Gabriela Fundora Looking Strong and More Female Fight News
(Photo by Al Applerose)
By David A. Avila
Undisputed flyweight champ Gabriela Fundora once again defended the throne of the 112-pound division with ease against Colombia’s Viviana Ruiz. It was like a midsummer night cruise in a nearby lake.
Fundora (18-0, 10 Kos) took a lets-see-what-she-can-do approach against Ruiz (10-3, 2 Kos) who fights out of Australia and was a foot shorter though it looked worse at the Honda Center in Anaheim this past Saturday. It was Fundora’s sixth world title defense.
Instead of coming out of her corner guns blazing, Fundora walked up to Ruiz and let her try and break the danger zone with different approaches and angles. Nothing worked.
Aside from the height and reach advantage by Fundora, the challenger had to deal with those quick responses and startling power that saw the Coachella fighter light up nine prior opponents including Arely Mucino. That was nearly murder. Fundora packs near felonious power at 112 pounds.
The slender assassin took her time pressuring the shorter Ruiz but seemed in no hurry to collect the tax she usually assesses to foes. She merely allowed Ruiz to look for an entrance and would counter quickly to the feeble attempts, kind of like Dikembe Mutombo wagging his finger while saying “no, no, no.”
It all came to an end in the sixth round when Ruiz mounted an attack and found contact on Fundora’s cranium. Bad idea. Immediately Fundora unleashed a volley of lightning blows and aggressively attacked Ruiz for the first time in the fight. The blows were fast and blinding as if a hornet’s nest had been busted open. Poor Ruiz. Down she went. She got up and Fundora leaped back into action winging blows in angry fashion. Referee Ray Corona saw no hope for Ruiz and ended the fight to save the little warrior.
Just the way Fundora planned it.
“I want the fans to go home knowing they saw Fundora get the knockout,” said a smiling Fundora.
Fans were impressed with her performance. I was even more impressed by the ability to work as a counter-puncher while pressuring the challenger. It was heady work for a champion who is still only 23 and still has time to grab world title belts in other weight divisions.
MVP Unfurled
A big opening for MVP in Madison Square Garden Theater is planned for April 17 and the promotion company announced its full card on Tuesday. ESPN will stream the show.
Leading the stacked female boxing card is unified super feather world champion Alycia “the Bomb” Baumgardner (17-1, 7 Kos) who is scheduled to face contender Bo Mi Re Shen (19-3-3, 10 Kos) in the main event. Others participating on the card are Canada’s Tamm Thibeault (4-0, 3 Kos) versus Brazil’s Nadja Jesus (5-0, 3 Kos) in a middleweight clash. Puerto Rico’s Krystal Rosario (8-1, 2 Kos) meets Mexico’s Fernanda Reyes (8-0) in a bantamweight showdown; unified super middleweight champion Shadasia Green (16-1, 11 Kos) defends against Lani Daniels (11-4-2) all on the main portion of the boxing card.
On the preliminary card MVP welcomes Raquel Miller (13-0, 6 Kos) who makes her MVP debut against Brazil’s Adriana Araujo (6-3, 1 KO) in a six-round super middleweight match; and flyweight Natalie Dove (7-0-1, 2 Kos) fights Maria Santizo (14-6, 8 Kos) in an eight-round bout.
Several other men bouts including Javon “Wanna” Walton are set to perform too on the MVP card.
Mikaela Mayer Joins MVP
Three-division world champion Mikaela Mayer announced last week that she signed with Most Valuable Promotions.
Mayer, a US Olympian in 2016, signed with Top Rank in 2017 and was their primary female fighter until this year. While with the Las Vegas-based organization Mayer won several world titles as a super featherweight including a spectacular showdown with in 2021 Maiva Hamadouche.
In 2024, Mayer picked up a world title as a welterweight and defended it once last year. She then moved up in weight and captured the super welterweight title against Mary Spencer. It was her third weight division world title.
Before signing with MVP, the Southern California native was already discussing a possible match with United Kingdom’s Lauren Price who holds WBC, WBA and IBF welterweight titles. Mayer holds the WBO version and is ranked among the top female fighters pound for pound in the world.
More Fight News
Argentina
Zoe Fernandez (4-0) won by split decision over Jesica Lujan (1-3-2) after six rounds on Saturday March 14. The super fly match was held in Mar del Plata.
