Yokasta Valle Defeats Anabel Ortiz in Costa Rica; Maricela Cornejo Wins Too

By David A. Avila

A brutal battle saw current IBF and WBO champion Yokasta Valle defeat former champion Anabel “Avispa” Ortiz by unanimous decision in Costa Rica on Saturday.

It was not a walk in the park.

Costa Rica’s Valle (30-2, 9 Kos) had too much youth and speed over Mexico’s Ortiz (33-6, 4 Kos) who used every trick she knew to keep each round competitive at the Cartago arena. More than 5,000 fans loudly filled the venue to watch 10 two-minute rounds.

Valle was fighting for the fourth time in less than a year and showed her agility and speed. But when she dived into repeated clinches, it allowed Ortiz to use her experience in holding one arm while hitting the body and head.

It was a scenario seen round after round and caused more damage than the actual blows.

Still, the ability of Valle to unleash rapid combinations was always at her disposal. Though she did not often take advantage of that weaponry, she still was able to connect with clean punches. Ortiz never had that advantage.

Mexico City’s Ortiz formerly held the WBA minimumweight title for 11 title defenses and was dominant in her era. But this new generation has added a new layer and time waits for no one. Not even former champions.

Ortiz scored heavily with body shots during the clinches, but the judges nor the DAZN Punchstat people gave her credit for those blows. A final tally ridiculously stated Valle landed 79 total punches while Ortiz landed only 29. So much for punch stats.

The most danger faced by either fighter was the collision of heads during the clinches. Both Valle and Ortiz were butted by each other. After 10 rounds all three judges scored in favor of Valle 100-90, 99-91, 99-92.

“She was a very tough and dirty fighter,” said Valle.

The next question is when Valle and WBA and WBC minimumweight titlist Seniesa Estrada will tangle and where. Both fighters have said they want that fight to decide the true champion. The only question is where?

Valle and her team want to fight Estrada in Costa Rica, but will fans there pay enough to out-bid Las Vegas or Los Angeles?

Maricela Cornejo Scores KO

Maricela Cornejo (17-6, 7 Kos) returned to the prize ring this time as a welterweight and knocked down Cynthia Lozano (9-2, 7 Kos) twice for a knockout win in the first round. Right hands were the weapon of choice for Cornejo who last fought Claressa Shields earlier this year as a middleweight.