Another Look at Seniesa “Super Bad” Estrada and More

Another Look at Seniesa Estrada, Lower Weight Classes and More News

 

By David A. Avila

(Photo by Al Applerose)

Las Vegas and the world saw Seniesa Estrada provide a commanding performance in the minimumweight category. If you think no one else remains to compete against, you are wrong.

In female prizefighting Asia leads the world in producing smaller weight classes. Japan in particular, has provided many world champions below flyweight for the last two decades. Much of the world has not seen the many capable fighters emanating from Japan and other Asian countries.

South America also has many fighters in the smaller weight divisions. It’s only in North America that few female fighters compete in the flyweight division and lower.

It’s just a matter of bringing Asian and South American light flyweights and minimumweights over to America or Europe.

Later this month, IBF minimumweight world titlist Yokasta Valle moves up a weight division to clash with the WBO and IBF light flyweight titlist Evelyn Bermudez of Argentina. They meet on November 26, at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, a suburban city in Los Angeles County. DAZN will stream.

Though minimumweight champion Estrada has fought bantamweights in the past as a professional, her true weight class is the 105-pound minimumweight category. She convincingly defended the WBA minimum weight world title last Saturday by winning every round against the very tough Jazmin Villarino of Argentina.

Over the years Estrada has shown extraordinary abilities as a boxer. Even as an amateur she dominated the competition and stood out. I’ve been watching her perform since she was a young teen in Golden Glove tournaments and other competitions.

Few were able to compete with the petite East L.A. boxer.

One major contributor to the development of her career has been Dean Campos her trainer for many years. He also developed former super welterweight world champion Sergio “the Latin Snake” Mora who now does analysis for DAZN.

Once Estrada joined with Campos, she jumped into another level as a boxer.

Campos, has long been one of the best trainers in the Southwest region. Some call him the mad scientist. Estrada is one of his world champions and is a monster in the lower weight classes.

Watching her dominating performance makes one understand the need for a Pound for Pound list because the smaller weight classes often get ignored. Estrada definitely belongs among the top five. This past year most of the top female fighters were able to flaunt their abilities in major promoted boxing cards. Many deserve another mention. It was the best year for women’s boxing ever.

Highlights of 2022

Let’s look at some of the fights that caught the attention of the world. All these bouts featured fighters on the Pound for Pound list:

Claressa Shields vs Ema Kozin on Feb. 5 in Cardiff, Wales.

Savannah Marshall vs Femke Hermans on April 2 in Newcastle, England.

Marlen Esparza vs Naoko Fujioka on April 9 in San Antonio, Texas.

Mikaela Mayer vs Jennifer Han on April 9 in Costa Mesa, Calif.

Katie Taylor vs Amanda Serrano on April 30 in New York City, New York.

Franchon Crews vs Elin Cederroos on April 30 in New York City, New York.

Jessica McCaskill vs Alma Ibarra on June 25 in San Antonio, Texas.

Marlen Esparza vs Eva Guzman on Aug. 8 in Fort Worth, Texas.

Terri Harper vs Hannah Rankin on Sept. 24, in Nottingham, England.

Alycia Baumgardner vs Mikaela Mayer on Oct. 15 in London, England.

Claressa Shields vs Savannah Marshall on Oct. 15 in London, England.

Chantelle Cameron vs Jessica McCaskill on Nov. 5, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Seniesa Estrada vs Jazmin Villarino on Nov. 12 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

 

Coming up

Once again, the smaller weight class takes center stage as Yokasta Valle meets Evelin Bermudez for the IBF, WBO light flyweight world titles in Los Angeles on Nov. 26. DAZN will show the MarvNation Boxing card.

Costa Rica’s Valle (26-2, 9 Kos) challenges Argentina’s Bermudez (17-0-1, 6 Kos) for the light flyweight world titles. She already has the IBF minimumweight world title and had hoped to fight Seniesa Estrada. But now they fight for different promoters and different media networks.

Bermudez is no slouch.

The Argentine fighter is the younger sister of former pound for pound fighter Daniela Bermudez who took time off to have a child after her fight with Amanda Serrano a year ago. This Bermudez sister can fight too.

This is Valle’s toughest fight since losing to Naoko Fujioka in December 2017. That match took place in Tokyo and the Costa Rican fighter was not yet ready for international competition. Still, it was a close fight and it taught her a thing or two about fighting abroad and against world champions.

Valle versus Bermudez will be the last big marquee fight of 2022.

Other Fight News

Argentina

Yamila Belen (15-5-1) defeated Pamela Benavidez (10-12-3) by unanimous decision after six rounds on Friday Nov. 11. The lightweight bout took place at Cutral Co.

 

Australia

Enja Ryan (3-2) defeated Jamie Edenden (2-2) by unanimous decision after eight rounds on Saturday Nov, 12. The Australian welterweight title fight took place at Revesby. Also, Brianna Harrison (2-0) knocked out Sarah Watt (2-3-1) in the third round to win a regional super flyweight title.

Hayley Adrian (2-0) won by decision after four rounds against Bec Washington (0-1) on Friday Nov. 11. The super lightweight bout took place at Surfers Paradise.

 

Austria

On Saturday Nov. 19, lightweights Sara Bellotti (4-0) and Diana Kulinova (4-4) meet four rounds at Maria Enzersdorf.

