taylor (4-0) beat Karina Kopinska (14-43-4) by decision after four rounds on Saturday Oct. 2. The super featherweight bout took place at Lancashire.
Kirstie Bavington (4-2-2) was the winner by decision after six rounds against Beccy Ferguson (0-1) on Friday Oct. 1. The super lightweight bout took place at Wolverhampton.
On Friday Oct. 8, super featherweights Louise Orton (0-0) and Gabriella Mezei (11-26-5) meet four rounds at London.
On Saturday Oct. 9, super bantamweights Maria Mazzarello (0-0) and Carmen Bratschi (0-0) meet four rounds at Buenos Aires.
On Saturday Oct. 9, bantamweights Shannon Courtenay (7-1) and Jamie Mitchell (6-0-2) meet 10 rounds for the WBA bantamweight world title at Liverpool. Also, lightweights Rhiannon Dixon (3-0) and Anaelle Angerville (1-1-1) meet four rounds.