The Super Featherweight Take Over in Women’s Prizefighting and More Fight News
By David A. Avila
Two weight divisions in women’s prizefighting dominate in popularity. The super featherweights that seem centered in Europe and the flyweights dominate in the western area of North America.
Let’s stick with the super feathers.
England’s Terri Harper (11-1-1) was a centerpiece of the super feathers but now will delve into the lightweight division and face Argentina’s Yamila Belen (13-4-1) on Saturday March 12, The 10-round lightweight fight will be shown on DAZN.
Harper moved up to the 135-pound lightweight division after doing very well in the 130-pound super featherweights. She was one of many elite fighters in that division and it continues to grow.
America’s Alycia Baumgardner, who now holds the WBC super feather title, was in San Diego last weekend analyzing the Matchroom Boxing fight card. She said that her next defense will be against the mandatory top contender and that looks to be France’s Elhem Mekhaled. A win over the French fighter pits her against WBA super feather Hyun Mi Choi in a unification fight.
The other super featherweight titlist is also American and that’s Mikaela Mayer who holds the IBF and WBO world titles. She’s itching to unify all the titles but has to wait for Baumgardner to settle her business with the WBC and WBA versions. If not, then a clash between the Americans could take place next year but probably in a higher weight division.
Super feathers are stacked with talent.
A quick look at some other super featherweights are Belgium’s Delfine Persoon, France’s Maiva Hamadouche, Poland’s Ewa Brodnicka Argentina’s Carolina Duer all former world champions. Then there are others roaming the landscape like Argentina’s Erica Farias and Karen Carabajal and America’s Tiara Brown.
New talent has arrived with Australia’s Skye Nicolson, New Zealand’s Mea Motu and United Kingdom’s Louise Orton and America’s Mia Ellis and Kailia Attry.
Transition from amateur to pro style
Nicolson recently participated on the Matchroom Boxing card in San Diego and defeated American Jessica Juarez in a six-round affair. But the very quick Aussie southpaw still has a lot to learn about the pro fight game. Her slap and run style won’t win fans and despite going six rounds there was little action and a lot of posing.
Amateur boxing is all about speed and not getting hit. Pro boxing is about entertainment and standing close while exchanging. The skill is staying near the pocket without running around. Look at the current champions Mayer and Baumgardner. They don’t run, they use blocking, slipping and angles to defend. That takes skill.
“Main things when I was coming out of the amateurs were slowing down and not rushing my punches, not pulling straight back and learning the inside game/working the body,” said Mayer and how her coach Al Mitchell taught her the pro fight game.
Breaking those amateur habits takes a lot of practice. Some boxers never get the hang of it and use the touch and run style and eventually get bombed out by a fighter who knows how to cut off the boxing ring. If a fighter likes to escape to the right, they cut off the right and force you to stand your ground.
“Oh man, it’s a process. And coach Al was tough on me about it,” said Mayer who has been a professional since 2017. “I’m really settling into my pro style. Coach Al said about the fifth or sixth fight he saw me settle down a bit, but I’m still a work in progress.”
Professional fighting doesn’t come easy. Champions like Mayer, Claressa Shields, Katie Taylor and Alycia Baumgardner have made the difficult transition.
More Female Fight News
Argentina
Carla Ayelen (7-2) defeated Aixa Adema (3-8-5) by unanimous decision after 10 rounds on Saturday March 5. The South American super flyweight title fight took place at Cordoba.
Maria Baumstarh (4-6-1) beat Romina Sosa (2-1-4) by knockout in the seventh round on Friday March 4, The South American light flyweight title match was held at Neuquen.
On Friday March 11, light flyweights Sol Cudos (2-0) and Camila Avaca (1-0-1) meet four rounds at Buenos Aires.
On Saturday March 12, super lightweights Ailen Agrobert (1-0) and Gisela Avalos (2-3-1) meet four rounds at Santa Fe.
Australia
Rebecca Hawker (5-0) was the winner by unanimous decision over Geeta Solanki (3-1) after eight rounds on Friday March 4. The featherweight fight was held at Eaton, Queensland. Also, Nicilia Costello (3-1) knocked out Natalie Hills (1-1-1) in the second round of a flyweight match.
Linn Sandstrom (2-2-1) was the winner by unanimous decision over Ali Jensen (0-3) after six rounds on Thursday March 3. The super flyweight bout was held at Nathan, Queensland.
On Saturday March 12, super featherweights Tywarna Campbell (1-0-1) and Jessica Adams (0-0-1) meet eight rounds at New South Wales.
