U.S. Olympic Females Claressa and Mikaela and other International Fight News
Claressa Shields and Mikaela Mayer make up the North American squad and are about to enter the Olympic competition in Rio de Janeiro.
Both have completely different styles.
Shields, 21, returns to the Olympics after powering her way to gold in London in 2012. The Michigan native became the first woman to win US Olympic gold in boxing. It was the first time women were allowed to box in the Games.
Four years ago Shield was an unknown 17-year-old who had somehow defeated more experienced Americans to gain a spot on the U.S. squad. But after blowing by opponents in London she returns with the fear factor intact. She hits hard and knows it.
Boxing teams from other countries know exactly what she can do.
“I have to make them respect me even more,” Shields told the Washington Post.
Shields was raised in Flint, Michigan, the same hard-bitten town that bred male pro boxers Andre and Anthony Dirrell. Inside the boxing ring she utilizes a more pro-friendly style bent on hurting and stopping the competition. With the new Olympic boxing scoring system and the elimination of head gear it favors Shield’s strengths. She doesn’t look to win by points.
The middleweight has not lost a fight since before winning gold in the London Olympics and only one loss in 74 bouts.
“I have the skills to pay the bills,” Shields said on Twitter. “Power to knock em over.”
The talented Shields has been anxious to return to the Olympic Games and a return to glory.
“I never been a person to freak out, no matter what’s going on,” she said. “I don’t lose my cool.”
Shields first Olympic bout in Rio takes place on August 14. Can she win gold again?
Mikaela
Southern California’s Mikaela Mayer seems like a movie star portraying a role in a movie. But she needs no stuntwoman. Her skills are real.
The slender lightweight was denied a spot on the US team four years ago and refused to give up. Instead of sulking and hiding her face the tall light brown haired boxer embarked on a journey of informally challenging the best girls across the Southwest.
Mayer, 26, boxed against tall girls, short girls, amateur women and professional women both bigger and lighter on her quest to sharpen her skills and learn her craft by fighting all styles.
Mayer’s journey was like watching the tale of Japan’s legendary swordsman Musashi, but in American style. She showed a determination not commonly seen. So when she made the Olympic squad it really was not a surprised. But now comes the actual tournament with the best women boxers from all over the globe ready to face each other in the boxing ring.
“Obviously the nerves are kicking in. started hitting me last night as I was packing up. Either all my dreams are going to come true or not. You just don’t know what is going to happen. Everything is going to be different one way or the other,” said Mayer just before boarding the plane to Rio de Janeiro.
Mayer uses her physical tools plus her knowledge learned from traveling from gym to gym to decipher her opponents like a human abacus. She’s seen everyone in her weight class fight and knows what to expect including the former gold medal winner Ireland’s Katie Taylor.
“Katie Taylor has been on the top of the game. A five-time world champion, she has also been beaten twice. So these medals are up for grabs. They can go to anybody,” says the confident Mayer. “What it comes down to is whoever can perform at the most important time will win.”
Mayer is scheduled to enter the boxing ring on August 12.
Other female fight news
Argentina
In Lomas del Mirador, a super lightweight clash saw Natalia Reynoso (6-0-2) and Florencia Larrosa (5-0-1) fight to a draw after eight three-minute rounds. The match took place on Sunday Aug. 7. Reynoso, 29, lives in Campana, Argentina. Larrosa is also from Campana a suburb of Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Australia
Shannon O’Connell (12-4-1) defends the WBC Silverweight super bantamweight title against Japan’s Kimika Miyoshi (13-8-1) on Saturday Aug. 13. The title fight takes place in Melbourne Park, Australia. O’Connell, 33, is making her first defense of the title and lives in Slacks Creek, Australia. Miyoshi, 32, is from Kawasaki, Japan. Also, on the same fight card, a bantamweight fight between Chemeka Johnson (2-0) and Daorueng Saknarong (1-2) is set for four rounds.
Colombia
In Planeta Rica, a contest between super welterweights saw Celia Sierra (6-2) win by split decision against Anlly Medina (0-1) after four rounds. The fight took place on Friday Aug. 5. Sierra is 36 and fights out of Sincelejo, Colombia. Medina is only 16 and is also from Colombia.
Finland
Eva Wahlstrom (17-0-1) meets Jasmina Nadj (5-13-3) in a super featherweight contest set for eight rounds. The fight takes place on Saturday Aug. 13, in Olavinlinna, Finland. Wahlstrom, 35, lives in Helsinki, Finland and is the current WBC super featherweight world titlist. Nadj, 31, fights out of Serbia.
