Featured Articles
Female Boxing Thrives in Latin America, Not in the U.S.
Female Boxing Thrives – Latin America thrives when it comes to female prizefighting.
Costa Rica’s Hanna Gabriel (15-1-1) defends her WBO super welterweight world title against Uruguay’s Katia Alvarino (8-2-1) on Saturday June 18, at Polideportivo Jose Maria Vargas in La Guaira, Venezuela. It’s not the only female world title fight. Two others are included.
Gabriel is her country’s greatest female athlete and perhaps its best known. She once headlined a fight card in the capital of San Jose, Costa Rica at a soccer stadium in front of nearly 20,000 rabid fans.
No North American female prizefighter can make that claim or even come close.
Gabriel’s country has long backed her and she has become the role model for millions of young females in not just Costa Rica, but throughout Latin America.
In North America, very few major fight cards are hosting female world title fights, especially in the western region of the U.S. where pro boxing thrives.
One of the very few boxing promoters staging major female bouts has been K-2 Promotions.
Two female bouts were included when Gennady “Triple G” Golovkin defended his multiple middleweight titles last April at the Inglewood Forum. K-2 also tagged a female bout to Golovkin’s previous defense in Los Angeles a year earlier.
But other than K-2 Promotions, Shane Mosley’s GoBox Promotions and Bobby D Presents, the large boxing promotion companies have excluded women.
Drought is broken
After exclusion of female bouts for almost four years, Golden Boy Promotions finally staged a female boxing match in downtown Los Angeles when Seniesa “Super Bad” Estrada defeated Christina Fuentes on June 3.
The last time Golden Boy Promotions featured women was a bout in September 2012 between Melinda Cooper and Celina Salazar in Las Vegas. So when Estrada met Fuentes at Belasco Theater in downtown L.A., it made people notice.
Could this signal the re-emergence of female fights on major cards?
American female prizefighters are feared and respected worldwide for their skill and talent. But many American women are forced to fight overseas or in other countries. The U.S. has the talent.
Mighty McMorrow
Melissa McMorrow recently won the WBO flyweight title a second time. She has never been defeated while holding the WBO belt but twice was stripped for inactivity.
It’s a shame.
“They sent me an email to tell me,” said McMorrow of the WBO organization informing her that her title hold was no longer because she could not find a promoter willing to stage her world title fight. Time had elapsed.
McMorrow and most American female prizefighters have long suffered lack of support in their own country. It’s a sad statement but perhaps Golden Boy’s recent inclusion of a female bout marks a change in things.
“I am so thankful to Golden Boy for recognizing the value in us female fighters, and look forward to more fights like these,” said Seniesa Estrada after her fight on June 3.
This Saturday another American will be fighting for a world title in another country. San Diego’s Jolene Blackshear (9-7) challenges WBA minimum weight titlist Anabel Ortiz (20-3) of Tepic, Mexico for the title in Tijuana, Mexico at Auditorio Municipal. Blackshear, 46, is a former light flyweight world champion. Ortiz, 29, is making the seventh defense of the title she first won in July 2013.
But like McMorrow, the San Diego prizefighter is forced to fight on foreign territory.
Ignoring female fighters seems to be a west coast thing. In the east, Heather Hardy and Amanda Serrano both signed with DiBella Entertainment and have participated on major cards in New York.
McMorrow, who lives in the San Francisco Bay area, has fought numerous times overseas and in Mexico, yet has not fought on American shores in four years and not even close to her hometown in seven years.
“I would love to fight in my hometown,” said McMorrow, 34, whose last fight took place 16 months ago when she defeated Kenia Enriquez by split decision for the WBO flyweight title. “It’s difficult to get a fight.”
If Golden Boy Promotions jumps into the female fight game others could follow.
Female Boxing Thrives
Featured Articles
Najee Lopez Steps up in Class and Wins Impressively at Plant City
Garry Jonas’ ProBox series returned to its regular home in Plant City, Florida, tonight with a card topped by a 10-round light heavyweight match between fast-rising Najee Lopez and former world title challenger Lenin Castillo. This was considered a step-up fight for the 25-year-old Lopez, an Atlanta-born-fighter of Puerto Rican heritage. Although the 36-year-old Castillo had lost two of his last three heading in, he had gone the distance with Dimitry Bivol and Marcus Browne and been stopped only once (by Callum Smith).
