Denmark’s Dina Thorslund and More Big Women’s Boxing Moments from 2023
By David A. Avila
What a year.
Not to punch holes in a corpse. Though boxing lost Showtime as a media outlet for televising prizefighting events, I truly believe it was due to not showing female boxing on its events all this year and most of the previous year.
Without women title fights, Showtime lost a major part of the audience. Instead, they relied on prospects that nobody knew about in Midwest towns that turned off boxing fans. This is just an opinion, but look at the media outlets that are succeeding. They show women’s boxing.
Female prizefighting is thriving.
Last year a major showdown between Amanda Serrano and Erika Cruz opened up the year in another bloody war between Puerto Rico and Mexico last February. It was all action with both slugging it out at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
Accurate punching enabled Serrano to prevail over the very tough Cruz to become undisputed featherweight world champion. No other featherweight in the four-belt era had accomplished the feat.
Serrano later fought Brooklyn rival Heather Hardy and ended the year with a12 three-minute round title defense against Brazil’s Danila Ramos. It had been over a decade since another female boxing champion dared fight 12 three-minute rounds when Layla McCarter accomplished it twice in 2007.
Cruz also fought three times this year.
After losing the WBA featherweight title to Serrano the Mexican lefty Cruz dropped down to super bantamweight and beat talented Melissa Oddessa Parker, then WBA super bantamweight titlist Mayerlin Rivas for that title in Los Angeles.
Other highlights of 2023
Ireland’s Katie Taylor and England’s Chantelle Cameron fought twice for the undisputed super lightweight championship.
It was Cameron winning the first meeting in May with a majority decision win in Dublin. Then the world saw Taylor taking the rematch by majority decision in November. Another match is pending for the two rivals.
Both fights took place in Dublin, Ireland. It was Irish Taylors first two pro fights in her native country.
Another outstanding year saw champion Yesica Nery Plata of Mexico emerge and surprise the boxing world by traveling to other countries and winning and defending the WBA and WBC light flyweight world titles.
Seldom do champions visit another country and win decisions.
For three consecutive fights beginning in March 2022 to this December the Mexico City fighter defeated Yesica Bopp in Panama, Kim Clavel in Canada and Sarah Bormann in Germany.
Who does that?
The only others who accomplished something similar are now retired Naoko Fujioka of Japan and Costa Rica’s Yokasta Valle. Incidentally, they fought each other several years back with Fujioka winning.
Speaking of Valle, she is looking to fight the very dangerous Seniesa “Super Bad” Estrada in 2024. She is trying to lure the East L.A. fighter to Costa Rica and promises 50,000 will attend their clash if it happens.
But what will each fighter’s purse be. Selling 50,000 tickets in Costa Rica is not the same as selling 50,000 tickets in Los Angeles. Tickets prices are much lower in Costa Rica. It’s an interesting proposition.
Outstanding years
Denmark’s Dina Thorslund had a great year in beating Argentina’s Debra Anahi Lopez and Mexico’s Yulihan Luna Avila to become unified WBO and WBC bantamweight champion. The blonde fighter seeks to become undisputed by facing both of the other bantamweight champions England’s Nina Hughes or Japan’s Miyo Yoshida.
Thorslund has never fought outside of Denmark or Germany.
Mikaela Mayer also had a good year. She moved up in weight after years as a super featherweight champion and seems to be stronger. Wins over Lucy Wildheart in a lightweight fight and Silvia Bortot in a super lightweight fight demonstrated she can move even higher and will do so in late January. Mayer meets IBF welterweight titlist Natasha Jonas on Jan. 20 at Liverpool, England.
Claressa Shields fought once and defeated Maricela Cornejo who stepped into fill Hanna Gabriels spot last June. When Gabriels was disqualified after testing positive for PEDs, it was Cornejo who stepped in to face the undisputed middleweight world champion Shields.
Suspension
Speaking of disqualification, Alycia Baumgarner was also disqualified and allegedly suspended for testing positive for PEDS following her victory over Christina Linardatou for the undisputed super featherweight championship last July.
The WBC, which demands mandatory drug testing for its title fights has not publicly stated the terms of the suspension. However according to Boxrec.com, the Michigan-based fighter is indefinitely suspended by the Association of Boxing Commissions, an umbrella organization in the USA.
No official word has been released.
(Next week we look at the best fighters of the year and more)
More fight news
Argentina
Bantamweights Dayana Diaz (0-0-1) and Daiana Ortiz (1-0-1) fought to a draw after four rounds on Saturday Dec. 23. The match took place in Villa Carlos Paz.
Rocio Gatica (1-0) beat Daniela Arena (1-6) by decision after four rounds on Wednesday Dec. 20. The super lightweight bout was held at San Rafael.
Australia
Mariah Turner (4-0) defeated Flora Loga (0-3) by decision after six rounds on Wednesday Dec. 20. The lightweight match was held in Fortitude Valley.
