Mini Champs Seniesa Estrada and Yokasta Valle Battle for Big Bucks and Undisputed Championship
By David A. Avila
It’s taken 20 years for female prizefighters in the smaller divisions to arrive at this historical moment.
World titlists Seniesa “Super Bad” Estrada and Yokasta Valle become not only the first to battle for undisputed minimumweight status, but the first to crack six figure purses since Germany’s Regina Halmich and Daisy Lang clashed two decades ago.
This Friday, Estrada (25-0, 9 Kos) and Valle (30-2, 9 Kos) meet at the Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona, before more than 12,000 fans to decide who walks home with the IBF, WBA, WBC and WBO minimumweight world title belts. ESPN+ will stream the Top Rank card.
Both are also expected to make a total that exceeds several hundred thousand dollars.
No one below bantamweight has ever accomplished those two feats in America.
Back in 2004, Halmich was the queen of women’s boxing and her ability to sell out arenas in Germany attracted many of the best smaller weight fighters during that period. She fought Elena “Baby Doll” Reid, Wendy Rodriguez and rival Daisy Lang. All were massive attractions and brought the most lucrative purses of that period.
“Most of our money came from sponsors,” said Daisy Lang, who was one of Europe’s main headliners. “The biggest crowd for me was when I fought on a Vitali Klitschko fight. There were I think 25,000 fans.”
Reid, a former flyweight world champion from Arizona, recalls her two fights against Halmich in Germany as the best she ever experienced.
“There was a lot of exposure. Germany did such a great job. We were chauffeured around, Had bodyguards. Nothing close to that ever happened in my other fights,” said Reid who was based in Las Vegas during her fighting career.
When Regina Halmich visited Las Vegas this past October for the International Women’s Boxing Hall of Fame event, she spoke of her fighting days but due to a nondisclosure agreement contract, could not give out exact dollar amounts of her purses from her fights.
Rumors circulated that Halmich made near a million dollars a fight.
Both Halmich and Lang’s fights were more popular than men’s boxing in Germany and they were paid well. The pretty blonde fighters had many riveting clashes with contenders and proved that women prizefighters could sell.
After Halmich and Lang retired, women’s boxing in Germany did not do very well. But in Mexico, women’s boxing emerged with fighters like Ana Maria Torres, Jackie Nava and Mariana Juarez picking up the gauntlet. Though popular they did not achieve the same monetary levels as fighters in Germany.
It has been a long road for American female fighters to reach this point financially.
Perhaps the first real example that women’s prizefighting could succeed came with the arrival of first Gina Carano and then Rhonda Rousey in MMA. It was Rousey in particular who smashed any barriers that existed regarding the popularity of women fighting.
On February 13, 2013, at Honda Arena in Anaheim, California, Rousey became the first female fighter to perform for Ultimate Fighting Championship organization. Before a near sell-out crowd of 15,525 and 450,000 pay-per-views, Rousey defeated Lisa Carmouche. The crowd went into delirium.
Many current and former boxers like Lucia Rijker, Mia St. John and Christy Martin attended Rousey’s UFC debut. They all sat near the front row and were ecstatic to see females on such a large stage.
For years pundits claimed that women’s boxing would never succeed despite Rousey’s success in MMA. They claimed MMA was a different crowd than boxing. Yet, two years ago Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano smashed that theory to bits when they fought each other and sold-out Madison Square Garden while attracting millions of dollars in pay-per-views.
Arizona Now
When Estrada and Valle meet in the prize ring in Glendale, Arizona on Friday, they represent several generations of fighters in the flyweight divisions and lower that fought with very little exposure and sometimes no money.
Canada’s Vaia Zaganas was the first to ever win the WBA minimumweight world title in defeating America’ Stephanie Dobbs in April 2004. Sanctioning organizations like the WBA, WBC, IBF and WBO did not include women in their ratings before that time.
Zaganas never fought again despite winning the WBA world title and never received a belt from the organization.
During that period of time, in the early 2000s, women boxers outside of Germany seldom made more than $3,000.
Melinda Cooper, based in Las Vegas, Nevada, and the first native of that city to become world champion, was 19 when she defeated Anissa Zamarron for the flyweight world title in Rancho Mirage, California in January 2005. She made about $2,000 for her knockout win.
This week Estrada and Valle both are expected to make more than $200,000 each after their clash. It’s a vast improvement. Both fought for far less for many years before reaching world championship status.
Valle said there were fights that her team paid for the opponent. She understands the importance of this prizefight against Estrada.
“Its for the next generation of women,” said Valle while training in the Wild Card in Hollywood, California.
Estrada also expresses concern and responsibility for female boxing’s future.
“There are lots of little girls watching,” said Estrada. “They want to be boxers too.”
