Problems With Protective Body Gear and Other News Feb. 14, 2022
By David A. Avila
A super bantamweight clash between hot prospect Ellie Scotney and South American veteran Jorgelina Guanini ended with the British fighter taking the win by unanimous decision in a very close fight. Rightfully so.
Their battle for the vacant WBA Inter-Continental title was viewed internationally and the world saw a couple of entanglements that could use fine-tuning.
Two aspects stood out: one fighter incessantly held through most of the contest and the other fighter entered the prize ring with a protective guard that covered almost her entire abdomen below her bosom. Both should not be allowed.
Nobody in the world likes to see one fighter grabbing on to another fighter as soon as the two get close. Holding in any form stops the action, and in reality, is not allowed in boxing. The referee warned Scotney for using the tactic and later deducted a point in the last round. Strangely, it was Guanini who was grabbing when the point was deducted. Scotney needs to stop holding.
The other problem was seeing Guanini enter the boxing ring with a protector around her waist that was later raised all the way to her bosom by mid-point in the fight. No fighter male or female should wear an abdomen protector.
Protectors were designed to hold metal cups for men to prevent injury to their testicles. Women do not have that problem.
Basically, protectors are cheating.
Prizefighters are supposed to enter a prize ring with under garments only and protective gloves for their fists. No other gear is allowed under the rules of professional boxing.
Commissions worldwide should not allow any fighter to enter with a protector. If a fighter cannot not endure a blow to the body without a protector, that fighter should not be fighting.
Lately, wearing a protector has become common with European female boxers and Argentine boxers.
One of the first instances I can remember seeing this occurred back in 2012 when Ana Julaton defended the WBO super bantamweight world title against Yesica Marcos in Argentina. In that fight, Marcos wore a protector that covered her entire stomach and whenever Julaton hit the protector she was warned by the referee for the blow. She lost the title by unanimous decision.
Another instance occurred January 10, 2020 when Elin Cederroos walked in the boxing ring against Alicia Napoleon wearing a similar protector that covered her abdomen. Aside from being much taller than Napoleon, the Swedish fighter had her stomach area covered by this rubber protector that allowed maybe an inch of visible flesh. That night Cederroos took the WBA super middleweight title away from Napoleon.
Protective coverings for the abdomen should not be allowed during a prize fight. They are illegal according to the rules of boxing. Commissions and referees should not allow anyone to wear any thing more than trunks.
Natasha Jonas at Super Welterweight
Whenever you have a boxer with excessive fighting skills, a la Natasha Jonas, moving up and down the weight divisions poses no serious problems.
Jonas (10-2-1) meets Uruguay’s former super welterweight titlist Chris Namus (25-6) on Saturday Feb. 19, at Manchester, England for the vacant WBO super welterweight world title. Both are nearly equal in height with Jonas a southpaw. ESPN+ will show it to American audiences and SKY Box Office in the British Commonwealth.
Though Jonas has fought mostly as a 135-pound lightweight or lower, her height and various fighting skills allow her to move into heavier territory. Can she beat a former super welterweight champion?
Namus lost back-to-back championship fights to world champions Marie Eve Dicaire and Ema Kozin. But she does have extensive experience in the prize ring. Can she exploit Jonas who has never fought at 154 pounds?
Southern California opens up
For two years smaller boxing shows could not stage their fight cards due to the cost. Finally, two years after Covid-19 hit, doors have opened for the smaller promotions.
Red Boxing Promotions featured two female bouts including undefeated super bantamweight Merari Vivar who defeated Elizabeth Tuani in a four-round bout at Commerce Casino.
Several thousand packed the arena located in Commerce, California a small industrial city adjacent to East Los Angeles.
It was a good night and fans eagerly filled the seats after being unable to watch boxing on the smaller level shows since March 2020.
Props to Red Boxing for including women boxing on a regular basis.
More Fight News
Argentina
Gloria Yancaqueo (9-11-3) won by split decision after four rounds against Antonella Molina (1-12-1) on Friday Feb. 11. The super bantamweight fight was held at Concordia.
On Friday Feb. 18, super featherweights Lorena Agoutborde (1-0-2) and Adriana Maldonado (1-13-2) meet four rounds at Buenos Aires.
Canada
On Saturday Feb. 19, lightweights Leila Beaudoin (3-0) and Monica Alcala (5-1) meet six rounds at Montreal.
