Welterweight Changes in England and More News and Notes
By David A. Avila
A cosmic shift took place for welterweights in London, England.
Welsh fighter Lauren Price (9-0, 2 Kos) established dominance as a welterweight champion with a convincing win over Liverpool’s Natasha Jonas (16-3-1) to grasp most of the sanctioning world titles last week.
The Tokyo Olympic gold medalist took giant steps in the last year with wins over Jessica McCaskill, Bexcy Mateus and now Jonas.
Price’s victory answered a lot of questions.
With two other welterweights Mikaela Mayer and Sandy Ryan ready to clash for the remaining WBO world title belt in Las Vegas at the end of the month, that victor will most certainly accept a showdown in the near future with Price.
This is a special core of women.
Mayer, Ryan, Price, Jonas and Harper all arrived around the same time from lower weight classes and now seem settled in the 147-pound weight division. Eventually, all will most certainly move up to super welterweight and beyond.
It’s in the middleweight territory where matchups can really become interesting, especially if multi-division champion Claressa Shields can continue to make 160-pounds.
Shields, who turns 30 on St. Patrick’s Day, emptied out the middleweight division with wins over Hanna Gabriels, Hannah Rankin, Femke Hermans, Christina Hammer, Ema Kozin and Savannah Marshall.
It was like General Sherman marching through Georgia in the U.S. Civil War. Shields laid destruction to everyone she met in the middleweight division. It was thorough and complete. No one argued that super welterweights and super middleweights could fare any better.
Now a new crop of challengers have emerged.
Could Shields be the ultimate challenge for the welterweight queens?
Many of the top welterweights are ranked in most boxing publications Pound for Pound list. Many consider Shields to be at the very top of that same list. She is the ultimate test for any female fighter and has been since first turning professional.
And let’s not count out the amateurs.
You never know which fighters will emerge to be the newest Shields, Price or Mayer.
Shannon Courtenay
Former bantamweight champion Shannon Courtenay returns to the boxing ring as a super feather this Friday March 14. Courtenay (8-3) and Bec Connolly (3-21) meet six rounds at Liverpool.
The Covid-19 period was pivotal for Courtenay who thrived during the shutdown with her fights against Rachel Ball, Dorota Norek and Ebanie Bridges shown internationally. But making the 118-pound weight limit ended her bantamweight title reign when she failed to make the cut against Jamie Mitchell. She lost the belt on the weight scale and was defeated in the boxing ring on October 2019.
Courtenay’s last win was two years ago over Gemma Ruegg by decision. This past October she lost a decision to Catherine Tacone. Can the blonde hitter return to form?
Perhaps her most memorable fight was against Bridges four years ago. It was a shootout that proved the Aussie fighter was no joke and that Courtenay was a world class fighter. She is only 31 years old.
More Fight News
Argentina
Evelin Bermudez (21-1-1) defeated Tsunami Tenkai (32-14-1) by unanimous decision after 10 rounds on Saturday March 8. The IBF and WBO light flyweight title fight took place in San Lorenzo. Also, Gabriela Alaniz (16-2) defeated Graciela Cortes (6-9-2) by decision after 10 rounds. Alaniz is the former flyweight world titlist. Plus, super bantam Ludmila Corbalan (4-0) beat Victoria Romero (0-6) in four.
Luz Cordoba (2-2-1) beat Romina Nunez (2-5) in six rounds on Friday March 7. The featherweight fight took place in San Luis. Also, super lightweights Leila Robledo (1-0-1) and Rocio Gatica (1-2-1) drew after four.
Australia
On Wednesday March 12, super flyweights Linn Sandstrom (9-3-3) and Yoselin Fernandez (16-6) meet 10 rounds for a regional title at Sydney.
On Saturday March 15, super welters Kaitlyn Lodge (1-3-1) and Tara Enoka (1-1) meet five rounds at Bonnyrigg. Also, light heavyweights Melissa Sarkis (0-0) and Natthawadee Sommanat (0-1) meet four.
Austria
On Saturday March 15, lightweights Patricia Lager (2-0-1) and Fani Vilicic (0-3-1) meet four rounds at Maria Enzersdorf.
Canada
Sara Bailey (6-0) won after 10 rounds versus Cristina Navarro (6-3) on Friday March 7. The light flyweight fight took place in Toronto.
Colombia
Jaica Pavilus (6-7-1) knocked out Yusbely Torrealba (1-8-1) in the second round on Saturday March 8. The super featherweight fight took place in Medellin.
Cris Cyborg (3-0) knocked out Karen Fernandez (1-3) in the second round on Monday March 3. The super welterweight fight took place in Santa Marta.
Congo
On Wednesday March 12, middleweights Jorbelle Malewu (3-0) and Alice Bindunga (0-1) meet four rounds at Oyo, Oyo. Also, welters Brigette Mbabi (2-0) and Fila Eyenga (0-1) meet four.