When Valle and Estrada meet in the boxing ring on Friday, they will be representing a huge leap forward for all female fighters in the smaller weight categories.
Long retired Elena Reid remembers her boxing period well.
“It was an expensive hobby,” said Reid.
Its not a hobby any longer for female prizefighters.
“Better late than never,” says Daisy Lang.
Other News
Sandy Ryan
Sandy Ryan’s technical knockout win over fellow countrywoman Terri Harper in defense of the IBF welterweight world title sets her up as the main cog in the now crowded division.
Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn said Ryan is now the central figure in the welterweight division that includes Natasha Jonas, Jessica McCaskill, and others.
Alesia Graf Dies
Sad news out of Germany. Former world champion Alesia Graf, 43, passed away on Monday it was announced. No details have been disclosed on her death.
Graf fought many of the best female fighters of her generation including Alicia Ashley, Zulina Munoz, Ana Maria Torres and Mariana Juarez. Her last match took place in 2019 against current WBC and WBO bantamweight titlist Dina Thorslund.
The German fighter was inducted into the International Women’s Boxing Hall of Fame.
More Fight News
Argentina
Rocio Gordillo (3-1) defeated Alejandra Herrera (0-3-1) by decision after four rounds on Saturday March 23. The lightweight bout was held in Junin.
Augustina Vazquez (3-1-1) won by unanimous decision after eight rounds on Saturday March 23. The light flyweight match took place in San Francisco Solano.
Lucia Perez (3-1) won by decision after four rounds versus Brenda Lorenzo (1-7) on Saturday March 23. The welterweight fight took place in Buenos Aires.
Australia
Ella Boot (6-0) knocked out Usanakorn Thawilsuhannawang (19-5) in the fifth round on Saturday March 23. The lightweight regional title fight was held at Condell Park. Also, super featherweight Jackie Troth (1-2) knocked out Jessica Adams (3-3-1) in the sixth; bantamweight Amber Amelia (4-3) beat Ali Jensen (0-8) in six;
Super featherweights Deanha Hobbs (11-2-1) and Tywarna Campbell (4-2-2) fought to a split draw after 10 rounds in a title fight on Saturday March 23, in Caloundra.
Che Kenneally (4-0) defeated Sequita Hemingway (2-5) by decision after eight rounds on Saturday March 23. The Australian heavyweight title fight took place at Ipswich. Also, middleweight Kaye Scott (2-0) beat Desley Robinson (5-3) by majority decision after eight rounds for the Australian title.
On Wednesday March 27, super flyweights Taylah Robertson (9-1) and Gloria Gallardo (14-2-2) meet for the IBO world title at New Farm. Also, featherweights Rebecca Hawker (7-0) and Jaala Tomat (3-3-1) meet eight rounds.
Canada
On Saturday March 30, welterweights Carolyn Redmond (6-2) and Beatriz Aguilar (7-9-1) meet six rounds at Hamilton. Also, super flyweights Meilyn Sanchez (0-0) and Soledad Macedo (17-18-1) meet four rounds.
Colombia
Elise Soto (2-0) knocked out Angi Romero (7-7) in the first round on Friday March 22. The featherweight fight was held at Carmen de Apicala.
Paola Rincon (7-3) knocked out Luisa Meza (0-8-1) in the first round on Thursday March 21. The super flyweight fight was held in Cali.
Tania Walters (5-3) knocked out Vanesa Estrada (1-2-1) in the first round on Tuesday March 19. The bantamweight fight was held at Santa Marta. Also, super lightweight Shamara Woods (7-0-1) knocked out Natalia Jimenez (1-3) in the fourth round.
France
Anissa Benyoub (7-3) beat Bojana Libiszewska (7-62) by decision after six rounds on Saturday March 23. The super lightweight fight took place at Castres.
Germany
Sarah Liegmann (10-0) defeated Ana Maria Lozano (24-13-1) by unanimous decision after 10 rounds on Saturday march 23. The featherweight title fight took place at Frankfurt. Also, super bantamweight Melina Maibaum (7-0) won by unanimous decision after eight rounds versus Oksana Romanova (10-36-1).
On Saturday March 30, super welterweights Victoria Stirnemann (0-0) and Sabine Hempel (0-7) meet four rounds at Erfurt.
Italy
Nina Radovanovic (18-4) defeated Martina Bernile (6-4-1) by split decision on Saturday March 23. The IBO light flyweight title match took place at Granozzo. Also, flyweight Chiara Gregoris (3-1) beat Sara Lombardi (3-1) in six.
Alessia Vitanza (3-5) knocked out Jessica Bellusci (5-2) in the eighth round on Friday March 22. The Italian featherweight title fight was held in Colleferro.
