Alycia Baumgardner Wins WBC and IBO Titles and More News From Around the World
By David A. Avila
An explosion of punches and boom it was over. Alycia Baumgardner beat Terri Harper to the punch and the IBO and WBC titles changed hand in an instant.
It can happen that way and it did.
Baumgardner (11-1, 7 KOs) walked into the Sheffield Arena against British gunslinger Harper (11-1-1, 6 KOs) and after an exchange of lethal rights one woman was left conscious. The American fighter had dethroned the dangerous Harper and a new champion was crowned.
Now that Baumgardner has the IBO and WBC titles what is next for the American slugger from Ohio?
Matchboxing promoter Eddie Hearn talked about a rematch with Harper, but seriously, lets continue the quasi-tournament to decide the true super featherweight world champion.
One boxing publication recently proclaimed Mikaela Mayer the true world champion but why not let it all play out?
Mayer snatched the IBF title away from France’s Maiva Hamadouche a week ago in Las Vegas. It was a great performance and one of the top fights of the year. But WBA titlist Hyun Mi Choi still remains out there and perhaps a fight with Baumgardner should be next to decide the last two standing. Mayer already knocked off Hamadouche and Ewa Brodnicka.
Any talk of pitting Harper against Baumgardner in a rematch can take place after it is all over.
Super lightweights
This week it’s the super lightweights turn.
Kali Reis (18-7-1) meets Canada’s Jessica Camara (8-2) in a battle for the WBA, WBO and IBO super lightweight titles on Friday Nov. 19, at Manchester, New Hampshire. DAZN will stream the world title clash.
The clash for the 140-pound division titles is the second stage of the battle for super lightweight dominance. It’s a very deep fight card and will be more than worth watching.
If you don’t know their history both fighters are managed by the same team. It’s based in America and also represents Baumgardner and other top fighters from around the world. The Split-T Management team has become the Amazon of women’s boxing. They always deliver.
Lulu Wins Again
WBC super flyweight titlist Lourdes “Lulu” Juarez (33-2, 4 KOs) successfully defended the title with a unanimous decision victory over fellow Mexican Luz Elena Aguilar (7-3-1) on Friday, Nov. 12, in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. It was her second title defense.
Juarez is the younger sister of Mariana “Barby” Juarez and has been boxing in her immense shadow for years. It seems she has finally making her own path with a frenetic style of fighting based on timing and speed that confuses her opponents. She hasn’t lost a fight in seven years.
The only drawback has been that most of the top Mexican fighters only fight Mexican fighters. Especially if they are tied to the WBC. Only the lesser qualified Mexican fighters venture outside of Mexico if they hold a WBC belt.
Mexicans in Anaheim, Calif.
This past Saturday, two top Mexican fighters Arely Mucino and Jacky Calvo battled 10 rounds at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California that had the fans rocking.
Eventually Mucino emerged the winner by split decision despite getting dropped by a Calvo left hook late in the fight. It was great stuff and showed fans that women can match the men and surpass them when it comes to combat.
More Fights News
Australia
On Wednesday Nov. 17, bantamweights Viviana Ruiz (1-0) and Jacinta Austin (0-0) meet four rounds at Sydney Olympic Park.
Argentina
On Friday Nov. 19, featherweights Sabrina Perez (17-1-1) and Lilliana Martinez (23-18) meet 10 rounds for a vacant title at Buenos Aires.
On Friday Nov. 19, lightweights Yamila Belen (12-4-1) and Flavia Gimena (2-4) meet six rounds at Buenos Aires. Also, light flyweights Oriana Sanchez (2-1) and Karen Dominguez (0-0-1) meet four rounds.
Colombia
Jazmin Gala Villarino (5-1-2) won by knockout over Yenifer Leon (13-4) in the seventh round on Saturday Nov. 13. The WBA minimumweight regional title fight was held at Sabaneta. Also, Clara Lescurat (5-0) knocked out Yusbely Torrealba (1-3-1) in a flyweight match; Veronica Zuluaga (4-0) beat Kimberlin Reina (3-5) in a bantamweight fight; and Paulina Angel (4-1) defeated Stefania Garnica (0-2) in a super bantamweight bout.
Democratic Republic of the Congo
On Saturday Nov. 20, welterweights Anisha Basheel (8-7) and Mbabi Brigitte (0-0) meet six rounds at Kinshasa. Also super featherweights Marcelat Sakobi (1-1) and Emma Merveille (0-0) meet six rounds; welterweights Helene Makwikila (0-0) and Sarah Enduwa (0-0) meet four rounds.
Denmark
Dina Thorslund (17-0) knocked out Mexico’s Zulina Munoz (53-4-2) in the seventh round on Saturday Nov. 13. The WBO bantamweight world title fight was held in Kolding.