Lopez landed the cleaner punches throughout. Although Castillo seemed unfazed during the first half of the fight, he returned to his corner at the end of round five exhibiting signs of a fractured jaw.
In the next round, Lopez cornered him against the ropes and knocked him through the ropes with a left-right combination. Referee Emil Lombardo could have stopped the fight right there, but he allowed the courageous Castillo to carry on for a bit longer, finally stopping the fight as Castillo’s corner and a Florida commissioner were signaling that it was over.
The official time was 2:36 of round six. Bigger fights await the talented Lopez who improved to 13-0 with his tenth win inside the distance. Castillo declined to 25-7-1.
Co-Feature
In a stinker of a heavyweight fight, Stanley Wright, a paunchy, 34-year-old North Carolina journeyman, scored a big upset with a 10-round unanimous decision over previously unbeaten Jeremiah Milton.
Wright carried 280 pounds, 100 pounds more than in his pro debut 11 years ago. Although he was undefeated (13-0, 11 KOs), he had never defeated an opponent with a winning record and his last four opponents were a miserable 19-48-2. Moreover, he took the fight on short notice.
What Wright had going for him was fast hands and, in the opening round, he put Milton on the canvas with a straight right hand. From that point, Milton fought tentatively and Wright, looking fatigued as early as the fourth round, fought only in spurts. It seemed doubtful that he could last the distance, but Milton, the subject of a 2021 profile in these pages, was wary of Wright’s power and unable to capitalize. “It’s almost as if Milton is afraid to win,” said ringside commentator Chris Algieri during the ninth stanza when the bout had devolved into a hugfest.
The judges had it 96-93 and 97-92 twice for the victorious Wright who boosted his record to 14-0 without improving his stature.
Also
In the TV opener, a 10-round contest in the junior middleweight division, Najee Lopez stablemate Darrelle Valsaint (12-0, 10 KOs) scored his career-best win with a second-round knockout of 35-year-old Dutch globetrotter Stephen Danyo (23-7-3).
A native Floridian of Haitian descent, the 22-year-old Valsaint was making his eighth start in Plant City. He rocked Danyo with a chopping right hand high on the temple and then, as Danyo slumped forward, applied the exclamation point, a short left uppercut. The official time was 2:17 of round two.
To comment on this story in the Fight Forum CLICK HERE
Featured Articles
Japanese Superstar Naoya Inoue is Headed to Vegas after KOing Ye Joon Kim
Japan’s magnificent Naoya Inoue, appearing in his twenty-fourth title fight, scored his 11th straight stoppage tonight while successfully defending his unified super bantamweight title, advancing his record to 29-0 (26 KOs) at the expense of Ye Joon Kim. The match at Tokyo’s Ariake Arena came to an end at the 2:25 mark of round four when U.S. referee Mark Nelson tolled “10” over the brave but overmatched Korean.
Kim, raised in a Seoul orphanage, had a few good moments, but the “Monster” found his rhythm in the third round, leaving Kim with a purplish welt under his left eye. In the next frame, he brought the match to a conclusion, staggering the Korean with a left and then finishing matters with an overhand right that put Kim on the seat of his pants, dazed and wincing in pain.
Kim, who brought a 21-2-2 record, took the fight on 10 days’ notice, replacing Australia’s Sam Goodman who suffered an eye injury in sparring that never healed properly, forcing him to withdraw twice.
Co-promoter Bob Arum, who was in the building, announced that Inoue’s next fight would happen in Las Vegas in the Spring. Speculation centers on Mexico City’s Alan Picasso (31-0-1, 17 KOs) who is ranked #1 by the WBC. However, there’s also speculation that the 31-year-old Inoue may move up to featherweight and seek to win a title in a fifth weight class, in which case a potential opponent is Brandon Figueroa should he defeat former Inoue foe Stephen Fulton next weekend. In “olden days,” this notion would have been dismissed as the Japanese superstar and Figueroa have different promoters, but the arrival of Turki Alalshikh, the sport’s Daddy Warbucks, has changed the dynamic. Tonight, Naoya Inoue made his first start as a brand ambassador for Riyadh Season.
