Sandy Ryan and Mikaela Mayer Lead Female Boxing Explosion and More
(Photo by JP Yim)
By David A. Avila
Three world title fights lead a heavy dose of women’s boxing this weekend.
It starts in Manhattan with England’s Sandy Ryan defending the WBO welterweight title against American challenger Mikaela Mayer.
Ryan (7-1-1, 3 Kos) makes a defense of the title against former super featherweight titlist Mayer (19-2, 5 Kos) on Friday Sept. 27, at Madison Square Garden in New York City. ESPN will show the Top Rank card live.
Moving up in weight has been helpful to both fighters who are usually much taller than their opposition. In this fight they will be eye to eye.
Both have strong amateur backgrounds.
Amateur boxing develops sound fundamentals but it can also lead to bad habits in punching. I call it slap fighting. Too many amateurs do not clench their fists when punching after years of trying to be fast, but not powerful
Pro fighting is the hurting game.
Don’t expect slapping with these two.
Ryan blew out former champion Terri Harper with a strong two-fisted attack last March in Sheffield. In a match expected to be close, Ryan proved the move up in weight had added more strength to her punching and overall power.
A year earlier, she battled former undisputed welterweight champion Jessica McCaskill to a draw. Many observers felt she defeated the Chicago fighter after 10 rounds in Orlando, Florida. No matter, Ryan holds the WBO title now.
Mayer has tasted defeat by split decision twice in two years. Both of those losses took place in the United Kingdom. They were valiant efforts and proved her ability to attract and entertain fans, even in Great Britain.
This will be Mayer’s first fight in America in over two years. While others refused to fight the effusive blonde athlete on her home turf, she eagerly accepted the challenges abroad. Now, she finally returns to perform on native soil.
Ryan and Mayer fight with similar passion. It should be explosive.
Down South
About 870 miles south, in Atlanta, Georgia, a WBC super featherweight world title fight between Alycia Baumgardner (15-1, 7 Kos) and Delfine Persoon (49-3, 19 Kos) takes place on Friday Sept. 27 at Trilith Studios Town Stage. BrinxTV will stream the all-women event by Global Combat Collective. You need to register to watch.
Baumgardner is a well-balanced athlete with technical prowess not often seen in women’s boxing. She relies more on counter-punching with power than a flurry of fast punches. Balance is her strength that comes from a wrestling background.
Her best wins came in her knockout win over Terri Harper and shutout victory over Argentina’s tough Edith Matthysse.
Can she defeat the punching machine Persoon?
Former world champion Persoon has proven again and again she unleashes volley after volley of blows until her foes surrender. There are no rest periods against Persoon. She possesses a truckload of never-ending energy as seen in her fights against Katie Taylor and others.
Will Baumgardner’s power shots stop Persoon’s expected onslaught?
At least five other female bouts are scheduled on the fight card including undefeated Rosalinda Rodriguez and Natalie Dove among others.
Saturday in Sheffield
WBO lightweight titlist Rhiannon Dixon defends the WBO lightweight title against former champion Terri Harper on Saturday Sept. 28, in Sheffield, England. DAZN will stream the Matchroom Boxing card.
Dixon is a southpaw from Chesire, England with power and defeated Argentina’s rugged Karen Carabajal for the world title last April in England. She has all the tools including speed but tends to enter the firing zone with her head down. It causes butts.
Harper, formerly held the super featherweight and super welterweight titles, but since losing to Alycia Baumgardner a few years back, she does not have that snap in her punches any more. Still, she is well-schooled and has faced elite competition such as Natasha Jonas, Sandy Ryan, and Cecilia Braekhus.
Though Harper is the younger fighter at 27, she’s experienced much tougher battles than Dixon, 29, who is the fresher less battered pugilist.
More Fight News
Argentina
Eugenia Poma (7-0) knocked out Daiana Belen (0-4) in the fifth round on Saturday Sept. 21. The bantamweight fight was held in 9 de Julio.
Luz Cordoba (1-2-1) beat Adriana Klein (0-1) in four rounds on Friday Sept. 20. The featherweight match was held in Coronel Moldes.
On Saturday Sept. 28, lightweights Karen Carabajal (22-2) and Lorena Agoutborde (5-7-4) meet 10 rounds for the Argentine title at Avellaneda.
On Saturday Sept. 28, minimumweights Sol Cudos (8-0-2) and Mercedes Reyna (4-0-3) meet 10 rounds for the South American title at Buenos Aires.
Australia
Krystina Jacobs (8-5) won by decision after six rounds versus Ayisha Abied (2-7-1) on Saturday Sept. 21. The featherweight match was held in Hobart. Also, welterweight Kayla McKeown (1-0-1) beat Sera Bolatini (0-2) in four.
Austria
Marianne Ahlborg (8-1) beat Johana Rochl (2-3) by decision after six rounds on Saturday Sept. 21. The super welterweight fight was held in Vienna.
Canada
Melinda Watpool (7-0) defeated Natasha Spence (8-6-2) by unanimous decision after 10 rounds on Friday Sept. 20. The middleweight fight was held in Pickering.
Colombia
Josefina Travecedo (3-2) knocked out Lucia Cueto (0-1) in the second round on Tuesday Sept. 17. The welterweight fight was held in Santa Marta.
Flor Rodriguez (3-0) knocked out Natalia Borja (0-7) in the third round on Sunday Sept. 15. The super bantamweight match took place in Carmen di Apicala.
Czech Republic
On Saturday Sept. 28, welterweights Johana Rochi (2-3) and Natalie Pavlatova (0-1) meet four rounds at Nad Labem.