France
Odelia Ben Ephraim (1-1) won by majority decision after four rounds versus Fanny Gruzelle (0-2-1) on Saturday Nov. 13. The featherweight fight was held at Buxerolles.
On Saturday Nov. 20, super bantamweights Segolene Lefebvre (14-0) and Paulette Valenzuela (13-1) meet 10 rounds for the WBO world title at Nord.
Germany
Cheyenne Hanson (10-2) knocked out Ilka Adam (2-2) in the first round on Saturday Nov. 13. The featherweight fight was held in Bayern. Also, Sarah Weidmann (2-0) defeated Kateryna Drozd (0-4) by decision in a four round super lightweight bout.
Ramona Graeff (2-0) beat Marina Sakharov (5-14-2) by decision after four rounds on Saturday Nov. 13. The lightweight bout was held at Duesseldorf.
On Saturday Nov. 20, lightweights Natalie Zimmerman (7-0) and Aleksandra Vujovic (4-15-2) meet six rounds at Hamburg.
India
On Sunday Nov. 21, super flyweights Ramandeep Kaur (7-2) and Anita Maurya (0-4) meet six rounds at Bangalore.
Japan
On Friday Nov. 19, light flyweights Moemi Inukai (2-0) and Ayana Miyasaka (2-0) meet four rounds at Tokyo.
Mexico
Maria Guadalupe Batista (19-11-2) won by decision after eight rounds versus Nora Cardoza (15-9-2) on Saturday Nov. 13. The flyweight match was held in Torreon.
Lourdes Juarez (33-2) defeated Luz Elena Aguilar (7-3-1) by unanimous decision after 10 rounds on Friday Nov. 12. The WBC super flyweight fight was held at Puerto Vallarta.
On Sunday Nov. 21, featherweights Glenda Guerrero (0-2) and Luz Mondaca (0-14-1) meet four rounds at Tijuana.
Spain
Andrea Lasheras (1-0) beat Griselda Torollari (0-1) by decision after four rounds on Sunday Nov. 14. The flyweight bout took place in Barcelona.
Sweden
On Friday Nov. 19, super welterweights Marianne Ahlborg (4-0) and Rita Mrwebi (6-7-3) meet six rounds at Gothenburg.
United Kingdom
American Alycia Baumgardner (11-1) knocked out Terri Harper (11-1-1) in the fourth round on Saturday Nov. 13. The IBO and WBC super featherweight world title fight was held at Sheffield. Also, Raven Chapman (2-0) beat Karina Kopinska (14-45-4) in a featherweight bout; Stevi Levy (5-0) beat Polina Golubeva (1-4) in a featherweight fight.
Beccy Ferguson (1-2) beat Jordan Barker-Porter (1-1) by decision after four rounds on Saturday Nov. 13. The lightweight bout was held at Tyne and Wear.
Ellis Hopkins (2-0) won by decision after six rounds versus Klaudia Vigh (3-34-1) on Friday Nov. 12. The super welterweight fight took place at Yorkshire.
On Friday Nov. 19, bantamweights Cassidy Todd (0-0) and Claudia Ferenczi (20-85-8) meet six rounds at Glasgow, Scotland.
On Saturday Nov. 20, featherweights Sangeeta Birdi (1-2) and Chelsey Arnell (0-0-1) meet four rounds at London.
USA
Arely Mucino (30-3-2) won by split decision over Jacky Calvo (14-7-2) on Saturday Nov. 13. The flyweight title fight was held in Anaheim, California.
Amanda Galle (5-0) defeated Jaica Pavalus (1-4-1) by decision after six rounds on Thursday Nov. 11. The super bantamweight fight took place at Huntington, New York.
On Thursday Nov. 18, bantamweights Mikiah Kreps (1-0) and Brittany Sims (1-1) meet four rounds at Rochester, New York.
On Friday Nov. 19, super lightweights Kali Reis (18-7-1) and Jessica Camara (8-2) meet 10 rounds for the WBA, WBO and IBO world title at Manchester, New Hampshire.
On Friday Nov. 19, super lightweights Nicole Reinhart (2-1) and Gabrielle Hayes (0-0) meet four rounds at Detroit, Michigan.
On Saturday Nov. 20, bantamweights Michelle Morales (2-0) and Rebecca Light (1-7) meet four rounds at Hammond, Indiana.
On Saturday Nov. 20, lightweights Carisse Brown (5-1) and Alicia Acero (3-0) meet six rounds at Louisville, Kentucky.
On Saturday Nov.20, super lightweights Miranda Reyes (4-0-1) and Camille Casson (0-10) meet four rounds at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
Venezuela
Yurmary Jaramillo (2-0) won by majority decision after six rounds versus Diana Rodriguez (12-1-1) on Saturday Nov. 13. The super bantamweight fight was held at La Victoria. Also, Erika Bolivar (2-1) beat Estefania Matute (2-18) by split decision in a flyweight bout.
(Photo by Mark Robinson)