Bangladesh
Brishti Khatun (2-0-1) won by majority decision after four rounds versus Nila Akter (0-1) on Monday Dec. 18. The super flyweight match was held in Dhaka.
Colombia
Angelica Araujo (1-1-1) knocked out Ericka Escobar (0-1) in the third round on Wednesday Dec. 20. The lightweight contest was held at Santa Marta.
On Saturday Dec. 30, super featherweights Kalliopi Kourouni (16-3-1) and Paulina Cardona (26-31-7) meet eight rounds at Cali.
Dominican Republic
Vivian Bianelis (6-0) defeated Bestalia Sanchez (12-3) by unanimous decision after 10 rounds on Wednesday Dec. 20. The regional featherweight title fight was held at Santo Domingo.
France
Megan Ouvrard (5-3-2) defeated Klaudia Ferenczi (20-107-10) by majority decision after six rounds on Friday Dec. 22. The bantamweight fight was held at La Rochell
Italy
Nadia Flalhi (6-4) defeated Erica Montalbini (1-1) by decision after six rounds on Saturday Dec. 23. The lightweight fight was held at Marche.
On Tuesday Dec. 26, middleweights Andrea Gomiero (3-0) and Klaudia Vigh (3-40-2) meet six rounds at Venice.
On Friday Dec. 29, flyweights Silvia Bignami (3-0) and Florencia Villarreal (1-1-1) meet six rounds at Rome.
Japan
Tomoko Okuda (8-5-2) knocked out Jittamat Phomta (2-2) in the second round on Sunday Dec. 24. The super flyweight match was held in Sakai.
On Tuesday Dec. 26, atomweights Honoka Kano (6-1-2) and Noa Sakamoto (5-0) meet eight rounds at Tokyo. Also, flyweights Miyuki Katsuya (3-3-2) and Ai Sugimoto (3-5-1) meet six; bantamweights Masako Numakura (0-3) and Chiyomi Wada (0-0) meet four; and flyweights Chiaki Yasui (2-1) and Ran Higuchi (1-2-2) meet four.
Poland
On Saturday Dec. 30, welterweights Johana Rochi (0-0) and Katerina Lisova (0-0) meet four rounds at Prague.
Switzerland
On Tuesday Dec. 26, flyweights Laura Wollenmann (8-1) and Clothilde Del Ben (5-2) meet 10 rounds for a regional title at Berne. Also, light flyweights Gabriela Timar (9-1) and Pimchanok Thepjanda (8-3) meet 10 rounds for a regional title.
Tanzania
On Tuesday Dec. 26, light flyweights Sara Alex (3-1-1) and Jesca Mfinanga (4-1-1) meet six rounds at Dar es Salaam.
Thailand
Kanyarat Nunoi (5-4) defeated Weerawan Koythong (0-3) by unanimous decision after eight rounds on Sunday Dec. 24. The minimumweight fight was held at Pathum Thani. Also, light flyweight Panumars Bubpamalo (1-3) beat Siriporn Chuduang (0-2) in six; atomweight Watcharaporn Namphon (8-1) knocked out Monthawee Srisongkhram (2-5) in three; flyweight Khwunchit Khunya (6-15-1) knocked out Palalee Worasiri (0-1) in three; and super featherweight Siriphon Chanbuala (16-14-2) knocked out Thitiyaporn Klaysuban (0-2) in four.
Samantha Quek (7-1) won by knockout over Pinthida Iamthuam (0-3) in the fourth round on Saturday Dec. 23. The super featherweight bout took place at Lam Luk Ka.
Nattarat Prempida (5-4-1) knocked out Nanthika Panyakhid (5-1) in the sixth round on Wednesday Dec. 20. The light flyweight match was held in Rangsit. Also, light flyweights Netnapa Sunthorn (3-0) knocked out Kulatida Thongpradub (0-5) in four; Praethip Pawuttinun (3-0) knocked out Oomsin Sohsit (0-3) in five.
On Thursday Dec. 28, flyweights Viviana Ruiz (7-1) and Phannaluk Kongsang (12-12-1) meet 10 rounds at Bangkok. Also, super flyweights Loetizia Campana (5-8) and Ketsara Jatpukdee (5-2) meet eight rounds; and super featherweights Jessica Adams (2-2-1) and Somwang Sawinchai (2-8-1) meet six rounds.
United Kingdom
Sian O’Toole (3-0) beat Beccy Ferguson (5-10) by decision after 10 rounds on Wednesday Dec. 20. The featherweight title fight took place in Birmingham, England. Also, super welterweight Omarah Taylor (1-0) beat Ester Konecna (3-25-2) by decision after six.
Uruguay
Monica Da Silva (1-0) knocked out Alejandra Herrera (0-2-1) in the first round on Friday Dec. 22. The featherweight fight took place in Montevideo. Also, super flyweight Maria Baquero (1-0) beat Rocio Rodriguez (0-3) by decision.