Gutierrez, Grant, Cirka, Mullen and Forkins all shined in the elite finals of the Women’s Championships

The elite female finals featured in the fifth competition day at the Women’s Championships in the city of Toledo, Ohio. The competition was closed with these impressive elite bouts and new stars were approached in the championship.

The new edition of the Women’s Championships was organized by USA Boxing in association with World Boxing. The former Junior World Champion Lupe Gutierrez, the brilliant Deborah Grant, the tall Heather Cirka, Brooke Mullen and Christine Forkins all shined on the fifth day of boxing.

A developmental bout opened the fifth day of boxing

A developmental bout opened the last competition day of the Women’s Championships, two boxers from Ohio’s Cincinnati, as Nina Starkey and Tiffani Williams met at the heavyweight (+81 kg) to increase their experiences. A matched bout was scheduled between Florida’s Annelise Howard and Missouri’s Liberty Worcester at the senior female novice welterweight (66kg) as next. Worcester had the strict attacks from the first seconds, but Holland boxed smarter today and she became the winner of this novice contest.

Breanna Locquiao won her next title

Hawaii’s Breanna Locquiao eliminated Maryland’s Teaira Skinner in the semi-finals at the elite minimumweight (48 kg) yesterday and she met Chicago’s Margarita Mendoza Porras. Locquiao has competed for Team USA at the 2019 Women’s World Boxing Championships in Ulan-Ude and she was the favourite of their meeting in Toledo. Locquiao overcame her rival in the attacks quickly in the first exchanges and she followed the well-built game plan to win her next title. She had the dominance in the first round over Mendoza and Locquiao continued that strong performance until the final gong.

Zinnat Ferdous turned back her final

North Carolina’s southpaw Noelle Haro eliminated Colorado Springs’ Mariana Tovar Lopez in the last four and she fought for the title of the light flyweight (50 kg) New York’s Zinnat Ferdous. The 26-year-old Haro had a brilliant footwork in the opening, she danced through the whole area of the ring, and she had clear control in the first round. Ferdous switched to a higher tempo in the beginning of the second round and due to her tactical change, she had the strength to win this excellent championship bout.

Lupe Gutierrez is on the top of the bantamweight

Colorado’s Lupe Gutierrez was too string for a local boxer, Brooke Jacob at the elite female bantamweight (54 kg) yesterday and the former Junior World Champion met Michigan’s Jasmine Hampton for the title of the category. Gutierrez was not in good enough shape in the first round, and she had the disadvantage in all of the five scorecards after three minutes of fight. The 24-year-old boxer received the right instructions from her corner during the first break and she was able to win the title due to her fantastic second and third rounds.

Grant is the genius of the featherweight

North Carolina’s Deborah Grant was in fantastic shape during the entire championships, and she had another remarkable performance in the final against Texas’ Makaylynn Garcia in the final of the featherweight (57 kg). The Spring Lake’s genius dominated the first round, and she was still able to increase that rhythm in the second giving zero chances for her opponent. The referee counted Garcia in the third round, but she was able to continue the championship bout until the final bell. Grant won their contest by unanimous decision, and she made one of the best performances on the day of the elite finals.

Colorado vs. California 2-0 as Cirka and Greer both won their finals

Colorado’s Heather Cirka is probably the tallest women’s lightweight (60kg) boxer in the entire world, and she had the easy pathway to the finals in Toledo. She used her longer reach against California’s Fe’ofa’aki Epenisa-Carlsen and Cirka celebrated her comfortable victory in this unequal final bout. Colorado Springs’ Lisa Greer controlled the first round of the light welterweight (63 kg) championship bout against California’s Diliana Pecheva, and she took the lead on the scorecards. The promising Pecheva arrived from San Diego to Toledo, and she had a few good punches in this final, but Greer’s technical skills decided their final.

Brooke Mullen and Christine Forkins were too powerful for their rivals

Pennsylvania’s powerful Brooke Mullen had the strong pedigree from previous national events, and she stopped Mississippi’s Jamere Shelby in the second round of their welterweight (66 kg) final. Nashville’s Christine Forkins stopped Michigan’s Brenda Torres at the elite light middleweight (70 kg) yesterday and she planned to use her strength against New Mexico’s Aleeza Mata-Hill as well. Forkins caught her final opponent in the first round with heavy shots, but Mata-Hill had the skills to continue the bout after the standing counts. The outstanding Forkins was better in all aspects of boxing today and she earned the title of this weight class in Toledo.

Ornella Sathoud and Ciara Frazier were the last winners of the championships

New York’s Ornella Sathoud eliminated San Francisco’s Caitlin Torrington in the semi-finals of the middleweight (75 kg) and she met Pennsylvania’s Trinity Burke for the gold medal. Sathoud, who represented Ghana at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, had less than 20 bouts during her career but she made it brilliantly in the first round of the final. Burke came back from the deep in the second with tough punches, but Sathoud had the stamina in the third to win this crucial final. Ohio’s Ciara Frazier controlled all of the three rounds against New Jersey’s Corina Talavera, and she achieved the title of the elite light heavyweight (81 kg).