Czech Republic
Angelina Finch (3-0) knocked out Anna Ganova (0-1) in the second round on Saturday Feb. 12. The featherweight bout took place at Plzen.
France
Marine Beauchamp (2-0) knocked out Kateryna Drozd (0-6) in the first round on Saturday Feb. 12. The welterweight match was held at Var.
On Saturday Feb. 19, lightweights Rima Ayadi (6-0) and Olena Mevedenko (11-8) meet 10 rounds at Les Mureaux.
Japan
Kimika Miyoshi (16-13-1) defeated Yoshie Wakasa (7-2) by unanimous decision after six rounds on Monday Feb. 14. The featherweight fight was held in Tokyo. Also, Sara Ito (1-0-1) and Federica Boni (0-0-2) fought to a draw after four rounds in a featherweight fight.
On Friday Feb. 18, super bantamweights Mika Yagio (1-1) and Kei Sugimoto (2-2) meet four rounds in Tokyo.
Mexico
On Saturday Feb. 19, flyweights Arely Mucino (30-3-2) and Naylea Gil (11-3-1) meet eight rounds at Tijuana.
New Zealand
Mea Motu (11-0) knocked out Ayisha Abied (0-4) in the first round on Saturday Feb. 12. The super featherweight fight was held at Auckland.
Pakistan
On Saturday Feb. 19, atomweights Nimra Nisar Ahmed (2-1-1) and Umal Banin (0-0-1) meet six rounds at Karachi.
South Africa
On Saturday Feb. 19, flyweights Emihle Ntunja (1-2) and Thema Zuma (5-6) meet six rounds at Khayelitsha.
Tanzania
On Saturday Feb. 19, super middleweights Lucy Macho (0-0-1) and Amina Mohammed (2-4) meet four rounds at Dar es Salaam.
Ukraine
Svetlana Vasilevskaya (1-1) knocked out Anastasiia Mohylna (0-1) in the second round on Thursday Feb. 10. The bantamweight fight was held at Kharkiv.
United Kingdom
Ellie Scotney (4-0) won by unanimous decision after 10 rounds versus Jorgelina Guanini (9-4-2) on Saturday Feb. 12. The super bantamweight regional title fight took place in London, England.
On Friday Feb. 18, light flyweights Kate Radomska (1-0) and Claudia Ferenczi (20-87-8) meet six rounds at Tumberry, Scotland.
On Saturday Feb. 19, super welterweights Natasha Jonas (10-2-1) and Chris Namus (25-6) meet 10 rounds for the vacant WBO world title at Manchester, England.
USA
Merari Vivar (5-0) won by unanimous decision after four rounds against Elizabeth Tuani (1-6) on Saturday Feb. 12. The super bantamweight match was held at Commerce, California. Also, super flyweight Stephanie Chavez (1-0) beat Dawn Mazarakis (0-2) by decision after four rounds.
Olivia Curry (4-1) beat LeAnn O’Malley (1-2) by decision after four rounds on Saturday Feb. 12. The super welterweight bout took place at Davenport, Iowa.
Jaica Pavilus (2-4-1) defeated Miranda Reyes (5-1-1) by majority decision after six rounds on Saturday Feb. 12. The super lightweight bout took place at Dedham, Mass.
Fatima Dudieva (12-0) won by split decision after six rounds against Indeya Smith (2-4-2) on Friday Feb. 11. The bantamweight match was held in Miami, Florida. Also, bantamweight Stefanie Cohen (2-0-1) beat Karla Valenzuela (3-26-3) by decision.
Nicole Reinhart (3-2) beat Gabrielle Hayes (1-1) by knockout in the third round on Friday Feb. 11. The super lightweight bout took place in Detroit, Michigan.
Chiari Dituri (5-0) won by majority decision after six rounds versus Michele Cook (1-3-2) on Friday Feb. 11. The super featherweight title fight was held at New York City.
On Saturday Feb. 19, lightweights Jaime Clampitt (22-5-2) and Kim Wabik (4-1-2) meet six rounds at Warwick, Rhode Island.
On Saturday Feb. 19, super bantamweights Shurretta Metcalf (9-3-1) and Karen Dulin (5-22-1) meet six rounds at Dallas, Texas.
(Photo by Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing)