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With more than 10.000 fanatical
supporters cheering her on at
the Estadio Ramón Tahuichi
Aguilera in Santa Cruz, Bolivia,
Jennifer Salinas turned in a
clinical performance to defeat
co-challenger Yolis Marrugo
Franco for the vacant World
Boxing Federation Womens World
Super Bantamweight title on
Saturday night, November 16.
31-year-old Salinas, living in
the USA and daughter of a
Bolivian father and American
mother, was fighting for the
first time in her second
home-country, and made sure not
to disappoint her massive
following. Columbian Marrugo was
tough as teak, but Salinas never
let her into the fight and
produced one of her finest
performances.
With Marrugo, a former world
champion at Super Featherweight,
trying to come forward, Salinas
used her superior speed from the
outside to outsmart the visitor,
and after ten rounds of boxing
there was no doubt that the
local hero had secured a world
championship for Bolivia.
Judges Sergio Sotelo and Roman
Cruz scored the bout 99-90 in
favor of Salinas, who improved
her record to 15-3 (4), while
Juan Edmondu Jacobo voted 99-91.
Marrugo travels back to Columbia
with a 15-9-3 (7) ledger.
WBF President Howard Goldberg
supervised a fight which was
shown live on TV all over South
America, and at the conclusion
of the bout the ring was invaded
by countless journalists from
television, radio and
newspapers, trying to get
interviews with the enormously
popular Salinas.
On the same night at the Salle
Cuiry in Gien, France, another
local favorite captured a WBF
title, as
journeyman-turned-contender
Michel Mothmora won the vacant
International Middleweight title
after a close fight with
undefeated Czech champion Stepan
Horvath.
In what was a very intense
fight, Mothmora worked well with
his jab while Horvath had most
of his success with hooks and
crosses. Most rounds were
difficult to score, so it was no
surprise when it was announced
at the end that it would be a
split decision.
Judge Dominique Schmit had
Horvath winning 114-113, but he
was overruled by Noel Monnet and
Toni Tiberi who scored it for
Mothmora: 116-112 and 116-113.
Referee was Christope Hembert.
The new WBF International
Middleweight Champion now spots
a very deceiving record of 24-22
(8), having won nine of his last
ten bouts, while Horvath falls
to 11-1 (3).
Promoter was Michel Chagnoux and
Ring Giennois.
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