Claressa Shields, Layla McCarter and More Female Fight News

 

By David A. Avila

If you win titles from middleweight to heavyweight like Claressa Shields, you definitely qualify as the baddest woman on the planet.

Over the decades I’ve seen them all come and go. Legendary fighters like Laila Ali, Ann Wolfe, Christy Martin, Holly Holm, Melinda Cooper and Regina Halmich from the pros. And even amateurs that did not have a pro career but were outstanding boxers like Elizabeth Quevedo.

Shields is definitely one of the greatest of all time.

Forget about matching Shields with seven-division world titlist Amanda Serrano. The size disparity between the two is far too much. Consider that the Puerto Rican fighter won a title at 115 pounds.

Shields is nearly six-feet tall. Serrano is four inches above five feet in height and far too small in body mass. Even undisputed flyweight champion Gabriela Fundora is taller than Serrano.

I don’t hear anyone clamoring to match Fundora with Shields, who is about the same height. That makes more sense, but Fundora doesn’t have the same body mass as Shields.

Once again, it’s all about body mass.

This past Sunday, Shields showcased the boxing skills that have enabled her to win super welterweight, middleweight, super middleweight, light heavyweight and heavyweight world titles.

Shields is now the undisputed heavyweight world champion. That means she can beat any woman, any size in the boxing ring. Anyone.

Who is out there that can challenge her?

Too bad Amanda Serrano is too small, but a match with Shields would have been epic.

You simply can’t match Serrano, who won a title as a super flyweight at 115 pounds with Shields, who has never fought below 147. The size disparity is too much. It doesn’t matter if you bring Serrano up in size. She is too small in body mass.

After Shield’s decisive win over heavyweight challenger Danielle Perkins, the Flint, Michigan native mentioned several possibilities such as Franchon Crews-Dezurn, Hanna Gabriels, Savanna Marshall, and others.

Of those mentioned, she fought all three and defeated them. But they would sell.

Perhaps the first professional encounter when she met Crews in Las Vegas caught people by surprise. You never see an Olympic gold medalist let alone a two-time Olympic gold medalist fight someone as tough and experienced as Crews. They blasted each other for four furious rounds like cats and dogs. It was fierce and that was back in 2016.

Imagine a rematch.

Since that first meeting, Crews has won multiple super middleweight world titles including undisputed super middleweight. Crews, who calls herself “Big Mama,” can truly fight. Another clash with Shields would be a maximum intensity battle.

Another former foe of Shields is Costa Rica’s Gabriels. She is the only foe that can brag of knocking down Shields.

They were supposed to fight about two years ago, but a positive PED test forced a cancellation of their rematch. They still have unfinished business. Gabriels recently fought at the end of December. But before that she had a three-year absence from the boxing ring. She can punch as her 13 knockouts can attest.

A third former foe who might fancy a heavyweight championship challenge is United Kingdom’s Marshall. The tall British slugger is the last boxer that can claim a victory over Shields. That was during their amateur days and things are different now in the pros. They met over two years ago and Shields won by decision. But it was one of the few times that any opponent could claim winning multiple rounds against Shields.

All three are strong possibilities and worth a rematch.

It’s Claressa’s call.

 

Layla McCarter Saga

Las Vegas fighter Layla “Amazing” McCarter (47-13-5, 13 Kos) knocked out Paulina Cardona (26-35-7) in the fourth round on Saturday Feb. 1. The welterweight fight took place at Jiutepec in the state of Morelos in Mexico.

She hasn’t lost a fight in 18 years.

It was McCarter’s second consecutive knockout win and second in Mexico. Winning in Mexico is not particularly difficult, but winning by knockout is not easy. Mexican girls are resilient.

McCarter, 45, has never stopped fighting but has never been able to lure a marquee fight with any world champion or challenger. She is too good for challengers and poses a threat to world champions who gain nothing from fighting her.

She has had offers but the conditions her team wanted could not be met. Time is running out. McCarter has boxing skills but reflexes don’t last forever, especially in the 40s.

