VADA Testing for Shields and Marshall Fight and Other News
By David A. Avila
Drug testing for world title fights continues when the all-women boxing card in London, England takes place on October 15 featuring two world title fights.
Claressa Shields, Savannah Marshall, Mikaela Mayer and Alycia Baumgardner will all undergo drug testing for performance enhancing drugs. The use of PEDs by women is especially dangerous in competitions.
Prizefighting whether man or women can be highly dangerous and can result in death as seen last year when Mexican female boxer Jeanette Zacarias Zapata succumbed to head injuries. It is unclear if drug testing was performed for that fight.
When PEDS (Performance Enhancement Drugs) are involved in female fights it adds an ultra-dangerous element.
According to experts, women using PEDs are especially more dangerous than men because they naturally have very low levels of testosterone in their system. The addition to testosterone gives women an increased advantage in strength, stamina and quickness.
In an earlier interview Victor Conte, the head of SNAC, said use of PEDs by women provides an incredibly dangerous advantage for the user against the non-user.
WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman said their organization continues to require drug testing for all its world title fights.
“The WBC has the Clean Boxing Program, which is random testing, not sure if either have been tested so far,” said Sulaiman on Tuesday. “There is mandatory testing after the fight performed by the BBBC.”
VADA is currently testing both middleweights Claressa Shields and Savannah Marshall who will be competing for undisputed status on October 15, at the O2 Arena in London, England. VADA has an intense form of random testing that has successfully caught many fighters with illegal PED substances in their system in the past. Its perhaps the best test available.
However, the Mayer and Baumgardner super featherweight unification clash is not being scrutinized by VADA. Instead, another form of testing is being used by their respective promoters and has not been revealed at press time. But testing must still be accomplished according to the WBC.
Amanda Serrano and Erika Cruz
Amanda Serrano’s emphatic victory over Denmark’s Sarah Mahfoud for the WBC, WBO, IBO and IBF titles clears the way toward a clash with WBA titlist Erika Cruz for rare undisputed status.
Sure, it seems everyone is an undisputed champion but that has only occurred during the last several years. Previously, the lack of promoters willing to back women’s boxing kept champions from fighting other champions. No longer.
Cruz, a law enforcement officer in her native Mexico has already talked of meeting Puerto Rico’s Serrano. If you know boxing, there is no bigger rivalry than Mexico versus Puerto Rico. Currently, Mexico has a large lead over Puerto Rico in world title fights.
One thing guaranteed is their confrontation will be fierce.
Serrano, a southpaw, almost never goes backward and moves ahead with strong jabs and combinations to the head and body that few can withstand. It’s always done with precise technique and nonstop punching. The Brooklyn fighter is never wild and out of control.
Mexico’s Cruz is also a southpaw and unlike Serrano does move backward and laterally with frequency. She knows how to use her left-handed stance for advantage and has quickness and some power. But does not have Serrano’s power.
Whenever you pit two southpaws against each other it comes down to who has the better right hook. Left-handers are not accustomed to that punch and are open for that blow. Whoever has the better right hook will win. Both have excellent right hooks, but Serrano’s can end the fight.
It should be fierce.
Moving Up
Terri Harper defeated Hannah Rankin to win the WBA and IBO super welterweight titles and answered the question of why she looked so weak as a super featherweight. It appears the lanky British fighter was starving herself to make the weight and had nothing left during her contests.
Last Saturday Harper looked stronger, sharper, faster and less dazed when she exchanged blows with Scotland’s Rankin. It was a strong showing for Harper who moved up four weight divisions from 130 to 154 to participate.
When Harper talked to reporters, she seemed very clearheaded and lucid with her responses. As a super featherweight champion, she never seemed as lucid. It appears Harper was too weak at 130. Now, we shall see if she is strong enough to compete against the other super welterweight titlists such as Marie Eve Dicaire, Patricia Berghult or old nemesis Natasha Jonas.
More Fight News
Argentina
Gabriela Alaniz (14-0) stopped Debora Rengifo (18-10-1) in the ninth round on Saturday Sept. 24. The WBO flyweight world title fight took place in Libertad. Also, Argentina’s great Marcela Acuna (51-8-2) defeated Laura Griffa (18-8) by decision after 10 rounds in an Argentine featherweight title fight.
Marianela Ramirez (11-7-2) won by split decision after 10 rounds versus Diana Rodriguez (14-2-1) on Friday Sept. 23. The South American super bantamweight title fight took place at Villa Maria.
Lucrecia Manzur (6-1) knocked out Brisa Visgarra (0-2) in the third round on Friday Sept. 23. The featherweight fight was held at San Miguel.
On Saturday Oct. 1, super lightweights Maira Moneo (10-1) and Yamila Reynoso (12-11-3) meet 10 rounds for the South American title at Brandsen.
