Tag Archives: Maria Micheo Santizo

Gabriela Fundora to Defend IBF Flyweight Title Against Christina Cruz Next Month

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Gabriela Fundora is going on the defensive….

The 21-year-old Mexican American professional boxer has agreed to fight Christina Cruz for Fundora’s IBF flyweight title on January 27 at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona, according to ESPN.

Gabriela FundoraThe fight will be on the undercard of the Jaime Munguia–John Ryder super middleweight bout.

Fundora (12-0, 5 KOs) won the title by defeating Arely Mucino by fifth-round KO in October. Fundora, ESPN‘s No. 2 flyweight, scored two knockdowns in that fight, showcasing power and great technique.

The fighter from Coachella, California, also earned decision victories over Tania Garcia and Maria Micheo Santizo in 2023, after fighting five times in 2022. Fundora was expected to face WBC, WBO and WBA flyweight champion Marlen Esparza to crown an undisputed champion, but that fight will have to wait.

Fundora is trained by her father, Freddy Fundora, and is the younger sister of former junior middleweight interim champion Sebastian Fundora.

Cruz (6-0), of New York, is the IBF No. 5 ranked fighter in the division. She competed three times in 2023, all one-sided decision victories over Josefina Vega, Nancy Franco and Amy Salinas. She turned professional in 2021 after a long amateur career of more than 130 fights.

This is a big step up for Cruz on her first title fight. She’s never fought more than eight rounds, and her opponents have a combined record of 38 wins and 31 losses.

Arely Mucino to Defend Her IBF Flyweight Title Against Gabriela Fundora

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Arely Mucino is going on the defensive…

The 34-year-old Mexican professional boxer and reigning IBF flyweight champion will make the first defense of her title against Mexican American fighter Gabriela Fundora on October 21 at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, California, according to ESPN.

Arely MucinoMucino, ESPN’s No. 2 flyweight, last fought in October when she beat Leonela Paola Yudica for the IBF title. Mucino (32-3-2, 11 KO) had been the WBO and WBC flyweight champion at points earlier in her career.

Her last loss came in 2015 by unanimous decision to Yessica Chavez. Mucino has won her past 11 fights.

Fundora, ESPN’s No. 5 flyweight, has been one of ESPN’s top prospects the past two years. The 21-year-old last fought in April, beating Maria Micheo Santizo by unanimous decision.

This will be the third fight this year and first title shot for Fundora (11-0, 4 KO), who is from California and is the younger sister of super middleweight Sebastian Fundora.

Seniesa Estrada to Defend WBA Strawweight Title Against Jazmin Gala Villarino

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Seniesa Estrada is going on the defensive…

The 30-year-old Mexican American boxer will defend her WBA strawweight title against Jazmin Gala Villarino in a co-feature bout on November 12, the first fight of her contract with Top Rank.

Seniesa EstradaEstrada (22-0, 9 KO) will be fighting for the first time in 2022.

She last fought on December 18, 2021, beating Maria Micheo Santizo by knockout in the fourth round in San Antonio.

This will be the second defense of her WBA belt after winning it from Anabel Ortiz in March 2021 by unanimous decision and then defending it against Santizo in December.

Villarino (6-1-2, 1 KO), from Argentina, has not lost since her debut in 2016 and beat Judith Vivanco by unanimous decision in her last fight in March. This will be Villarino’s debut in the United States. The exact location for the fight has not been announced.

Having fought the majority of her career in her native Argentina, her past two fights have taken place in Colombia and Mexico.

WBA Strawweight Champion Seniesa Estrada to Fight Anabel Ortiz in Rematch

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Seniesa Estrada is returning to the ring…

After months out of the ring waiting for a fight, the 29-year-old Mexican American boxer and WBA strawweight champion will take on 35-year-old Mexican professional boxer Anabel Ortiz on August 6.

Seniesa EstradaEstrada announced her return on Twitter and will be on the undercard of the Vergil Ortiz Jr.-Michael McKinson fight in Texas.

The fight against Ortiz will be a rematch of her fight on March 20, 2021, when she won the strawweight title in a unanimous decision win over Ortiz in which she knocked the former champion down in the first round and dominated the fight.

Estrada (22-0, 9 KO), ESPN‘s No. 6 pound-for-pound fighter in the world, last fought in December, when she knocked out Maria Micheo Santizo in the fourth round.

This will be Estrada’s second defense of her title.

Ortiz (31-5, 4 KO) has lost her past two fights — by unanimous decision to Estrada, where she lost her title, and then last December to Marlen Esparza in a fight for the WBC flyweight title.

Before her loss to Estrada, Ortiz had a 21-fight win streak dating back to 2012, when she was defeated by Yesica Yolanda Bopp. Four of Ortiz’s five career losses came in world title fights.