Lucrecia Belen (8-9-1) and Maria Cuello (0-6-2) fought to a split draw after four rounds on Saturday March 14. The super bantam match was held in Hipolito Buchardo.
Cinthia Gonzalez (5-3-1) defeated Ayelen Granadino (12-3-4) after 10 rounds on Saturday March 14. The South American bantam title fight was held in Buenos Aires. Also, super feather Florencia Escalante (5-0) beat Nicole Morales (3-10-2) after six.
Mia Nieves (3-3-2) won by split decision after six rounds against Romina Nunez (2-10-1) on Saturday March 14. The super fly fight took place in San Lorenzo.
Mariana Lopez (2-0-1) and Maria Ramirez (1-0-1) fought to a split draw after four rounds on Friday March 13. The super fly fight was held in Junin.
On Saturday March 21, super flies Lucia Garcia (3-0) and Victoria Moreyra (1-9-2) meet four rounds at Buenos Aires.
Australia
Holly McMath (7-4-1) defeated Sarah Higginson (4-8-2) by decision after eight rounds on Friday March 13. The flyweight fight took place in Northbridge.
Chile
On Friday March 20, feathers Sofia Rebolledo (6-1) and Makarena Arcos (0-0-2) meet four rounds at Santiago.
On Saturday March 21, feathers Maryuri Valdez (0-0) and Esther Freitas (0-0) meet four rounds at Huechuraba.
China
Dilinaer Maimalti (3-0) defeated Manli Lei (1-7-1) by majority decision after six rounds on Sunday March 15. The super feather fight was held in Xi An.
Colombia
Yenifer Rodriguez (15-16-2) knocked out Any Paez (3-1) in the fourth round on Saturday March 14. The welter fight was held in Santa Marta.
Dominican Republic
On Saturday March 21, super lights Rossimar Abreu (1-0) and Yessica Munoz (0-1) meet four rounds at San Cristobal.
France
Camille Pegol (2-0) defeated Orsolya Moldovan (2-7) by decision after six rounds on Friday March 13. The super lightweight fight was held in Compiegne.
On Saturday March 21, feathers Isis Pizagou (2-0-1) and Lucia Pauliac (0-0) meet six rounds at Gironde.
On Saturday March 21, flies Marie Connan (7-4) and Consuelo Portolani (7-7) meet six rounds at Vendome.
Germany
Betina Krumholz (2-13) knocked out Chanell Reinhardt (0-1) in the first round on Saturday March 14. The light heavy match was held in Baden Wurttemberg.
Valentina Wiedenhoefer (3-0) knocked out Tina Bluhm (0-1) in the third round on Saturday March 14. The super feather match was held in Kehl.
India
On Thursday March 19, flyweights Tannu Devi (3-0) and Anam Khan (2-2) meet six rounds at New Delhi. Also, super feathers Vishakha Vartiya (4-2) and Sandhya Kanoja (1-0-1) meet four.
On Sunday March 22, middleweights Mansi Budhwar (2-0) and Tanu (0-1) meet four rounds at Haryana. Also, super feathers Sabita Rani (2-0) and Preeti (0-0) meet four; super welters Vijay Kumar (2-0) and Abhay Pratap (1-0) meet four; flies Preeti Jangra (1-3) and Arti Arti (0-2) meet four; bantams Sushila Virat (6-4) and Seena (0-1) meet four; minimumweights Anam Khan (2-2) and Palak Devi (0-1) meet four; and
Japan
Mika Yagio (8-4-1) defeated Nanae Yamaka (8-2) by decision after eight rounds on Thursday March 12. The flyweight fight took place in Tokyo. Also, light fly Sazanami Balu (7-0-1) defeated Carleans Rivas (9-9-4) by knockout in the fifth.
Yuki Fuke (5-2-1) knocked out Xidi Wang (4-1) in the fifth round on Monday March 9. The regional super fly title fight took place in Tokyo.