 

Bangladesh

On Saturday Nov. 19, flyweights Roksana Akter (1-0-1) and Parsa Sanjana (0-0) meet four rounds at Dhaka. Also, super flyweights Afra Khondokar (0-0) and Rahima Akter Ratna (0-0) meet four rounds; Tanjila Tanjila (0-0) and Asma Khatun (0-0) meet four rounds in a super flyweight bout.

 

Canada

Sara Haghighat (1-0) defeated Nayeli Verde (4-6-2) by decision after eight rounds on Saturday Nov. 12. The flyweight bout took place at Brampton.

 

Czech Republic

On Friday Nov. 18, flyweights Alexas Kubicki (4-0) and Isabel Millan (30-8-2) meet 10 rounds for a regional title at Teplice.

 

Colombia

Stevie Morgan (4-0) knocked out Carolina Mejia (1-4) in the second round on Saturday Nov. 12. The super featherweight bout was held at Medellin.

Margarita Granja (1-0) won by split decision after four rounds versus Leiby Becerra (0-1) on Saturday Nov. 12. The lightweight fight was held at Armenia.

 

Finland

On Saturday Nov. 19, super middleweights Hanna Rousu (0-0) and Nana Chakhvashvili (7-19) meet four rounds at Oulu. Also, lightweights Rebah Matanada (2-0) and Jenni Etanen (0-0) meet four rounds.

 

France

Snezana Siljkovic (4-13-3) defeated Clothilde Del Ben (3-1) by decision after six rounds on Saturday Nov. 12. The bantamweight fight was held at Behren.

On Saturday Nov. 19, super featherweights Amina Zidani (2-0) and Borena Tsertvadze (1-0) meet six rounds at Le Cannet.

 

Germany

On Saturday Nov. 19, featherweights Elina Tissen (25-2) and Enerolisa De Leon (6-6-2) meet 10 rounds at Warendorf for a regional title.

 

Italy

Martina Righi (3-1) won by decision after 10 rounds versus Alessia Vitanza (2-2) on Saturday Nov. 12. The regional light heavyweight title fight was held at Scandicci.

On Saturday Nov. 19, flyweights Martina Bernile (4-1-1) and Justine Lallemand (8-1-1) meet 10 rounds for a regional title at Piemonte.

 

Mexico

On Saturday Nov. 19, featherweights Irais Dominguez (1-0) and Kimberly Gonzalez (1-1-1) meet four rounds at Cancun. Also, flyweights America Hernandez (0-0) and Nayely Ek (1-0) meet four rounds.

 

South Africa

On Thursday Nov. 17, lightweights Anisha Basheel (10-8) and Chiedza Homakoma (6-3-2) meet six rounds at Durban.

On Sunday Nov. 20, super bantamweights Simamkele Tuntsheni (2-0) and Lufuno Mutshayi (1-6-2) meet four rounds at Cape Town.

 

Thailand

Anita Maurya (1-5) knocked out Irada Supersakon (2-2) in the second round on Sunday Nov. 13. The bantamweight fight was held at Pathum Thani.

Nillada Meekoon (4-0) knocked out Jin Zhang (0-1) in the third round on Wednesday Nov. 9. The light flyweight bout took place at Bang Phli. Also, Kamlai (1-0) defeated Tanyarak Gokbungkhla (1-3) by decision in a flyweight bout.

 

United Arab Emirates

Raven Chapman (5-0) defeated Fatuma Yazidu (19-9-1) by decision after six rounds on Saturday Nov. 12. The light heavyweight fight was held at Dubai.

Delfine Persoon (48-3) knocked out Ikram Kerwat (11-4) in the first round on Sunday Nov. 13. The super featherweight fight took place at Dubai.

 

United Kingdom

Vicky Wilkinson (5-0-1) defeated Beccy Ferguson (2-8) by decision after 10 rounds on Sunday Nov. 13. The super featherweight fight was held at Wolverhampton, England.

Natasha Jonas (13-2-1) defeated Marie Eve Dicaire (18-2) by unanimous decision after 10 rounds on Saturday Nov. 12. The IBF, WBO, WBC, super welterweight unification title fight took place at Manchester, England.

Lisa Whiteside (5-0) beat Eva Cantos (4-9-1) by decision after eight rounds on Friday Nov. 11. The super bantamweight match was held at Sheffield, England.

On Friday Nov. 18, bantamweights Johanna Wonyou (6-0) and Wendellin Cruz (5-2-1) meet six rounds at London.

On Saturday Nov. 19, welterweights Kirstie Bavington (6-2-2) and Naomi Mannes (6-0) meet 10 rounds for the EBU title at Rotherham, England.

 

Uruguay

On Saturday Nov. 19, super bantamweights Nazarena Romero (11-0) and Paola Ibarra (6-7) meet eight rounds at Montevideo. Also, lightweights Maria Nieva (2-5) and Elizabeth Cabrera (0-0) meet four rounds; super flyweights Adriana Pineiro (0-0) and Laila Martinez (0-0) meet four rounds.

 

USA

Seniesa Estrada (22-0) defeated Jazmin Villarino (6-2-2) by unanimous decision after 10 rounds on Saturday Nov. 12. The WBA minimumweight world title fight took place in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Arika Skoog (1-0) knocked out Jesenia Rivas (0-2) in the first round on Saturday Nov. 12. The super lightweight fight took place in Dorchester, Mass.

On Friday Nov. 18, super featherweights Melissa Holguin (2-0) and Kim Colbert (3-24) meet four rounds in San Antonio, Texas.