Canada
Martine Vallieres (5-0) defeated Milagros Hernandez (0-2) by decision after four rounds on Thursday March 3. The featherweight fight was held in Montreal.
On Friday March 11, light flyweights Kim Clavel (14-0) and Mariela Ribera (11-6) meet 10 rounds for a regional title at Montreal.
On Sunday March 12, super bantamweights Amanda Galle (5-0) and Tania Walters (2-0) meet eight rounds for the Canadian title at Toronto.
Czech Republic
Fabiana Bytyqi (19-0-1) won by unanimous decision over Ivanka Ivanova (3-18-3) after eight rounds on Saturday March 5. The light flyweight match was held at Brno.
Dominican Republic
On Saturday march 12, super welterweights Claribel Mena (7-1) and Rocio De Leon (1-27-2) meet four rounds at Santa Domingo.
France
On Saturday March 12, super lightweights Elsa Hemat (3-5-2) and Aleksandra Ivanovic (0-7-1) meet six rounds at Val de Marne.
Germany
Felicitas Vogt (8-0) beat Judit Hachbold (5-14) by unanimous decision after 10 rounds on Saturday March 5. The GBU and WIBF bantamweight title fight took place at Bayern. Also, super welterweight Hanna Hansen (3-0) knocked out Katarina Vistica (1-19) in the fourth round. And super featherweight Cheyenne Hanson (11-2) knocked out Angela Cannizzaro (6-13-1) in the second round.
Italy
Consuelo Portalani (4-3) beat Giorgia Scolastri (2-2) by unanimous decision after 10 rounds on Sunday March 6. The Italian flyweight title fight took place at Piemonte.
Panama
On Friday March 11, light flyweights Yesica Bopp (37-2) and Jessica Nery Plata (27-2) meet 10 rounds for the WBA light flyweight title at Panama City. Also, flyweights Clara Lescurat (5-0) and Joselyn Casilla (5-4-1) meet eight rounds for a minor title. And lightweights Chanttall Martinez (19-8) and Monica Henao (4-1-4) meet eight rounds.
Philippines
On Saturday March 12, flyweights Aisah Alico (7-11) and Linn Sandstrom (2-2-1) meet six rounds at Manila.
Poland
Dagmara Kaliszan (1-0) won by technical knockout of Anna Olesniewicz (0-1) in the third round on Saturday March 5. The super featherweight bout took place at Podgorne. Also, super featherweight Aleksandra Jaworska (2-1) won by majority decision after four rounds versus Izabela Helinska (0-1).
Julia Kabzinska (1-0) defeated Alicja Klimala (0-1) by majority decision after four rounds on Friday March 4. The bantamweight bout was held at Szczytno.
United Arab Emirates
On Saturday March 12, super bantamweights Halima Vunjabei (10-8-1) and Urvashi Singh (8-3) meet 10 rounds at Dubai. Also, bantamweights Kauminihashini (0-0) and Kimberley Shannon (0-0) meet four rounds.
United Kingdom
Kirsty Hill (1-0) beat Vaida Masiokaite (2-16-4) by decision after six rounds on Saturday March 5. The super featherweight bout was held at Newark, Nottinghamshire.
Lianne Bush (2-0) defeated Gabriella Mezei (11-27-5) by decision after six rounds on Saturday March 5, The featherweight fight was held at Worksop, Nottinghamshire.
Louise Orton (1-0) beat Flora Machela (7-9) by decision after six rounds on Friday March 4. The super featherweight bout took place at London, England. Bantamweight Johanna Wonyou (4-0) knocked out Sarafina Bela (4-5-1) in the first round. Welterweight Dee Allen (1-0) knocked out Milena Koleva (10-13-1) in the first round.
Vicky Wilkinson (3-0) beat Beccy Ferguson (1-4) by decision after four rounds on Friday March 4. The lightweight bout took place at Staffordshire.
On Saturday March 12, lightweights Terri Harper (11-1-1) and Yamila Belen (13-4-1) meet 10 rounds for a regional title at Nottingham. Also, super lightweights Sandy Ryan (3-0) and Erica Farias (26-5) meet eight rounds.
USA
Skye Nicolson (1-0) won by unanimous decision versus Jessica Juarez (3-1) after six rounds on Saturday March 5. The super featherweight bout took place in San Diego, California.
Randee Morales (4-3) knocked out Salina Jordan (2-6) in the first round on Saturday March 5. The super bantamweight fight took place at Cheyenne, Wyoming.
(Photo by Al Applerose)