On Saturday March 21, feathers Anera Osawa (4-0-1) and Mao Nishi (4-0) meet six rounds at Tokyo. Also, flies Ao Oyama (0-1-1) and Akari Miyachi (0-1) meet four; atoms Kasumi Yamamoto (0-1) and Yukiya Mine (0-2) meet four; Chiati Ota (0-1-1) and Hatsuki Kawano (0-0) meet four; Wakashi Yoshida (1-2) and Emily Abe (1-5) meet four; super flies Hina Kumaki (0-0) and Chika Taguchi (0-0) meet four; super bantams Yuki Murakami (0-2-2) and Masaki Ogawa (1-4-1) meet four.
Mongolia
On Saturday March 21, super bantams Yesugen Oyuntsetseg (2-0) and Altantsetseng (0-0) meet four rounds at Ulaanbaatar.
New Zealand
On Saturday March 21, lightweights Jadenne Treadaway (1-1-1) and Macy Smith (0-0-1) meet six rounds at Lake Karapiro. Also, feathers Saskia Elliott (2-0) and Eleina Andrews (0-0) meet four; super lights Talei Aldiss (0-1) and Ericka Stark (0-0) meet four.
Poland
Svitlana Vasylevska (5-8) beat Amelia Stelmach (0-1) by decision after four rounds on Sunday March 15. The super feather fight took place at Jastrzebie Zdroj.
South Korea
On Saturday March 21, minimumweights Ye Kyen Seo (9-1-3) and Norj Guro (13-9-1) meet eight rounds at Gyeryong. Also, flies Eun Joo cha (2-1-2) and Yu Gyeong Lee (0-1) meet four.
Spain
Itzel Ruiz (5-0) beat Victoria Lomax (3-4) by split decision after six rounds on Saturday March 14. The feather match was held in Malaga.
Tanzania
On Saturday March 21, super lights Nadia Fredy (0-4) and Fatuma Juma (0-1) meet four rounds at Bagamoyo.
On Saturday March 21, super bantams Dorothea Muhoza (1-6-1) and Tatiana Ezekiel (1-2-2) meet six rounds Kigamboni. Also, bantams Egine Kayange (13-9) and Halima Bandola (2-8-1) meet six; and super bantams Lulu Kayage (8-15-4) and Jenifer Zugo (1-0) meet six.
On Saturday March 21, super bantams Halima Vunjabei (16-15-1) and Sara Alex (7-1-1) meet 10 rounds at Kinesi.
Thailand
On Saturday March 21, bantams Liteng Lien (3-1) and Wanasanan Onuch (9-6-2) meet eight rounds at Bangkok. Also, Chian Ya Lin (3-0) and Yuwanit Jangpakdee (0-0) meet four.
Ukraine
On Saturday March 21, bantams Kira Makohonenko (0-0) and Polina Dowhinka (0-1) meet four rounds at Lesniki.
United Kingdom
Frances Heath (2-0-1) beat Antonella Molina (4-29-2) after six rounds on Friday March 13. The super fly match was held in Glasgow, Scotland.
On Saturday March 21, bantams Ruth Huntley (2-1) and Jasmina Nad (11-39-5) meet six rounds at Camden Town.
On Saturday March 21, super bantams Ebonie Cotton (1-1) and Antonellia Molina 4-29-2) meet six rounds at Wolverhampton. Also, super welters Paige Goodyear (6-0) and Bojana Libiszewska (7-74) meet six; and Mia Holland (3-0) and Sara Orsagi (3-13) meet six.
USA
Gabriela Fundora (18-0) knocked out Viviana Ruiz (10-3) in the sixth round on Saturday March 14. The undisputed flyweight world championship fight was held in Anaheim, Calif.
Nayeli Rodriguez (7-1-1) defeated Maryguenn Vellinga (5-6-2) by split decision after eight rounds on Saturday March 14. The flyweight match was held in El Paso, Texas. Also, super bantam Ivy Enriquez (6-0) knocked out Crystal Hoy (7-14-4) in two; and welter Ariana Carrasco (1-0) knocked out Tennielie Young (0-1) in one.
Randee Lynn Morales (6-7) knocked out Shynyia Jones (0-1) in the second round on Friday March 13. The bantam fight was held in Denver, Colorado.
On Friday March 20, super lights Melisenda Perez (9-7-1) and Destinay Jones (5-4) meet six rounds at Independence, Mo. Also bantams Natalia Castaneda (4-0) and Sydnee Leeth (0-0) meet four.
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