Female boxers from all over the planet arrive Wednesday for the WBC Convention
The World Boxing Council’s Second Female Convention is this week and it’s going to be big. Not as big as San Diego’s Comic-Con, but surely as important. World champions, promoters, managers, commissioners and the media have eagerly confirmed their attendance at this year’s event, which will take place from Wednesday, January 27 through Saturday evening, January 30, 2016 at the Hotel Grand Tijuana, located in Boulevard Agua Caliente, #4558, C.P. 22014 Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico.
Updated agenda includes:
Wednesday, January 27, all day for arrivals and registration – then at 8 p.m.
they’ve scheduled a Welcome Cocktail hour.
Thursday, January 28, 9:00 a.m. is the official opening, 12 (Noon): departure to the Valle de Guadalupe for lunch and a winery tour, then 8 p.m. there is a Talent show and social gathering at the hotel.
Friday, January 29,
09:00-13:00 is a working session
13:00-15:00 Lunch
15:00-18:00 another working session
20:30 – Gala dinner with their awards presentation.
Saturday, January 30,
09:00-11:00 they have a final working session 11:30-13:00, WBC Cares visit – 1) representatives from the UCLA Hospital medical team are offering a brain injury presentation, 2) a talk on the impact social media has on Female Boxing, 3) a talk about the promotion of Female Boxing, 4) Dr. Paul Wallace will offer attendees a fascinating insight into the medical aspects applicable in female boxing, 5) a talk on the worldwide impact of Female Boxing with its amazing surge and recognition especially during recent years.
16:00 is the scheduled departure time from the hotel to go to the Centro de Convenciones, Rosarito, B. C., Mexico to attend the World Title fight between the WBC bantamweight champion Yazmin “La Rusita” Rivas from Torreon, Coahuila de Zaragoza, Mexico and the challenger Catherine Phiri from Lusaka, Zambia plus they have 10 additional bouts, one featuring super welterweight Ramon “Inocente” Alvarez of Guadalajara, Jalisco vs. James “Shotgun” Winchester of Reidsville, North Carolina.
Sunday, January 31 is for the all day departure of the delegates
Before one visits Beverly Hills, it’s advisable to buy yourself a map of the stars. Why? Because you don’t want to miss out on seeing where your favorite movie star lives and perhaps taking a photo to show friends and relatives. You have a similar opportunity this week if you’re planning to visit Tijuana or Rosarito for the Convention or the Title Fight. It makes sense to have your camera ready. Arriving from all over the planet, these world class athletes will no doubt be arriving wearing heavy coats and possibly sunglasses. So, it behooves you to have on hand a photo from the Internet plus some background information that will help you identify these ladies. In other words, you should have an opportunity to have a rare meet and greet with these phenomenal female athletes.
Below is an assessment of which female boxers are currently the best in the various weight divisions – the very best boxers throughout the world.
#1 Junior Strawweight
On 5-30-15, 30-year-old Ji-Hyun Park of South Korea(22-2-0, 6 KOs) scored a six round TKO in a non-title fight with Saowaluk Nareepangsri and on 8-1-15 the IFBA Jr. strawweight champion won a 10 round unanimous decision over Gretchen Abaniel to add the WIBA Jr. strawweight title.
On November 29, 2014 in Incheon, South Korea, Ji-Hun Park (l) defended her IFBA Strawweight title and captured the WIBF Miniweight title by defeating Anahi Torres (r) of Mexico City by split decision.
#1 Strawweight
In 2015, the 29 year-old WBA Strawweight champ, Anabel Ortiz from Tepic, Nayarit, Mexico won three matches. First, a 10 round unanimous decision over Nana Yoshikawa on April 29, next a six round Technical Decision over Sandra Robles on September 5 and finally a 10 round unanimous decision over Suri Tapia on November 28th.
#1 Light flyweight
Light flyweight champ, 26 year-old, Ibeth “La Roca” Zamora Silva (24-5, 9 KOs) of San Cristóbal Huichochitlán, México, Mexico, who had that big win over Jessica Chavez to closeout 2014, fought three times in 2015. In March she won an unanimous decision over Suri Tapia, retired Jolene Blackshear in round seven of 10 in May and perhaps in her biggest win, won an unanimous decision over Esmeralda Moreno in September.
Top two Bantamweights
After four victories in 2014, the 28 year-old bantamweight Zulina Munoz (45-1-2, 27 KOs) from Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico, fought just once in 2015. Her opponent, the 23 year-old Gabriela Bouvier was soundly defeated in a bout that went the full 10 rounds. On her resume, Munoz has close victories over Alesia Graf and Yazmin Rivas.
The 28 year-old WBC bantamweight champ, Yazmin “La Rusita” Rivas from Torreon, Coahuila de Zaragoza, Mexico had three victories in 2015. An unanimous decision versus Celina Salazar and Kandy Sandoval plus a TKO victory over Simone Da Silva Duarte to improve her record to (37-8-0, 10 KOs).
