A triple header of womens boxing took place in Bayern, Germany Saturday night. Two world title bouts and a non-title 10 rounder, headlined by the return of the former WIBF lightweight champion, Rola El Halabi, who suffered what appeared to be career ending injuries in April of 2011 when she was shot by her step father, Roy El Halabi.
In January of 2011, Rola had terminated the management contract of her step father. Come April, while in the dressing room warming up for a title defense against Irma Adler, Roy El Halabi entered the room and asked to speak alone with Rola. Once the two were alone, he shot her in both feet, the knee and the hand. He was later sentenced to six years in a Berlin prison while Rola would spend months in a wheelchair, enduring a year and a half of surguries and therapy to aid her healing process. Now, nearly two years after the incident and two and a half years after her last bout, Rola returned to the ring.
El Halabi (11-1, 6 KO’s) met Lucia Morelli (18-3, 8 KO’s) for the WIBA, GBU, and WBF female lightweight titles, all vacant at the time. It was Morelli’s first bout since February of 2012 when she was stopped in five rounds by WBF champion Delfine Persoon. Despite a spirited effort, El Halabi would drop a close majority decison to Morelli: scores were 96-95, 95-95, and 97-93. She stated afterwards that Morelli’s victory should be celebrated, and promised her fans that she would continue her career and regain the world title.
Undefeated Nikki Adler (9-0, 6 KO’s) picked up her first world title with a victory over Edita Lesnik (1-6, 1 KO). The former German champion won the vacant WIBA super middleweight title outpointing Lesnik over 10 rounds. This was Lesniks second try for a world strap, the first being a 10 round loss for the WBF title just two weeks ago.
In non-title featherweight action on the same card, Irma Adler (14-3, 7 KO’s) made quick work of Fleis Djendji (15-16-1, 9 KO’s) stopping her in the second round. Djendji is off to another busy year, having fought just a week ago, stopping Melita Slavnic in the third round in Serbia. A very active fighter, she’s fought between five and nine bouts a year since turning professional in 2008. Adler is a former WIBA featherweight champion.
In Limburg, Belgium, the aforementioned Delfine Persoon (22-1, 9 KO’s) defended her WIBF lightweight title against Anita Torti (6-2-1, 3 KO’s). Persoon took a one sided 10 round decison, scoring her 13th consecutive win. Though she fought five times in 2012, this was her first title defense since wining the belt in February over Lucia Morelli. She is also the current IBF lightweight champion, winning that title by seventh round stoppage of Erin McGowan in September.
In Mexico City, Mexico, Ibeth Zamora (16-5, 7 KO’s) snapped a two bout losing streak with a unanimous eight round shut out over Fredee Gonzalez (6-11-1, 2 KO’s). Gonzalez is riding a five fight losing streak.
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