Postponement for Katie Taylor vs Amanda Serrano 2 and More Boxing News and Notes
By David A. Avila
(Photo by JP Yim)
A monster rematch between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano on May 20, will be postponed after it was revealed today the undisputed featherweight champion suffered an injury.
Ireland and the rest of the boxing world will have to wait for Taylor and Serrano to clash again.
That’s ok.
Women’s prizefighting has entered another plateau in its renaissance. This would have been a crushing blow in the past. Today, it’s a minor pause.
For this writer, day one in the rebirth of female boxing was August 21, 2016, when Claressa Shields won her second gold medal at the Rio Olympics. On the same day Heather Hardy fought Shelly Vincent on a nationally televised event at Coney Island, New York.
Both events were televised.
Before that summer day, women’s boxing was almost never televised but on that day the Olympic games featured Shields repeating as amateur boxing champion while Hardy fought Vincent and won a regional title. Both women snapped a TV-less streak for women’s boxing that dated back to 2007.
Women’s boxing was in the dark ages from 2007 to 2016 as no bouts were seen on national television during that period. An occasional regional telecast appeared here and there, but no national or international TV.
So many talented fighters performed during that period with many of them about to be inducted into the International Women’s Boxing Hall of Fame started by Sue Fox. They all sacrificed years for the continuance of the sport. Most getting paid around $3,000 for a world title fight if they were lucky.
Horror stories abound in the women’s world.
Many fought without getting paid including world title fights. Just to maintain a grasp on a prestigious belt that could be made for a $100 bucks or more. Or women traveled abroad and discovered they had to get dressed in a dark bullpen in a bull fight arena with manure spread all over strewn hay.
These are real events that occurred. I was there to witness them.
Today, world title fights are scheduled ahead of time in magnificent arenas from London to New York. Most are televised or streamed internationally. Katie Taylor brought European boxing to the forefront and her willingness to fight the best has captivated audiences worldwide.
The best are fighting the best.
Not so, in men’s boxing. Where television contracts have divided camps and prevented fighters like Terence Crawford and Errol Spence Jr. from facing each other in the prize ring.
Women’s boxing just saw Mikaela Mayer fight Alycia Baumgardner though each had different media company contracts. We also saw Claressa Shields fight Savannah Marshall. Neither allowed their confrontation to be nixed by differing promotional affiliations.
Today, boxing promoters still harbor hesitation when it comes to women’s prizefighting. They spend millions on finding, developing and grooming male fighters to star status while not opening up their wallets for women.
As someone who has watched and wrote about female prizefighting for 30 years, I know that when it comes to entertainment value, you cannot beat the women. Period.
Don’t waste all your television space for men. Parcel it out to include women and you will reap the benefits.
Argentina Looms
In less than two weeks a major light flyweight battle takes place as Argentina’s Evelin Bermudez (17-1-1, 9 Kos) and Mexico’s Tania Enriquez (20-0, 9 Kos) clash for the vacant WBO world title on Friday March 10, at Buenos Aires, Argentina.
It’s the war between the sisters as Bermudez’s and Enriquez’s meet. Hopefully this match will be streamed live. It’s guaranteed to be a good one. Mark it done on your calendar. Both are heavy-hitters.
Evelin Bermudez is the younger sister of Daniela Bermudez. Tania Enriquez is the younger sister of Kenia Enriquez.
More Fight News
Argentina
On Saturday March 4, bantamweights Juliana Basualdo (9-2) and Julieta Cardozo (12-6) meet 10 rounds at Cordoba.
Australia
Welterweights Enja Ryan (3-2-1) and Zoe Putorak (0-1-2) fought to a draw after eight rounds on Saturday Feb. 25. The Australian title match took place at Canberra.
On Friday March 3, welterweights Sophia Davies-Morgan (0-1) and Jaki Toth (0-1) meet six rounds at Northbridge.
Canada
Sara Haghighat (2-0) defeated Mayela Perez (19-25-4) by unanimous decision after 10 rounds on Saturday Feb. 25. The super flyweight match took place at Brampton.
On Saturday March 4, flyweights Alexas Kubicki (5-0) and Mary Salinas (26-8-6) meet 10 rounds at Cold Lake.
Colombia
Stevie Morgan (6-0) won by technical knockout over Paulina Cardona (25-29-7) in the fifth round on Friday Feb. 24. The lightweight title fight was held at Cartagena. Also, super middleweight Angie Rocha (14-3-3) beat Paola Herrera (14-7-2) by first round knockout.
Denmark
Dina Thorslund (19-0) won by technical knockout over Anahi Lopez (20-2-1) in the eighth round on Saturday Feb. 25. The WBO bantamweight title fight took place at Holstebro. It was her third defense of the title.
On Saturday March 4, featherweights Sarah Mahfoud (11-1) and Lara Ochmann (9-1) meet 10 rounds at Albertslund.