Australia
On Friday Sept. 30, light heavyweights Emre Nazlioglu (0-0) and Callum Butcher (0-1-1) meet four rounds at Campsie.
Bangladesh
On Friday Sept. 30, flyweights Sharmin Aktar (1-0) and Tanjima Sultana (0-1) meet four rounds in Dhaka. Also, Roksana Akter (0-0-1) and Aleya Khatun (0-0) meet four rounds; Farah Noshin (0-0) and Sadia Islam (0-0) meet four rounds; and super lightweights Tahmina Aktar (1-0) and Tajrin Akterv(0-0) meet four rounds.
Germany
Sarah Liegmann (5-0) defeated Jane Kavulani (18-16-5) by unanimous decision after 10 rounds on Saturday Sept. 24. The featherweight title fight was held in Koln.
Nicole Schaefer (3-0-1) knocked out Sabine Hempel (0-2) in the first round on Saturday Sept. 24. The featherweight fight was held in Dorsten.
Sarah Bormann (15-0) defeated Elizabeth Lopez (10-5-5) by unanimous decision after 10 rounds on Saturday Sept. 24. The minimumweight title fight took place at Ludwigshafen.
Japan
Risa Akagi (1-0) knocked out Yoko Shiraki (0-1) in the third round on Thursday Sept. 22. The atomweight fight was held in Tokyo.
Kazakhstan
On Sunday Oct. 2, flyweights Angelina Lukas (1-0) and Olena Gurieva (1-2) meet eight rounds at Almaty.
Mexico
Czarina McCoy (10-1) knocked out Paulina Cardona (25-28-7) in the seventh round on Saturday Sept. 24. The WIBA and UBO lightweight title fight took place at Colima.
On Friday Sept. 30, light flyweights Tania Enriquez (18-0) and Mayelis Altamar (16-3-2) meet eight rounds at Tijuana.
On Saturday Oct. 1, super flyweights Lourdes Juarez (34-2) and Ashley Gonzalez (14-2) meet 10 rounds for the WBC world title at Tepic, Nayarit. This is Juarez fourth title defense since winning it in 2020. Also, featherweights Sara Carmona (5-0) and Esmeralda Baeza (2-0-2) meet six rounds.
Panama
Yanissa Castrellon (3-1) beat Maria Lopez Roldan (1-1) by decision after four rounds on Saturday Sept. The flyweight match was held in Panama City.
Poland
On Friday Sept. 30, super featherweights Barbora Mayerova (1-0) and Gabriela Mgda (0-0) meet four rounds at Bielsko.
Spain
Minerva Gutierrez (2-0) knocked out Natasha Boyes (0-3) in the second round on Saturday Sept. 24. The flyweight bout took place at Pola de Laviana.
Switzerland
Gabriela Timar (7-1) won by decision after eight rounds against Judit Hachbold (5-16) on Saturday Sept. 24. The featherweight fight took place at Basel.
Tanzania
On Friday Sept. 30, flyweights Lulu Kayage (7-8-3) and Sadra Mohamed (0-0) meet six rounds at Dar es Salaam.
Uganda
On Saturday Oct. 1, bantamweights Catherine Nanziri (2-0) and Salima Tibesigwa (2-0) meet 10 rounds at Kampala.
United Kingdom
Amanda Serrano (43-2-1) defeated Sarah Mahfoud (11-1) by unanimous decision after 10 rounds on Saturday Sept. 24. The featherweight unification title fight for the WBC, WBO, IBO, IBF titles was held in Manchester, England. Also, Raven Chapman (4-0) beat Jorgelina Guanini (10-5-2) by decision after eight featherweight rounds.
Terri Harper (13-1-1) defeated Hannah Rankin (12-6) by unanimous decision after 10 rounds on Saturday Sept. 24. The WBA and IBO super welterweight world title fight took place in Nottingham, England. Also, Rhiannon Dixon (6-0) beat Edina Kiss (15-16) by decision after six rounds in a lightweight fight.
Ellis Hopkins (4-0) beat Ester Konecna (2-17-1) by decision after six rounds in Leicester, England.
Featherweights Charlotte Powell (1-0-1) and Jamileth Vallejos (1-7-2) fought to a draw after four rounds on Saturday Sept. 24. The bout took place in Liverpool, England.
USA
On Saturday Oct. 1, lightweights Stevie Morgan (2-0) and Kim Colbert (3-23) meet six rounds at Memphis, Tenn.
Zimbabwe
On Saturday Oct. 1, super bantamweights Kudakwashe Chiwandire (5-2-1) and Zulina Munoz (53-4-2) meet 10 rounds for the WBC interim title at Harare.