Photo by Craig Eagleson
Rhode Island’s Shelly Vincent (14-0, 1 KO) remained undefeated this past Friday, retaining her UBF super bantamweight title and winning the vacant IBF strap, taking a unanimous 10 round decision over Christina Ruiz (7-8-3, 4 KO’s) of San Antonio, Texas. It was Vincent’s first defense of the UBF belt, facing an IFBA bantamweight champ in Ruiz, who’s faced numerous world class fighters and taken part in a number of world title contests leading into this bout. Those credentials had Ruiz pegged as Vincent’s toughest opponent to date.
Headlining CES Boxing’s “The Revival” card at the Twin River Event Center in Lincoln, Rhode Island, Vincent put on what has been called her finest performance yet, pressuring Ruiz over the course of the contest and coming out on top in the toe to toe exchanges. After a slow opening round, the pace picked up, Vincent tagging Ruiz with the right hand and scoring well with double and triple left hooks. Ruiz’s best moments came in the seventh and ninth rounds, where she was able to back up the home fighter and land her best punches of the fight. The two wrapped things up in exciting fashion with a busy 10th round that saw both fighters throwing shots right up to the final bell.
Finals scores came in at 98:92 and 97:93 twice, all in favor of Vincent, making her a two belt title holder and with any luck, bringing her closer to a much desired fight against another undefeated champion, Brooklyn’s Heather Hardy (12-0, 2 KO’s) who holds the UBF and WBC International super bantamweight titles. The two sides have had exchanges through social media, but so far have been unable to come to terms that would get these two ladies in the ring.
IBF lightweight champion Victoria Noelia Bustos (13-3) and IBF super featherweight champ Betiana Patricia Vinas (10-6-3, 2 KO’s) squared off in Santa Fe, Argentina in an eight round non-title contest with Bustos taking a unanimous decision by scores of 79:77 across the board. Bustos won her title in late 2013 and has made two successful defenses, losing a six round non-title bout last year. Vinas became a champion this past December after losing in her first world title challenge in her prior contest; she had a short run in 2013 as the WBC silver featherweight title holder.
A Sunday card in Osaka, Japan saw two former world champs in action. Shindo Go (15-3, 10 KO’s), the former WBC flyweight title holder scored a third round TKO over Tantip Sithsaithong (0-2); it was her first bout since losing the title to Arely Mucino in December after three world title bout victories.
Etsuko Tada (14-2-2, 4 KO’s) also saw action; the former WBA minimum-weight champ stopped Chamagorn Sithsaithong (0-2) in the sixth round. Tada’s title run spanned four years and 10 bouts before losing to Anabel Ortiz in 2013. She lost a rematch to Ortiz a year later.
Cruz Takes Ninth Golden Gloves Title
New York’s star amateur Christina Cruz won her ninth consecutive Golden Gloves title last week, defeating three time champ Misato Kamegawa by 3-0 decision. Looking towards the 2016 Rio Olympics, the number two ranked world amateur will be competing later this month in Atlanta at the Women’s International Clash of Champions. As far as the Golden Gloves go, Cruz isn’t finished yet; in an interview with the Tribune last year she said ” I think 2016 could be the last time I compete as an amateur, so watch out for win number 10 too!”
Christina Cruz’s 2014 interview
The First Women’s BKB Champion is Crowned
In case you missed the Tribune’s recap Saturday night, Layla McCarter put on an impressive performance against Diana Prazak in Big Knockout Boxing’s first female contest, winning the BKB lightweight title. You can read the fight recap HERE.