France
Licia Boudersa (19-1-2) won by knockout over Klaudia Ferenczi (20-99-9) on Saturday Feb. 25. The featherweight fight was held at Roubaix.
On Saturday March 4, bantamweights Lauryne Brankaer (1-0) and Audrey Chibani (0-0) meet four rounds at Vierzon.
On Saturday March 4, bantamweights Melina Ainaoui (1-1) and Tekle Begiashvili (0-4) meet six rounds at Chateaubriant.
India
On Sunday March 5, lightweights Navdeep Kaur (0-2) and Virpal Kaur (1-2-1) meet four rounds at Punjab.
Italy
Sheila Martinez (5-3) defeated Anna Lisa Brozzi (4-3) by unanimous decision after 10 rounds on Friday Feb. 24. The EBU featherweight title fight was held in Rome.
Japan
Mika Iwakawa (12-6-1) knocked out Ploypailin Palatsrichuai (2-3) in the third round on Sunday Feb. 26. The minimumweight fight was held at Kochi.
Reika Kawaguchi (3-1-2) defeated Mikiko Muto (3-7) by unanimous decision after six rounds on Sunday Feb. 26. The atomweight match took place in Kyoto.
Mexico
Kumora Yang Badillo (7-5-1) defeated Agnesa Kirakosian (6-1) by unanimous decision after six rounds on Saturday Feb. 25. The super flyweight match was held at San Luis Rio Colorado.
Gabriela Fundora (10-0) defeated Tania Garcia Hernandez (7-7-2) by decision on Thursday Feb. 23. The flyweight match took place in Mexico City.
On Thursday March 2, light flyweights Cecilia Rodriguez (10-0-1) and Jessica Martinez (4-18) meet eight rounds at Monterrey.
On Friday March 3, super bantamweights Melissa Esquivel (12-3-1) and Elizabeth Chavez (3-4-2) meet six rounds at Culiacan.
New Zealand
On Friday March 3, flyweights Holly McMath (1-3) and Lorraine Robson (0-0) meet four rounds at Auckland.
Spain
Natalia Francesca (4-1) defeated Eliana Medina (0-1) by decision after four rounds on Friday Feb. 24. The super bantamweight fight was held at Badia del Valles.
On Saturday March 4, light flyweights Minerva Gutierrez (2-1) and Isabel Rivero (3-1) meet eight rounds at Pola de Laviana.
Switzerland
On Thursday March 2, welterweights Anais Kistler (2-1) and Ioana Fecioru (3-0) meet six rounds at Carouge.
Thailand
Saranyaphong Theinthong (3-15) knocked out Nichakan Komkam (0-2) in the second round on Sunday Feb. 26. The flyweight fight took place at Bangkok. Also, flyweight Suphattra Aunreaun (2-0) knocked out Suwanan Akapunya (1-2) in the third round; and light flyweight Weerawan Kedsukkee (1-0) knocked out Pailin Tanseemee (0-2) in the first round.
Nantachat Wanpeng (2-0) knocked out Amporn Pachai (0-1) in the second round on Friday Feb. 24. The featherweight bout took place at Pathum Thani.
Sheau Ru Yang (3-0) won by knockout in the second round against Ketsara Jatpukdee (2-1) n Wednesday Feb. 22. Thai flyweight title bout took place at Bangkok.
On Friday March 3, super flyweights Anahit Aroyan (7-1) and Rungnapha Kaewkrachang (14-17-1) meet eight rounds at Bangkok. Also, atomweights Roma Yousaf (4-0-1) and Panidda Pachai (0-3) meet four rounds.
United Kingdom
Svitlana Vasylevska (2-2) beat Kira Carter (0-1) by decision after four rounds on Saturday Feb. 25. The bantamweight fight was held at Doncaster, England.
Gemma Ruegg (6-6) defeated Eva Cantos (4-13-1) by decision after six rounds on Friday Feb. 24. The super flyweight fight was held at Bournemouth.
On Saturday March 4, bantamweights Sylwia Doligala (1-1) and Ebony Carlin (0-1) meet six rounds at Oldham.
On Saturday March 4, featherweights Charlotte Powell (1-0-1) and Bec Connolly (3-17) meet six rounds at Liverpool.
USA
Sonya Dreiling (6-3) won by unanimous decision after four rounds versus Jordanne Garcia (4-2-2) on Friday Feb. 24. The super middleweight fight took place at Rio Rancho, New Mexico.
Heather Hardy (24-2) won by majority decision after eight rounds versus Taynna Cardoso (5-2). The lightweight bout took place in New York City.
Katherine Lindenmuth (3-1) defeated Lorraine Villalobos (5-5) by split decision after six rounds on Thursday Feb. 23. The minimumweight fight was held in Indio, Calif. Also, bantamweight Stefie Cohen (3-1-1) beat Leanne Calderon by decision after four rounds.