Valentine’s Day Special: Mizuki Hiruta and Others You Should Know
By David A. Avila
You should know these names.
If you are a fan of women’s boxing these names should be familiar such as Katie Taylor, Amanda Serrano, Claressa Shields and Chantelle Cameron. That’s just an introduction.
Ten years ago, only Serrano was fighting professionally and back then only a handful of people knew about her. Today, it’s a different story as she has ascended to the top of the fight game by engaging in some of the most pivotal moments in women’s boxing.
Of course, she did not do it alone.
Serrano’s battle against Katie Taylor, two years ago at Madison Square Garden in New York City, remains the Big Bang moment in women’s pro boxing. It was the contest that proved that female prizefighting could match and even outshine men’s boxing.
Along with Serrano, Taylor and Shields, others have emerged in the smaller weight classes and they are about to crash the upper tier. Here they are:
Seniesa “Super Bad” Estrada is another who has been fighting professionally for more than 10 years. Aside from having a unique fighting style and razor-sharp reflexes, the diminutive fighter from East Los Angeles has amazing power for 102 pounds. If she were able to compete in three-minute rounds instead of two-minute rounds it would be safe to say her resume would have many more wins via knockout.
Yokasta Valle from Costa Rica will be fighting Estrada in late March for the undisputed minimumweight world championship. It’s a match that could vault the smaller weight fighters to bigger heights. Valle has superb speed with both her hands and feet and an enormous endurance capacity. Like Estrada, she does not shy away from accepting challenges from anyone in her weight classes. She has fought many of the best already including now-retired Naoko Fujioka of Japan and Argentina’s Evelin Bermudez. She continues to improve.
Kenia Enriquez of Mexico has been one of the best fighters on earth for a decade. She doesn’t receive nearly enough recognition. Her name is known by every female fighter and especially by those with a world title. The flyweight fighter from Tijuana has been waiting patiently for someone brave enough to accept her challenge. Some consider Enriquez the true best female fighter pound for pound. She doesn’t have blinding speed or tremendous power. Instead, she has a natural ability to fight and has added more offensive and defensive skills to her repertoire every single year.
Mizuki Hiruta of Japan emerged just recently and already grabbed a world title at super flyweight. With her pink-colored hair and ready smile, Hiruta has crowds curious to see her in her native country. But she is ready for the rest of the world to catch a glimpse at why she is quickly moving to the elite level. She’s strong and agile and has the innate ability to discover other’s weaknesses. Hiruta also is quick to learn new things. She could easily be Japan’s next boxing super star. Move over Naoya Inoue.
Tsunami Tenkai is another Japanese fighter of note. She has already captured numerous world titles and in many opinions gave Seniesa Estrada her toughest test. The diminutive fighter with blonde hair fights like her nickname Tsunami. She’s a cyclone in the prize ring and can fire off a four-punch combination in the blink of an eye. She has a fearless approach and incredible endurance.
Dina Thorslund of Denmark has dominated two weight classes since turning professional in 2015. First, she beat up the super bantamweights. But when none of the other big names would face her, she then dropped down to bantamweight and is terrorizing that division too. The bleach blonde fighter is a dynamo in the ring and could move back up to super bantamweight if she chose.
Tina Rupprecht of Germany recently defeated Czech fighter Fabiana Bytyqi in a battle of Europe’s two best mini-flyweights. Rupprecht had just suffered her first defeat to Seniesa Estrada but was willing to jump back in the ring to challenge Bytyqi. The blonde known as “Tiny Tina” emerged victorious and now holds the atomweight world title at 102 pounds.
Ellie Scotney of England was one of those rare fighters who right out of the chute displayed eye-opening abilities. She has a blend of aggressiveness and athleticism that she uses better and better every fight. It’s no accident she holds a world title at super bantamweight. Scotney has a big unification match with France’s Segolene Lefebvre in April at Manchester, England.
Yesica “Tuti” Bopp of Argentina has long been one of her country’s legendary fighters. Now 39, she has lost the speed that set her apart from others in the lower weight classes. But she hasn’t lost the skills and is ready to make a charge to another world title. Can she do it?
These are all female fighters in the lower weight classes that have been recognized as the very best at 122 and below. There are others.
More Fight News
Argentina
Karen Carabajal (22-1) defeated Edith Matthysse (17-16-1) by decision after 10 rounds on Saturday Feb. 10. The South American super featherweight title match took place at Cutral Co.
Australia
Bec Moss (2-2) won by decision after six rounds versus Sarah Higginson (4-5-1) on Saturday Feb. 10. The light flyweight bout took place at Adelaide.
On Saturday Feb. 17, super bantamweights Sarah Watt (3-5-2) and Ali Jensen (0-6) meet four rounds at Woden.
