Women’s Boxing Events at Orleans Casino in Las Vegas This Week and Other News
By David A. Avila
Wake up America. The women are taking over sports.
Promoters are signing female fighters left and right especially after Netflix and other networks are basically telling them women fighters should be included in deals.
Why did it take so long to figure this out?
For decades women’s tennis led the way in proving it has a successful following.
In combat sports Ronda Rousey proved female fighters can draw fans.
In basketball Caitlin Clark ignited an explosive interest that continues today with Juju Watkins and Paige Bueckers drawing millions of viewers to follow their college competition.
Pick any sport.
In the next four days female stars of the past in present will be in Las Vegas. Go and meet them at the WBC Women’s Summit and the International Women’s Boxing Hall of Fame ceremony.
WBC Women’s Summit
First, on Wednesday April 2 and Thursday April 3, the WBC Women’s Summit takes place at the Orleans Casino and Hotel in Las Vegas. Christy Martin and Laila Ali will lead the presentation.
A variety of speakers schedule to talk about women’s boxing issues include promoter Roy Englebrecht, Dr. Margaret Goodman, Dr. Paul Wallace, and others including Rachel Donaire, Blanca Gutierrez and Lupe Gutierrez-Beagle.
It’s always a popular event that travels to different parts of the world.
Expect many current and past female and male boxers to attend the event and mingle with the crowd. It’s a great way to meet and greet fans and participants in female prizefighting.
The WBC is one of the leading boxing sanctioning organizations and a strong advocate of women’s boxing and enforces drug testing for its world title events.
International Women’s Boxing Hall of Fame
On Friday April 4 and Saturday April 5, the Women’s Boxing Hall of Fame introduces its new inductees at the Orleans Casino in Las Vegas.
For decades female boxing was invisible and its stars came and went without notice until the Hall of Fame group led by Sue Fox was formed.
Fox and her group kept women’s boxing afloat by reporting on every single female boxing fight that occurred since she formed WBAN.com in the 1990s. Almost single-handedly she kept women’s boxing news available.
It was an almost impossible task.
Later, with assistance by her friends and colleagues such as photographer Mary Ann Owen, the International Women’s Boxing Hall of Fame group was formed in January 2014 to recognize the female prizefighters like Christy Martin, Laila Ali and Lucia Rijker who had outstanding careers.
Induction ceremonies for the 12th annual Hall of Fame this year include: Jackie Nava, Vaia Zaganas, Kina Malpartida, Jennifer Han, Shelly Vincent, Helga Risoy, Diana Prazak, Kara Ro, Kathy Williams, Frida Wahlberg, Jolene Blackshear, Jessica Chavez, Stephanie Jaramillo, Jill Mathews, Carlette Ewell, Yvonne Barkley, pioneer boxer Linda Platt, promoters Don King and Diane Fischer, and Lifetime Achievement Award Daisy Lang, and Special Award recipient for 2025 Brentnoll Bovell.
The two-day event begins on Friday April 4, with “Women Cops Who Box” day that includes the many women in the past and present who box professionally and are law enforcement officials. A dozen women including Melinda Cooper will be honored. It begins at 1 p.m. and concludes at 4 p.m. The induction ceremony takes place on Saturday.
For more information go to this link to book reservations for the IWBHF event or the WBC event or both: https://book.passkey.com/event/50767046/owner/32048/home
Perla and Top Rank
Hot prospect Perla Bazaldua was recently signed by Top Rank Boxing.
Bazaldua is very familiar to anyone in the Southern California boxing scene where she lives and trains. Since a young teen she has sparred and worked with many notable pro fighters including two world champions from Japan.
It’s another diamond for Top Rank who still have Mikaela Mayer under contract and recently lost former undisputed minimumweight world champion Seniesa Estrada to retirement.
Battle of the Atomweights
Atomweight champions Tina Rupprecht (14-1-1, 3 KOs) of Germany and Japan’s Sumire Yamanaka (8-0, 3 KOs) meet on Saturday April 5, at Potsdam, Germany.