On Thursday March 13, middleweights Tshibangu Ndaya (3-1) and Niati Misama (0-1) meet four rounds at Oyo, Oyo.
On Saturday March 15, super lightweights Isavel Thomas (0-0) and Ana Liberal (0-0) meet four rounds at Brazzaville.
France
Justine Lallemand (13-3-1) defeated Jasmina Nad (11-35-5) by decision after six rounds on Saturday March 8. The super fly fight took place in Enghien. Also, lightweight Hasna Tebsi (2-0) beat Adelaide Mary (2-2-1) in four.
On Saturday March 15, super bantams Sabrina Flamand (4-6-1) and Bianca Voglino (5-0) meet 10 rounds for a regional title at Caen.
Georgia
On Saturday March 15, featherweights Nino Janelidze (0-0) and Nino Revia (0-0-1) meet four rounds at Rustavi.
India
On Sunday March 16, middleweights Anjali Anjali (1-0) and Manjeet Kaur (0-1) meet four rounds at Patiala.
Italy
On Thursday March 13, flyweights Giordana Sorrentino (2-0) and Sara Marjanovic (10-12) meet six rounds at Campania.
South Africa
On Saturday March 15, super feathers Bukiwe Nonina (20-4-2) and Bernice Ferreira (6-0) meet six rounds at Johannesburg.
South Korea
Hye Su Jang (4-0) defeated Bang Un Kim (0-8) in four rounds on Monday March 3. The light flyweight match took place in Cheonan.
Switzerland
Anais Kistler (5-3) won by decision after six rounds versus Patricia Gonzalez (2-6-1) on Saturday March 8. The super lightweight fight took place in Martigny.
Thailand
Chisakan Aripphipat (19-1-1) knocked out Kadesara Jadpakdee (9-9-1) in the third round on Saturday March 8. The bantamweight fight took place in Pattaya. Also, welter Ilya Ivanov (4-1) knocked out Oganes Oganisian (0-1) in four; and super lightweights Pornkamon Thongpuk (3-1-1) and Ekaterina Pugaeva (0-0-1) drew after four.
United Kingdom
Gemma Richardson (1-0) beat Angelika Oles (3-15) by decision after six rounds on Saturday March 8. The super lightweight fight took place in Bolton.
Charlotte Powell (6-2-1) defeated Sylwia Doligala (5-2-2) by decision after 10 rounds on Saturday March 8. The bantam fight took place in Oldham.
Mia Holland (2-0) won by decision after four rounds against Antonella Molina (4-22-2) on Saturday March 8. The featherweight match took place in Wolverhampton.
Bianca Johnson (2-0) won by decision after six rounds against Kerry Orton (0-16) on Saturday March 8. The lightweight fight took place in Barnsley. Also, welter Jaymyleigh Pettinger (1-0) beat Bojana Libiszewska (7-69) in four.
Oriance Lungu (3-0) won by decision after six rounds against Vaida Masiokaite (10-28-6) on Friday March 7. The super lightweight fight took place in Bethnal Green.
Lauren Price (9-0) defeated Natasha Jonas (16-3-1) by unanimous decision after 10 rounds on Friday March 7. The IBF, IBO, WBA, WBC welterweight title fight took place in London, England. Also, WBC lightweight titlist Caroline DuBois (11-0-1) defeated Bo Mi Re Shin (18-3-3) by majority decision after 10; flyweight Jasmina Zapotoczna (9-1) defeated Chloe Watson (8-1) to win by EBU title; featherweight Karriss Artingstall (7-0) beat Raven Chapman (9-2) in 10 for British title; super bantam Francesca Hennessy (6-0) beat Gemma Ruegg (8-13-1) in eight.
Jessica Barry (7-1) defeated Linzi Buczynskyj (5-5) after 10 rounds on Thursday March 6. The British featherweight title fight took place in Cannock, England.
On Friday March 14, super feathers Shannon Courtenay (8-3) and Bec Connolly (3-21) meet six rounds at Liverpool.
USA
Brittany Dukes (2-8-2) beat Tiffany Taylor (0-1) by knockout in the first round on Saturday March 8. The bantamweight fight took place in Altamonte Springs, Florida.
Hannah Rapp (4-0-1) and Melissa Oddessa Parker (6-3-1) fought to a draw after eight rounds on Saturday March 8. The match took place in Houston, Texas.
On Friday March 14, bantamweights Shera Mae Patricio (4-0) and Nancy Franco (19-22-2) meet six rounds at Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. DAZN will stream the fight card.
Venezuela
Erika Bolivar (9-4-1) knocked out Emilver Santamaria (0-7) in the third round on Wednesday March 5. The minimumweight fight took place Caracas.