Germany
Dilar Kisikyol (11-0) won by unanimous decision after 10 rounds against Djemilla Gontaruk (16-11-2) on Saturday Sept. 21. The regional lightweight title fight was held in Hamburg. Also, lightweight Mei Li Folk (3-0) knocked out Klara Kankova (0-2) in one round.
Hungary
On Friday Sept. 27, flyweights Diana Csiki (0-3) and Alexandra Vadasz (0-0) meet four rounds at Nagvvenyim.
Ireland
Shauna O’Keeffe (3-0) knocked out Valgerdur Gudsteinsdottir (7-6) in the fourth round on Friday Sept. 20. The lightweight fight was held in Dublin.
Italy
On Saturday Sept. 28, flyweights Francesca Sirignano (0-0) and Adelasia Chilleri (0-3) meet six rounds at Campania.
Japan
On Friday Sept. 27, atomweights Yukiya Mine (0-0) and Komi Sato (0-0) meet four rounds at Tokyo.
On Sunday Sept. 29, atomweights Yuko Kuroki (22-8-2) and Wisuta Sririttidet (7-3) meet eight rounds at Fukuchimachi. Also, Ena Sakai (1-1) and Ako Nakamura (0-2) meet four.
New Zealand
Emma Nesbitt (5-1) knocked out Khwunchit Khunya (6-17-1) in the fourth round on Friday Sept. 20. The light flyweight fight was held in Auckland.
Serbia
Maja Pandurov (2-2-1) defeated Gordana Milovanov (0-2) by decision after four rounds on Sunday Sept. 22. The super bantamweight fight was held in Majdanpek. Also, lightweight Nadja Milijancevic (1-0) beat Jelena Bokan (0-2) in four.
Singapore
Wann Chee Wai Kei (2-0) knocked out Dea Ananda Nur (0-1) in two rounds on Thursday Sept. 19. The flyweight fight was held in Singapore.
South Korea
On Saturday Sept. 28, light flyweights Eun Young Lee (1-2) and Hyo Nam Wang (0-1) meet four rounds at Incheon.
Spain
Ioana Fecioru (7-2) defeated Immacolata Mancusi (0-11-1) by decision after six rounds on Saturday Sept. 21. The super lightweight fight was held in Alfafar.
Sheila Martinez (8-3) beat Enerolisa De Leon (8-7-2) in eight rounds on Friday Sept. 20. The featherweight match was held in Pobla de Pallbona.
On Friday Sept. 27, lightweights Natalie Zimmermann (12-0) and Katerina Dvorakova (2-3) meet 10 rounds at La Eliana.
On Saturday Sept. 28, super featherweights Teresa Makinen (0-0) and Clara Lopez (0-0) meet six rounds at Canals.
Tanzania
On Friday Sept. 27, bantamweights Egine Kayange (10-8) and Nadia Fredy (0-3) meet eight rounds at Dar es Salaam.
On Saturday Sept. 28, flyweights Jesca Mfinanga (5-3-1) and Jivunieni Kisarawe (0-1-1) meet eight rounds at Dar es Salaam.
Uganda
On Saturday Sept. 28, bantamweights Sandra Attermo (1-4) and Phionah Naigaga (0-1) meet six rounds at Jinja.
United Kingdom
On Friday Sept. 27, super lightweights Hannah Robinson (1-0) and Laura Reoyo (2-1) meet six rounds at London.
On Friday Sept. 27, super bantamweights Tysie Gallagher (8-2) and Tori-Ellis Willetts (5-0) meet 10 rounds at Sheffield for a regional title.
On Saturday Sept. 28, featherweights Ebonie Jones (5-0-1) and Consolata Musanga (12-6-4) meet 10 rounds at Portsmouth.
On Saturday Sept. 28, bantamweights Julia Lee (1-0) and Gemma Ruegg (7-12-1) meet six rounds at London.
On Saturday Sept. 28, super flyweights Sasha Booker (0-0) and Kira Carter (0-10-1)
On Saturday Sept. 28, lightweights Rhiannon Dixon (10-0) and Terri Harper (14-2-2) meet 10 rounds for the WBO world title at Sheffield.
USA
Suzana Rodriguez (3-0) won by decision after six rounds versus Simone Aparecida (17-35) on Saturday Sept. 21. The welterweight fight took place in Indianapolis, Ind.
On Friday Sept. 27, super featherweights Alycia Baumgardner (15-1) and Delfine Persoon (49-3) meet 10 rounds for the WBC and IBO world titles at Fayetteville, Georgia. Also, bantams Rosalinda Rodriguez (13-0) vs Amy Naert (10-3); super feathers Nicole Schaefer (3-0-1) vs Mariya Agapova (0-0); super flys Natalie Dove (3-0) vs Laddy Mejia (0-0-1); Issabel Vazquez (0-0) vs Crystal Van Wyk (0-0); super lights Stephanie Simon (0-0) vs Claudia Zamora (0-0); Samantha Ginithan (0-0) vs Martyna Krol (0-0); Yvonne Flores (0-0) vs Katharina Lehner (0-0).
On Friday Sept. 27, welterweights Sandy Ryan (7-1-1) and Mikaela Mayer (19-2) meet 10 rounds in Brooklyn, NY. For the WBO world title. ESPN will show the Top Rank card.
On Saturday Sept. 28, bantamweights Chantel Navarro (1-0) and Tarrethia Dixon (1-2) meet six rounds in Los Angeles.
On Saturday Sept. 28, super flyweights LeAnna Cruz (8-0) and Mailys Gangloff (10-4) meet eight rounds in Philadelphia, Pa. Also, super bantams Johanna Wonyou (10-0) and Josefina Vega (9-9) meet six; and bantams Shera Mae Patricio (1-0) and Magnanamay Delgado (0-1) meet four.