The winner will be the undisputed atomweight world champion.
Rupprecht’s only loss came against Seniesa Estrada in the minimumweight unification title match two years ago in Fresno, California. She dropped down to 102 pound atomweights and now has the WBA, WBC and WBO world titles.
Yamanaka holds the IBF version that she acquired this past January by a unanimous decision win over Mika Iwakawa.
More Fight News
Argentina
Lucia Marrero (5-0) defeated Laura Gomez (6-3) by decision after eight rounds on Saturday March 29. The super bantam fight was held in Buenos Aires.
On Saturday April 5, minimumweights Maria Sol Baumstarh (12-6-1) and Sol Cudos (9-0-2) meet 10 rounds for the IBF world title at Buenos Aires.
Australia
April Napthine (2-0) won by unanimous decision after eight rounds versus Jemma Peart (5-1) on Saturday March 29. The light flyweight title match took place in Condell Park. Also, super fly Mai Soliman (7-1) knocked out Sarah Watt (4-8-2) in the third; super bantam Shanell Dargan (6-2-2) knocked out Kanokwan Wirunpat (3-1) in the third; and light fly Chloe Grech (3-0-1) beat Jessica Leask (1-1) in six for Australian title.
On Saturday April 5, bantams Ali Jensen (1-9) and Hayley Finlayson (0-0) meet six rounds at Surfers Paradise.
Austria
Michaela Kotaskova (10-0-2) defeated Gisela Luna (4-7-1) by unanimous decision after 10 rounds on Saturday March 29. The regional welterweight title took place in Schwechat.
Belgium
Marcelat Sakobi (4-1) won by decision after six rounds against Joice Alves Dos Santos (2-2) on Saturday March 29. The lightweight fight was held in Ronse.
Canada
Alexandra Delgado (1-1) won by decision after four rounds against Shahista Lalani (0-1-1) on Thursday March 27. The super bantam fight was held in Toronto.
China
Manli Lei (1-2-1) defeated Wen Zhong (0-1-1) by decision after four rounds on Tuesday March 25. The featherweight match was held in Chengdu.
Colombia
Karen Chacon (1-0) defeated Valentina Navarro (0-1) by disqualification in the second round on Saturday March 29. The lightweight match was held in Bogota.
Evelin Camporeale (5-15-1) defeated Sasthy Ramirez (4-7) by decision after six rounds on Saturday March 29. The bantam fight was held in Carmen De Apicala.
Dominican Republic
Krystal Rosado (6-0) defeated Bethy Franco (10-10-2) by decision after six rounds on Friday March 28. The bantamweight match was held in Santa Domingo. Also, bantam Natalie Dove (5-0) knocked out Michel Novas (0-2) in the first round.
France
On Saturday April 5, super lightweights Lilia Cherifi (3-0) and Sherriee Barnes (0-7) meet six rounds at Chatellerault.
Germany
Lara Ochmann (15-2) defeated Akane Fujiwara (7-5-1) by decision after 10 rounds on Saturday March 29. The super featherweight title fight took place in Flensburg.
On Saturday April 5, atomweights Tina Rupprecht (14-1-1) and Sumire Yamanaka (8-0) meet 10 rounds for the IBF, IBO, WBO, WBA world titles at
Gibraltar
Oriance Lungu (4-0) defeated Zoe Hunte Smith (4-3) by unanimous decision after 10 rounds on Saturday March 29. The super lightweight fight was held in Gibraltar.
Greece
Aikaterina Koutsogeorgopoulou (3-0) beat Tijana Draskovic (2-14) in the second round by knockout on Saturday March 29. The super flyweight fight was held in Peristeri.
Japan
Mika Iwakawa (13-7-1) beat Wisuta Sririttidet (8-6) by decision after six rounds on Sunday March 30. The atomweight fight took place in Kakogawa.
Miku Nagasaki (2-3-1) defeated Moeko Amo (1-4-1) by decision after four rounds on Thursday March 27. The flyweight fight took place in Tokyo.
