Ladies’s boxing will take middle stage this weekend within the sport, with three world title fights highlighting the schedule.
Right here’s a fast take a look at the trio of bouts.
Alycia Baumgardner vs Delfine Persoon
When: Friday, Sept. 27, 7:00 pm ET
Learn how to Watch: Brinx.TV
Baumgardner, 30, hasn’t fought in 14 months following a win over Christina Linardatou in Detroit, a win that was not overturned after Baumgardner failed a drug check for the struggle, which was reported a few month later. She shall be defending her undisputed tremendous featherweight crown on this one, after initially it appeared she would solely have her WBC title on the road; the WBA, IBF, and WBO now look like sanctioning the struggle, too.
Baumgardner (15-1, 7 KO) exploded into critical relevance when she beat Mikaela Mayer in an undisputed struggle in 2022 in England, a really shut struggle between two girls who’ve been bitter rivals earlier than, throughout, and since their assembly. She made two profitable defenses, and now returns in Fayetteville, Georgia to face the veteran Persoon (49-3, 19 KO).
Persoon, 39, returns to the States for her first struggle right here since her 2019 loss to Katie Taylor, a controversial defeat. She’s gained 5 in a row since a second loss to Taylor in 2020, and is competing right here at her higher weight. Persoon is not in her prime, however she’s a really credible opponent and a tricky out till confirmed in any other case.
Baumgardner vs Persoon headlines an all-women’s card streaming on Brinx.TV totally free, with Rosalinda Rodriguez vs Amy Naert essentially the most notable of the undercard fights.
Sandy Ryan vs Mikaela Mayer
When: Friday, Sept. 27, 10:30 pm ET (Prelims begin at 6:30 pm ET on ESPN+)
Learn how to Watch: ESPN and ESPN+
The most important — by way of profile — and better of the three matchups we’re speaking about is Prime Rank’s headliner from the Madison Sq. Backyard Theater on Friday night time, as Ryan (7-1-1, 3 KO) comes over from England to defend her WBO welterweight title towards Mayer (19-2, 5 KO).
Mayer, 34, is combating within the States for the primary time since 2022, after 4 straight bouts in the UK, going 2-2 in that stretch with debatable losses to Baumgardner in 2022 and Natasha Jonas final day out in January.
Mayer has moved from 130 to 147 in that point, and did it fight-by-fight, first seeking to perhaps safe a struggle with Katie Taylor at 135, which didn’t occur, and chasing fighter additional up in weight after. She’s actually not a welterweight, however she has the talent degree to struggle credibly on the weight.
Ryan, 31, goes to be a tricky check. Mikaela is a bit previous her greatest days in addition to combating clearly over her greatest weight, however that is the place the chance is for her proper now. Ryan’s loss to Erica Farias in 2022 was an formidable swing in simply her fourth professional struggle, and he or she instantly avenged it 5 months later. Her draw got here towards Jessica McCaskill a few 12 months in the past, and that was a doubtful end result, with most believing Ryan had moderately clearly completed sufficient to win.
Most not too long ago, Ryan beat Terri Harper on Mar. 23 in Sheffield, overpowering Harper en path to a stoppage after 4 rounds.
On paper, that is the perfect of the matchups and is also a really entertaining struggle, as Mayer is at her perfect when in towards an opponent who challenges her, and Ryan has by no means shied away from a tricky battle, both. If you happen to’ve solely bought time for one of many three, this might be the decide.
Rhiannon Dixon vs Terri Harper
When: Friday, Sept. 27, 2:00 pm ET
Learn how to Watch: DAZN
Dixon (10-0, 1 KO) shall be defending her WBO light-weight title towards Harper (14-2-2, 6 KO) in Sheffield, England, with the 29-year-old southpaw making her first protection after lifting this vacant title following a win over Karen Elizabeth Carabajal on Apr. 13 in Manchester.
Dixon additionally gained the Commonwealth and European titles within the two fights earlier than that, and has good, clear, usually dominant wins over fairly first rate opposition already.
Harper, 27, has been some of the attention-grabbing success tales within the latest rise of girls’s boxing, a fighter who didn’t come from a powerful novice background and has discovered on the job as a professional. She’s been a world champ at 130 and 154, however there’s a sense that she’s stagnated a bit, going 0-1-1 in her final two, and he or she’s been stopped twice.
Dixon shouldn’t be a puncher even on the extent of Baumgardner or Ryan — the opponents who stopped Harper — and Terri does have the clearly higher-level expertise, although she’s had so-so leads to these high-level fights.
Again down at 135, Harper could also be at her greatest weight in the intervening time, and this shall be a check to see how good Dixon is, whereas giving Harper an opportunity to show she’s nonetheless utterly within the combine.