McCarter seems best suited for welterweight or above. She has won a WBA super welterweight world title in the past by knockout. Look it up on YouTube. She has also fought three-minute rounds and 12-round fights.

A dearth of fighters exist in the welterweight divisions and above. Some fighters are fighting rematches with due to a lack of marquee match ups.

McCarter is one of the living legends and hasn’t lost a fight in 18 years. No other fighter can say that. Nobody.

 

More Fight News

Argentina

Andrea Sanchez (11-4-1) won by unanimous decision after 10 rounds versus Erika Bolivar (7-4-1) on Saturday Feb. 1. The light flyweight match was held in Villa La Paz.

Sofia Rodriguez (6-9) beat Brenda Lorenzo (1-9) in four rounds on Friday Jan. 31. The welterweight fight took place in La Prida.

Milagros Ramirez (17-1) beat Daniela Herrera (10-5-2) in four; the lightweight match was held in Buenos Aires. Also, flyweight Melany Maidana (2-1) beat Camila Norry (1-1) in four.

 

Australia

Sacha Ryan Dryden (2-1) defeated Stasia Waimaria (2-1) by split decision after six rounds on Saturday Feb. 1. The Australian featherweight title match was held in Loganholme. Also, bantamweight Mili Saul (1-0) beat Deanne Gibson (0-2) in six.

 

Belgium

Oshin Derieuw (20-0) beat Mahjouba Oubtil (5-5-2) by decision after eight rounds on Saturday Feb. 1. The welterweight fight took place in West Vlaanderen.

 

Canada

Gisela Luna (4-6-1) defeated Sophie La Grand (0-1) in four rounds on Friday Jan. 31. The welterweight match took place in Montreal.

 

Mexico

Layla McCarter (47-13-5, 13 Kos) knocked out Paulina Cardona (26-35-7) in the fourth round on Saturday Feb. 1. The welterweight fight took place at Jiutepec in Morelos.

 

Poland

Adrianna Jedrzejczyk (4-0) beat Estheliz Hernandez (7-3) in six rounds on Friday Jan. 31. The welterweight fight took place in Zyrardow.

 

Spain

Natalia Francesca (7-4) won by decision after six rounds versus Debora Rengifo (19-15-1) on Saturday Feb. 1. The bantamweight fight was held in Sant Andreu de la Barca.

 

Thailand

Jaki Toth (2-3) knocked out Pinmai Photjanasuk (0-1) in the first round on Saturday Feb. 1. The featherweight fight was held in Bangkok.

Sevgi Dogan (1-0) defeated Ranee Klinratree (3-6) in four rounds by decision on Friday Jan. 31. The super flyweight match took place in Pattaya.

 

United Kingdom

Maisey Rose Courtney (8-1) beat Jasmina Nad (11-34-5) by decision after six rounds on Friday Jan. 31. The flyweight fight took place in London.

 

USA

Claressa Shields (16-0) defeated Danielle Perkins (5-1) by unanimous decision after 10 rounds on Sunday Feb. 2. The undisputed heavyweight world championship fight took place in Flint, Mich. Also, featherweight Caroline Veyre (9-1) beat Carmen Vargas (5-3-1) in eight; super lightweight Samantha Worthington (11-0) beat Vaida Masiokaite (10-27-6) in eight; and super bantam Ashleyann Lozada (1-0) beat Denise Moran (3-1).

Lohan Holler (10-3-1) won by split decision after six rounds versus Kaitlin LaVigne (3-4-1) on Saturday Feb. 1. The middleweight fight was held in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Also, super fly Evelyn Romo (2-0) beat Wendy Villegas (2-5) in four.

Gabriela Tellez (4-0) defeated Abril Anguiano (4-1) by decision after six rounds on Saturday Feb. 1. The featherweight fight took place in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Stevie Morgan (15-2) won by unanimous decision after eight rounds against Marisa Portillo (21-20-3) on Thursday Jan. 30. The lightweight fight took place in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Also, bantamweight Anyela Lopez (4-2-1) beat Nicole Chilsom (5-2) in six.