2023 Women's Championships

Ornella Sathoud and the new novice winners were the heroes of the Women’s Championships on Day 4

Share:

by Tibor Kincses, World Boxing

The fourth competition day at the Women’s Championships in the city of Toledo, Ohio saw amazing progress from several talents in the elite age group. New York’s Ornella Sathoud won her key semi-final contest at the elite middleweight (75 kg) on Day4.

The new edition of the Women’s Championship is organized by USA Boxing in association with World Boxing. The senior novice boxers finished their campaigns in Toledo, the winners of today’s contests are the new champions. The winners of the elite female contests advanced to the finals of the Women’s Championships.

The last competition day with the elite finals will be held in Toledo tomorrow from 12:00 p.m. and will be live streamed as the previous sessions.

Noelle Haro was too strong for Tovar Lopez today

North Carolina’s southpaw Noelle Haro and Colorado Springs’ Mariana Tovar Lopez met in the first bout of the fourth competition day in Toledo. The 26-year-old Haro was too strong for her opponent in the first round, and she had a massive advantage on the scorecards. The southpaw boxer was quarter-finalist in the 2022 US Women’s National Championships, and she had the routine to beat Tovar today. Haro landed the decisive punches in the middle part of the second round and the referee confirmed her RSC victory in this elite light flyweight (50 kg) contest.

Christine Forkins also stopped her rival

Nashville is a boxing city in Tennessee and their Christine Forkins had the height advantage in her today’s contest against Michigan’s Brenda Torres at the elite light middleweight (70 kg). She moved forward in the first round, and she looked so confident in all of the exchanges while Torres was unable to stop her. The 29-year-old Forkins earned bronze medals at the 2022 US Women’s National Championships and at the Golden Gloves Tournament which made her more confident for this year’s actions. Forkins launched heavy shots in the end of the first round and she defeated Torres when the referee stopped the contest.

Garcia and Grant were the heroes of the elite featherweight

Texas’ Makaylynn Garcia and a Canadian boxer, Stephanie Boyd met in the first elite featherweight (57 kg) contest of the day. Both boxers had the same rhythm and number of punches in the first round which made the work of the judges difficult. The Canadian southpaw was patient in the second round but sometimes she boxed from too long range and Garcia caught her with jabs. Boyd finished the second round with better shots and the final verdict depended on their effectiveness in the last three minutes. Garcia’s best round was the third and her excellent punches in that period guaranteed her tight success today. North Carolina’s Deborah Grant’s pressure delivered a quick success over Pennsylvania’s Jessica Golden in the second elite featherweight bout.

Ornella Sathoud won her key middleweight contest

The contest between New York’s Ornella Sathoud and San Francisco’s Caitlin Torrington was one of the most anticipated matches of the fourth competition day. Sathoud, who represented Ghana at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, landed a strong left-handed shot in the second minute and the referee counted Torrington. Sathoud felt that she had the chance to finish this middleweight (75 kg) contest earlier than she expected and she mobilized her power after the two standing counts. Torrington, who competed for Australia in a few international events, survived these dangerous moments and she could fight until the last gong but Sathoud won the battle of the southpaw boxers.

Claire Prince and Sania Gandhi won their novice categories

New York’s Claire Prince and Hawaii’s Tuda Grehan faced off for the first championship bout of the day at the senior female novice bantamweight (54 kg). Prince was expecting the title but not as quickly how it happened in Toledo, taking the first novice gold medal of the championship. Georgia’s Sania Gandhi met Louisiana’s Akira Hailey in the next championships bout at the novice lightweight (60kg). Gandhi had outstanding footwork today and her combinations reached the target several times to take the title.

Lupe Gutierrez dominated her today’s contest

Colorado’s Lupe Gutierrez met a local boxer, Brooke Jacob at the elite female bantamweight (54kg) on Day4 and she worked better this time as her last appearance. Gutierrez earned a gold medal at the 2015 Junior World Boxing Championships and she had the routine to handle this fight today in different level. Brooke Jacob lives and trains in Toledo and fought in the front of the home crowd, but her opponent was untouchable for her. Gutierrez worked a lot on body and despite she receiving a warning from the referee, she had the advantage on the scorecards. Jacob was too static for the 24-year-old Lupe Gutierrez who decided their unequal contest in the second round.

Locquiao impressed with her speed today

Hawaii’s Breanna Locquiao and Maryland’s Teaira Skinner have had a superb contest at the elite minimumweight (48 kg). Locquiao competed for Team USA at the 2019 Women’s World Boxing Championships in Ulan-Ude and she won national events during her career. The more experienced Locquiao had the better speed in the first round, but Skinner received the right advice from her corner to keep the rhythm in the second. The Mililani-based Locquiao had world-class footwork in this contest, and she controlled most of the exchanges. The promising Skinner from Baltimore had an excellent finish in the last 15 seconds, but Locquiao won the battle in total.

Allen-Brooks and Jones controlled the heaviest novice weight categories

Two boxers from Cincinnati met for the championship bout at the novice middleweight (75 kg), Breaisia Allen-Brooks and Sydney Reeves. The first was a smaller boxer in their meeting but Allen-Brooks had the aggressive style of boxing to win the title bout by RSC over her compatriot. New York’s Samantha Jones Ohio’s Madison Coldren had a tough battle at the novice heavyweight (+81 kg) in Toledo. The Newburgh-based Jones started the first round better and she had the stronger shots in the second to build up advantage in all of the five scorecards. Coldren gave in everything in the third, but Jones’ lethal punches were the difference between them today.

Castillo Valdez, Crockett and Dial achieved novice titles

Jennifer Shen is Brooklyn’s new pride who faced another promising boxer from the West Coast, Karen Castillo Valdez of Los Angeles. Shen opened the first round with nice jabs but her opponent maintained the best fighting range in time to take their opener. Castillo Valdez amazed in the second and third rounds to win the Los Angeles vs. New York battle in this novice flyweight (52 kg) championship bout. Hawaii bagged several titles in the younger age groups and another hope from Waianae, Hesia Villamero tried to manage a gold medal, but she lost to Missouri’s Alisha Crockett at the featherweight (57 kg). Tennessee’s Casey Dial delivered a fantastic performance against New York’s Selena Carrion at the novice light welterweight (63 kg).

Read More#