On Wednesday March 27, featherweights Jasmine De Felice (2-0) and Antonina Cuti (1-7) meet eight rounds at Pescara.
Japan
Minimumweights Mao Kamada (0-1-1) and Natsuki Yamada (1-1-2) fought to a draw after four rounds on Monday March 18. The minimumweight fight was held in Tokyo.
Mexico
On Friday March 29, featherweights Magali Rodriguez (23-7-4) and Yazmin Rivas (40-12-1) meet eight rounds at Coahuila de Zaragoza.
New Zealand
Bantamweights Anna Collie (1-0-1) and Christine Gillespie (0-0-1) fought to a split draw after eight rounds on Saturday March 23. The match took place at Porirua.
Philippines
Maria Pinili (6-0) beat Charimae Salvador (5-8) by unanimous decision after six rounds on Wednesday March 20. The light flyweight match took place at Lala.
South Africa
Nobengazi Booth (2-1) won by majority decision over Wendy Gcado (3-1-1) after four rounds on Friday March 22. The super middleweight fight was held in Durban.
On Sunday March 31, flyweights Okuhle Mthi (2-0-1) and Precious Msibi (1-0) meet six rounds East London.
Spain
Maite Botella (1-1) defeated Griselda Torollari (3-3) by majority decision after six rounds on Saturday March 23. The flyweight match was held at Picanya.
Switzerland
On Friday March 29, light flyweights Gabriela Timar (10-1) and Sarafina Bela (6-6-1) meet 10 rounds at Berne.
Thailand
Thanchanok Phanan (19-9) defeated Porchita Seehaburan (10-4) by unanimous decision after eight rounds on Sunday March 24. The featherweight match was held in Pathum Thani. Also, super featherweight Noppaket Srisawas (8-1) knocked out Thitayaporn Klaysuban (0-4) in three.
Nitinart Plabplerng (7-2) knocked out Tassana Paladsrichuay (4-17) in the third round on Sunday March 24. The light flyweight fight took place at Si Sa Ket.
On Thursday March 28, light flyweights Hin Ting Chan (4-0) and Kanyarat Nunoi (6-4) meet 10 rounds at Bangkok. Also, super flyweights Loetizia Campana (6-8) and Saowaluk Nareepangsri (17-23) meet eight rounds.
On Saturday March 30, super flyweights Angelina Lukas (7-1) and Thanyarat Jaiklom (6-0) meet six rounds at Bangkok. Also, Phannalok Kongsang (13-13-1) and Jittamat Phomta (3-2) meet six; and flyweights Jessebelle Pagaduan (12-2-1) and Panumad Bubpamalo (3-3) meet six.
Ukraine
Tetiana Dovhal (1-0) won by technical knockout of Oksana Bondarenko (5-1) in the second round on Saturday March 23. The super featherweight bout was held in Lviv. Also, bantamweight Anastasia Petrenko (2-0) knocked out Viktoriya Kovalchuk (0-1) in the first round.
United Kingdom
Sandy Ryan (7-1-1) won by knockout over Terri Harper in the fourth round on Saturday March 23. The WBO welterweight fight took place in Sheffield.
Johanna Wonyou (10-0) defeated Kira Carter (0-5-1) by decision after six rounds on Saturday March 23. The bantamweight fight was held in Newark.
Beccy Ferguson (6-10) won by decision after 10 rounds versus Amy Greatorex (1-6) on Saturday March 23. The British super featherweight title fight took place at Stoke-on-Trent.
Jessica Barry (4-1) won by decision over Lenka Volejnikova (3-2) in a six round fight on Thursday march 21. The super featherweight fight took place at Cannock.
USA
Melanie Costa (3-0) beat Sarah Click (1-7-1) by decision after four rounds on Saturday March 23. The featherweight fight was held in Lincoln, Rhode Island.
Nikki Hru (2-0) defeated Amy Statham (0-2) by decision after five rounds on Saturday March 23. The lightweight fight was held at Nashville, Tenn.
On Friday March 29, minimumweights Seniesa Estrada (25-0) and Yokasta Valle (30-2) meet 10 rounds for the undisputed minimumweight world championship at Glendale, Arizona. ESPN+ will stream the Top Rank card.
On Friday March 29, super welterweights Oshae Jones (5-0) and Sonya Dreiling (6-4) meet 10 rounds at Atlanta, Georgia.
On Saturday March 30, super flyweights LeAnna Cruz (7-0) and Beata Dudek (3-1) meet six rounds at Chester, Pennsylvania.
On Saturday March 30, super middleweights Mary Casamassa (4-0) and Olivia Gerula (19-20-3) meet 10 rounds for a regional title at Harmony, Pennsylvania.