Simmering on the backburner is a megafight with countryman Junto Nakatani, an easy fight to make as Arum has ties to both. However, the powers-that-be would prefer more “marination.”
Inoue has appeared twice in Las Vegas, scoring a seventh-round stoppage of Jason Moloney in October of 2020 at the MGM Bubble and a third-round stoppage of Michael Dasmarinas at the Virgin Hotels in June of 2021.
Semi-wind-up
In a 12-round bout for a regional welterweight title, Jin Sasaki improved to 19-1-1 (17) with a unanimous decision over Shoki Sakai (29-15-3). The scores were 118-110, 117-111, and 116-112.
Also
In a bout in which both contestants were on the canvas, Toshiki Shimomachi (20-1-3) edged out Misaki Hirano (11-2), winning a majority decision. A 28-year-old Osaka southpaw with a fan-friendly style, the lanky Shimomachi, unbeaten in his last 22 starts, competes as a super bantamweight. A match with Inoue may be in his future.
To comment on this story in the Fight Forum CLICK HERE
Featured Articles
Eric Priest Wins Handily on Thursday’s Golden Boy card at the Commerce Casino
Model turned fighter Eric Priest jabbed and jolted his way into the super middleweight rankings with a shutout decision win over veteran Tyler Howard on Thursday.
In his first main event Priest (15-0, 8 KOs) proved ready for contender status by defusing every attack Tennessee’s Howard (20-3, 11 KOs) could muster at Commerce Casino, the second fight in six days at the LA County venue.
All ticket monies collected on the Folden Boy Promotions card were contributed to the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation as they battle wildfires sprouting all over Los Angeles County due to high winds.
Priest, 26, had never fought anyone near Howard’s caliber but used a ramrod jab to keep the veteran off-balance and unable to muster a forceful counter-attack. Round after round the Korean-American fighter pumped left jabs while circling his opposition.
Though hit with power shots, none seemed to faze Howard but his own blows were unable to put a dent in Priest. After 10 rounds of the same repetitive action all three judges scored the fight 100-90 for Priest who now wins a regional super middleweight title.
Priest also joins the top 15 rankings of the WBA organization.
In a fight between evenly matched middleweights, Jordan Panthen (11-0, 9 KOs) remained undefeated after 10 rounds versus DeAundre Pettus (12-4, 7 KOs). Though equally skilled, Panthen simply out-worked the South Caroliina fighter to win by unanimous decision. No knockdowns were scored.
Other Bouts
Grant Flores (8-0, 6 KOs) knocked out Costa Rica’s David Lobo Ramirez (17-4, 12 KOs) with two successive right uppercuts at 2:59 of the second round of the super welterweight fight.
Cayden Griffith (3-0, 3 KOs) used a left hook to the body to stop Mark Misiura at 1:43 of the second round in a super welterweight bout.
Jordan Fuentes (3-0) floored Brandon Badillo (0-3-1) in the third round and proceeded to win by decision after four rounds in a super bantamweight fight.
A super featherweight match saw Leonardo Sanchez (8-0) win by decision over Joseph Cruz Brown (10-12) after six rounds.
Photo credit: Cris Esqueda / Golden Boy
To comment on this story in the Fight Forum CLICK HERE
-
Featured Articles4 weeks ago
For Whom the Bell Tolled: 2024 Boxing Obituaries PART ONE (Jan.-June)
-
Featured Articles3 weeks ago
R.I.P. Paul Bamba (1989-2024): The Story Behind the Story
-
Featured Articles4 weeks ago
For Whom the Bell Tolled: 2024 Boxing Obituaries PART TWO: (July-Dec.)
-
Featured Articles4 weeks ago
Oleksandr Usyk is the TSS 2024 Fighter of the Year
-
Featured Articles2 weeks ago
Jai Opetaia Brutally KOs David Nyika, Cementing his Status as the World’s Top Cruiserweight
-
Featured Articles4 weeks ago
A No-Brainer: Turki Alalshikh is the TSS 2024 Promoter of the Year
-
Featured Articles6 days ago
Skylar Lacy Blocked for Lamar Jackson before Making his Mark in Boxing
-
Featured Articles2 weeks ago
Bygone Days: The Largest Crowd Ever at Madison Square Garden Sees Zivic TKO Armstrong