4 of the highest 5 feminine atomweight fighters on the earth will share prime billing on a Blanko Sports activities and SES Boxing co-promotion on the Olympic Middle, Heidelberg, Germany on November 23.
The tripleheader will see WBC atomweight (102 kilos) titleholder Tina Rupprecht and WBA/WBO counterpart Eri Matsuda clashing in a unification for the vacant Ring championship.
In the meantime, IBF atomweight titlist Sumire Yamanaka will put her title on the road towards Fabiana Bytyqi. Within the undercard, European heavyweight titlist Oleksandr Zakhozhyi will face Arnold Gjergjaj.
“I’m so excited to get the chance to unify the titles and struggle for the prestigous Ring title,” Rupprecht informed The Ring. “This has at all times been my dream!
“I’ve big respect for WBO and WBA champion Eri Matsuda however I’ll present that I’m the most effective within the division and that I can be undisputed champion.”
Blanko Sports activities and SES Boxing head honcho Benedikt Poelchau welcomes the chance to placed on such an enormous present in his homeland.
Atomweight Eri Matsuda (proper) saved her fledgling file good (3-0) with a unanimous resolution over Nanae Suzuki on March 13 in Tokyo’s Korakuen Corridor. (Picture by Naoki Fukuda)
“This can be a particular evening for German boxing,” stated the promoter. “Tina has the chance to put in writing historical past. If she wins, she can be the primary German boxer – male or feminine – to carry three world titles plus The Ring belt.
“Moreover 6’9“ EBU European heavyweight champion Oleks Zakhozhyi will defend his EBU title and can present as soon as once more that he’s a menace for the elite heavyweights on the market. I’m proud to convey that historic evening of boxing to Heidelberg.”
Rupprecht (13-1-1, 3 KOs), rated at No. 1 by The Ring at atomweight, took up kickboxing in her teenagers earlier than switching to boxing successful two German nationwide titles as an newbie earlier than turning skilled. In her seventh struggle she received the WBC interim strawweight title. After one protection she was upgraded to full champion and made 5 extra defenses, notably beating Katia Gutierrez (SD 10) earlier than dropping to WBA ruler Seniesa Estrada (UD 10) in a unification. She dropped in weight and beat Bytyqi (UD 10) for the WBC title.
Matsuda (7-1-1, 1 KO), rated at No. 2 by The Ring, received the OPBF in her second bout and added the Japanese nationwide title in her subsequent struggle. She was held to a draw by Saemi Hanagata (D 10) for the vacant IBF atomweight title and misplaced towards Ayaka Miyao (SD 10) for a similar title. She obtained again within the win column and received the WBA/WBO 102-pound titles final trip towards Yuko Kuroki (SD 10).
Yamanaka (8-0, 3 KOs), rated at No. 3 by The Ring, is the youthful sister of former WBO strawweight titlist Ryuya. She made he debut in 2020 and in her sixth struggle received a WBO regional title. Final trip she claimed the IBF title by edging house towards Mika Iwakawa (UD 10).
Bytyqi (21-1-2, 5 KOs), rated at No. 5 by The Ring, turned skilled in 2015. She turned the primary lady from Czech Republic to win a world title when she bested Denise Fort (UD 10) for the vacant WBC atomweight title in September 2018. The 28-year-old made 4 defenses earlier than dropping to Rupprecht (UD 10) in January.
Zakhozyi (19-0, 15 KOs) made his debut in 2017. Nonetheless, the 31-year-old Ukrainian has needed to struggle largely abroad. The 6’9” fighter has overwhelmed the likes of Kevin Johnson (UD 8), Pavel Bitter (TKO 3) and Evgenios Lazaridis (TKO 1) earlier than stepping up in an enormous means stopping beforehand unbeaten Granit Shala (KO 2) to win the vacant European title in April.
Gjergjaj (38-3, 27 KOs) had been knowledgeable since making his debut in his adopted house of Switzerland in 2009. The now 40-year-old Kosovan-born fighter received his first 29 towards modest opposition. His large alternative got here towards David Haye in London in 2016 and he was stopped in two rounds. He misplaced two different fights however is on a six struggle win streak.
Questions and/or feedback may be despatched to Anson at [email protected].