Japan
In Osaka, a battle between minimumweights saw Fuka Komura (1-0) win her pro debut by decision over Kaori Nagai (0-2) after four rounds on Sunday Aug. 7. Komura is 19 and lives in Osaka, Japan. Nagai is 26 and lives in Akashi, Japan.
Naoka Shibata (15-3-1) defends the IBF light flyweight world title against Mexico’s Maria Salinas (11-4-3) in a 10 round bout on Saturday Aug. 13. The match takes place in Soka, Japan. Shibata, 35, is making the fifth defense of the world title that she won in 2013. Salinas, 27, fought Shibata to a draw last November. In another female bout, Yunoka Furukawa (7-1-2) faces Satomi Nishimura (9-2) in a minimumweight clash set for 10 rounds.
Masai Akitaya (10-6-2) faces Thailand’s Sornsawan Sarakarngym (0-2) in a minimumweight fight set for six rounds on Saturday Aug. 13. The fight takes place in Osaka, Japan. Akitava, 38, fights out of Osaka. Also, a light flyweight bout features Shione Ogata (6-5) facing Kanittha Saknarong (1-8) in a six round bout.
Mexico
In Mexico City, a battle between flyweights saw Jackie Calvo (9-2) win by split decision over Jazmin Ortega (2-4-1) after eight rounds in a close fight on Saturday Aug. 6. Calvo, 20, lives and trains in Mexico City. After losing her first two pro fights she is now on a nine-fight winning streak. Ortega also fights out of Mexico City and had her two-fight winning streak snapped. She had beaten Irma Garcia and Lourdes Juarez. Also, in a light flyweight fight, Monserrat Vazquez (2-0) beat Adelaida Hernandez (0-2) by decision after four rounds. Plus, Nazly Maldonado (5-5) beat Beatriz Jimenez (4-1-1) in a lightweight bout.
Sandra Robles (14-2) meets Veronica Salazar (0-0) in a seemingly mismatch light flyweight bout set for six rounds on Saturday Aug. 13. The match takes place in Rosarito Beach, Baja California, Mexico on the under card of Antonio Margarito versus Ramon Alvarez.
Lulu Juarez (16-2) meets Lupe Bautista (6-9-2) in a light flyweight bout on Saturday Aug. 13 in Vera Cruz, Mexico. Juarez, 29, is the younger sister of Mariana “Barbie” Juarez the female star. Both fight out of Mexico City. Bautista, 24, also fights out of Mexico City.
Panama
Lourdes Borbua (6-0) meets Rita Luzardo (0-1) in a six round super featherweight clash on Tuesday Aug. 9. The contest takes place in Panama City. Borbua, 27, fights out of Felipillo, Panama. Luzardo, 28, is from Caracas, Venezuela.
Russia
In Moscow, a battle of super featherweights saw Sofya Ochigava (2-0) beat Olena Medvedenko (0-1) by unanimous decision after four rounds. The contest took place on Saturday Aug. 6. Ochigava is 29 and fights out of Moscow, Russia. Medvedenko, 22, fights out of Odessa, Ukraine.
Tatyana Zrazhevskaya (1-0) meets Yana Denisova (0-2) in a super bantamweight fight set for four rounds. The fight takes place on Saturday Aug. 13, in Voronezh, Russia.
Slovakia
In Sturovo, a clash between super bantamweights saw Timea Alfoldi (4-0) remain undefeated with a unanimous decision against Nora Kiss (0-1) after six rounds. The match took place on Tuesday Aug. 2. Alfoldi, a southpaw, is 22 and fights out of Budapest, Hungary. Kiss, is also 22 and fights out of Budapest too.
USA
In Oakland, Calif., a clash between middleweights saw Raquel Miller (2-0) defeat Gabby Holloway (0-2) by unanimous decision after four rounds on Saturday Aug. 6. The fight took place on the Andre Ward victory over Alexander Brand at Oracle Arena. Miller, 31, fights out of nearby San Francisco, Calif. Her opponent Holloway, 26, fights out of Virginia.
In Texarkana, Arkansas, a battle between super featherweights saw Lisa Lamb (7-7) even her record with a split decision victory over Kim Colbert (3-20) after four rounds. The contest took place on Friday Aug. 5. Lamb is 39 and fights out of Fort Worth, Texas. It’s her second fight in a year after four years of inaction. Colbert, 36, fights out of Southfield, Michigan.
Brittany Cruz (10-7-2) faces Elizabeth Anderson (4-8) in a super bantamweight contest set for six rounds on Saturday Aug. 13. The match takes place in Denver, Colorado. Also, Alma Garcia (1-4) fights debuting Amorena Baca in a four round featherweight bout.