Colombia
Shamara Woods (5-0-1) knocked out Lizeth Porto (1-3) in the first round on Saturday Feb. 10. The lightweight match was held in Santa Marta. Also, lightweight Clarena Julio (5-2) knocked out Valentina Angarita (0-2) in two. It was her second fight and second knockout win in five days.
Shamara Woods (4-0-1) knocked out Angelica Araujo (1-2-1) in one round on Monday Feb. 5. The lightweight fight was held in Santa Marta. Also, welterweight Karen Fernandez (1-1) beat Josefina Travecedo (0-1) in four.
India
On Sunday Feb. 18, super bantamweights Gargi Chahal (2-0) and Bhumika Chaudhry (1-0) meet six rounds at Abohar. Also, flyweights Prihanshu Kamboj (1-0) and Mehakpreet Mehakpreet (0-2) meet four rounds; and minimumweights Rupika Rani (1-1) and Navneet Kaur (0-0) meet four rounds.
Italy
On Saturday Feb. 17, bantamweights Simona Salvatori (9-1) and Svitlana Vasylevska (4-5) meet 10 rounds at Zagarolo for a regional title.
On Saturday Feb. 17, lightweights Elena Gelsi (0-0) and Immacolata Mancusi (0-5-1) meet six rounds at Savignano sul Rubicone.
Japan
On Friday Feb. 16, minimumweights Megumi Watanabe (2-0-4) and Sazanami Valu (3-0) meet six rounds at Tokyo.
Nigeria
On Saturday Feb. 17, super bantamweights Adijat Gbadamosi (8-0) and Salimat Tibesigwa (8-2) meet 10 rounds at Awka.
Spain
Light flyweights Keylin Maradiaga (6-0-1) and Federica Macri (1-0-1) fought to a majority draw after five rounds on Saturday Feb. 10. The light flyweight fight took place at Madrid.
Christina Navarro (4-2) won by decision after eight rounds against Consuelo Portolani (5-5) on Saturday Feb. 10. The light flyweight fight took place at Palma De Mallorca.
Thailand
Pannaporn Kaewpawong (3-0) beat Pattarawan Thaosuwan (12-5) by decision after eight rounds on Sunday Feb. 11. The super bantamweight fight was held in Pathum Thani. Also, super fly Sukanya Wiriya (3-0) knocked out Chanyanuch Kadkeaw (0-3) in two; minimumweights Muthita Iamsaard (10-1) knocked out Pichada Bunmee (1-4) in three and Kanyarat Nunoi (6-4) knocked out Siriporn Chuduang (0-3) in two; light flyweight Siriporn Taweesuk (43-5) knocked out Boonsita Charoensuk (0-2) in one; lightweight Noppaket Srisawas (7-1) knocked out Thitiyaporn Klaysuban (0-3) in four; super fly Peeyalux Sanpokang (6-2) knocked out Pornthip Khamthongphanow (0-2) in two; flyweight Saowaluk Nareepangsri (17-23) knocked out Prawpan Pudklay (0-2) in two; and super bantam Wanasanan Onoot (1-0) beat Khwanrudee Ngamta (0-2) by decision after four.
Ramandeep Kaur (13-3) knocked out Paksa Upatam (4-5) in three on Monday Feb. 5. The minimumweight fight was held at Lam Luk Ka. Also, light flyweights Nattarat Prempida (7-4-1) knocked out Kulatida Thongpradub (0-7) in the fifth; and Netnapa Sunthorn (5-0) knocked out Irada Suparsakon (2-7) in four; and Praethip Pawuttinum (5-0) knocked out Kannika Bangnara (1-13) in four.
United Kingdom
Shannon Ryan (7-0) defeated Jasmina Zapotoczna (6-1) by unanimous decision after 10 rounds on Saturday Feb. 10. The regional super flyweight title fight took place at London, England.
Amy Andrew (6-0) defeated Vaida Masiokaite (8-22-5) by decision after six rounds on Saturday Feb. 10. The lightweight fight was held in Brentwood, England. Also, Harli Whitwell (4-0) beat Angelika Oles (2-10) after six.
Ellie Hellewell (4-0) won by decision after six rounds against Jamillette Janitza (2-11-2) on Saturday Feb. 10. The featherweight match was held at Barnsley, England.
Stevi Levy (10-2) defeated Dorota Norek (7-4) by majority decision after 10 rounds on Friday Feb. 9. The super bantamweight regional title fight was held at Sheffield, England.
On Saturday Feb. 17, super featherweights Victoria Perkins (1-0) and Linzi Buczynskyj (4-3) meet six rounds at Swansea, Wales. Also, Ashleigh Johnson (1-0) and Jamillette Janitza (2-11-2) meet six rounds.
USA
On Friday Feb. 16, bantamweights Alexis Bolduc (0-0) and Chelsea LaGrasse (0-0) meet four rounds at Melrose, Mass.
(Photo by David Avila)