Comeback fighter of the year
After losing to Susi Kentikian in 2014, it was thought the 40 year-old bantamweight Naoko Fujioka (14-1-0, 6 KOs) of Tokyo, Japan might be reaching the end of her career. Then, in March, 2015, she pulled the upset of the year by defeating Mariana Juarez (40-7-3) in her hometown of Mexico City. Then Fujioka put on a dominate performance against Hee Jung Yuh of South Korea who at the time had a 14 bout winning streak.
#1 Super Bantamweight
Amazing woman that she is, Jackie “The Aztec Princess” Nava (32-4-3, 14 KOs) has herself on a rigid timetable of being not only a Community Activist slash local Congress Woman, a World Class boxer defending several super bantamweight titles plus a wonderful Mom conceiving beautiful babies. After giving birth to her first child, Frida, in 2013, she immediately got back into fighting shape to defeat Alicia Ashley and Sayda Mosquera in 2014 plus Mayra Alejandra Gomez in February of 2015. Now pregnant, it won’t be long before she gives birth to her second child.
Photo collage shows Jackie Nava (l) with her daughter Frida and husband Mario A. Mendoza, (top, right) at work in the boxing ring, (bottom, right) at work as a both a community activist and government administrator.
Top two Super Featherweights
Ramona Kuehne of Berlin, Germany
Ramona Kuehne (24-1-0, 9 KOs) from Berlin, Germany is now 35 years old. The WIBF, WBO & WBF super featherweight world champion had two wins in 2015, a decision victory over Doris Koehler and a fifth round TKO victory over Erika Kalderas.
Plus you have the 27 year-old super featherweight champion, southpaw Amanda Serrano of Brooklyn, New York by way of Puerto Rico (26-1-1, 19 KOs) who had four rather easy wins in 2015, two KO victories and two by unanimous decision. After losing her title in 2012 to Frida Wallberg, Serrano has yet to face anyone who could challenge her for her title.
Another Super Featherweight champion who is making a lot of noise
The 25 year-old super featherweight Hyun-Mi “Defector Girl” Choi (11-0-1, 4 KOs) of Seoul, South Korea by way of Pyongyang, North Korea, has a storyline so compelling it will likely be made into a movie. A short synopsis: At the age of 13, because of her above average size and athleticism, North Korean officials recruited Choi to train with their soon to be Olympic Boxing Team. In 2004, her father and later her entire family chose to flee North Korea. The oppressiveness of the regime being the push for most defectors.
Once the family made their arduous journey thru China and Vietnam and were permitted to relocate in Seoul, South Korea, the 17 year-old got right back in the gym and in her first professional fight won the WBA World Featherweight title. Choi: “I now box to support my family. Boxing is my way to prove that my parents made the right decision.”
#1 Lightweight
Delfine Persoon, the Undisputed World Lightweight Champion from Roeselare, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium has now dominated her weight class for four years. In 2015, she had another banner year with stoppages of Nicole Boss and Florence Muthoni plus decision victories over Jane Kavulani and Maiva Hamadouche. No doubt Persoon is the Female Boxer of the Year.
#1 Super Lightweight
In 2015, Erica Farias (22-1-0, 9 KOs) had that big win 10 round unanimous decision win over Klara Svensson (15-1-0, 5 KOs).
#1 Welterweight
Now 34 years of age, Cecilia “First Lady” Braekhus of Bergen, Norway (27-0, 7 KOs) remains unbeaten. After defending her titles four times in 2014, she did not fight at all in 2015.
#1 Super Welterweight
The WBC World Super Welterweight champ Mikaela Lauren of Stockholm, Sweden (26-3, 11 KOs) stopped three opponents in 2015, Jennifer Retzke in the fifth round, Victoria Cisneros in the fourth round and Celia Rosa Sierra in the third round. Arranging a rematch with Christina Hammer or Cecilia Braekhus would be special.
#1 Middleweight
The 25 year-old 5’11” Christina Hammer (18-0, 8 KOs) of Dortmund, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany who rules the middleweight division, fought only once in 2015. Her opponent was Kali Reis (7-3-1). In 2014, Hammer benefitted from a controversial no-contest ruling after getting knocked down by Anne Sophie Mathis of Varangéville, Meurthe-et-Moselle, France.
#1 Super Middleweight
On July 17, 2015, the 28 year-old Nikki Adler (14-0) from Augsburg, Bayern, Germany won an unanimous decision over 24 year-old Szilvia “Sunset” Szabados (10-4-0, 3 KOs) of Miskolc, Hungary who has fluctuated in weight from 155 all the way up to 165.
At this present time, both the Light Heavyweight and Cruiserweight divisions find themselves without a recognized champion.
#1 Heavyweight
Since the 35 year-old Ijeoma Egbunine of Marietta, Georgia hasn’t fought since 2011, that only leaves the 46 year-old Gwendolyn “The Stealth Bomber” O’Neil (19-7-1) of Georgetown, Guyana who in July of 2015 defeated Sonya Lamonakis (10-1-2).
Heavyweight champion Gwendolyn O’Neil poses for a dramatic photo with her many Championship belts.
Fun and games: What you do now is print out this article and make it a point to get at least one photo of every Female World Champion and don’t forget the WBC bantamweight champion Yazmin “La Rusita” Rivas who will be fighting on Saturday night in Rosarito.