Sari Metcalf (3-2-2) beat Chiyomi Wada (3-1) by majority decision after six rounds on Monday March 24. The bantam fight was held in Tokyo.
On Sunday April 6, atomweights Ayumi Tanaka (1-4) and Eri Sato (1-0) meet four rounds at Munakata.
On Sunday April 6, minimumweights Marina Loreto (7-0-2) and Peeyalux Sanpokang (9-3) meet eight rounds for a regional title at Sakai.
Kazakhstan
On Saturday April 5, bantams Balaussa Muzdiman (6-0) and Maria Pinili (7-1) meet eight rounds at Astana.
Mexico
Yokasta Valle (33-3) defeated Marlen Esparza (15-3) by split decision after 10 rounds on Saturday March 29. The flyweight match took place in Cancun.
Eli Salinas (1-0) beat Susana Uscanga (1-1-1) by majority decision after four rounds on Saturday March 29. The flyweight match took place in Tijuana.
On Friday April 4, flyweights Jackie Calvo (22-9-2) and Cristina Hernandez (11-8-1) meet 10 rounds in Guadalajara.
Panama
Nataly Delgado (17-7-2) defeated Eloisa Martinez (5-17-4) by decision after eight rounds on Saturday March 29. The bantam fight took place in Panama City. Also, Yaneth Otero (2-0) beat Monica Cruz (2-2-1) in four; light fly Anahomi Gimenez (5-1) beat Leidis Martinez (5-6) in four; and welter Paula Quintero (1-0) beat Kirayami Rodriguez (0-1) in four.
South Korea
Minimumweights Eun Joo Cha (0-0-2) and Joo Young Kim (1-1-1) fought to a draw after four rounds on Saturday March 29. The match was held in Incheon.
Spain
Marina Nieves (1-0) knocked out Cynthia Todi (0-2) in the second round on Saturday March 29. The featherweight fight took place in Santa Cruz.
On Saturday April 5, flyweights Fara El Bousairi (9-5) and Estefania Matute (11-26) meet six rounds at Palma de Mallorca.
Thailand
Hin Ting Chan (9-1) knocked out Sukanya Wiriya (3-3-1) in the second round on Saturday March 29. The flyweight fight took place in Bangkok. Also, super fly Magdalena Szwed (2-0) knocked out Fasai Wongkattaleekham (0-1-1) in the second.
Uganda
On Saturday April 5, super bantams Salimat Tibesigwa (10-4) and Sakina Obrahim (2-0-1) meet 10 rounds at Kampala. Also, featherweights Rachael Musubika (3-4) and Sharon Lakica 1-0) meet six.
United Kingdom
Laura Pain (8-0) beat Nicholine Achieng (4-11-1) by decision after eight rounds on Sunday March 30. The super flyweight fight took place in London. Also, super bantam Stevi Levy (13-3) beat Beccy Ferguson (6-13) in six.
Elizabeth Oshoba (9-0) defeated Lenka Volejnikova (3-3-1) by decision after six rounds on Saturday March 29. The super feather match was held in Gloucester.
Mae Astbury (1-0) won by decision after four rounds against Antonella Molina (4-24-2) on Saturday March 29. The featherweight fight took place in Middleton.
Sian O’Toole (6-0) beat Vaida Masiokaite (10-29-6) by decision after four rounds on Friday March 28. The super feather match was held in Dudley
On Friday April 4, super flyweights Emma Dolan (7-0) and Lauren Parker (10-1-1) meet 10 rounds for the British title at London.
Uruguay
On Saturday April 5, super lightweights Sheila Liesegang (3-0) and Julia Celes (5-2-3) meet six rounds at Montevideo.
USA
Mikaela Mayer (21-2) defeated Sandy Ryan (7-3-1) by unanimous decision after 10 rounds on Saturday March 29. The WBO welterweight world title fight took place in Las Vegas.
On Friday April 4, featherweights Gabriela Tellez (4-0) and Lindsey Ellis (2-2) meet four rounds at Houston, Texas.
(Photo by IWBHOF)