On the under card of the Arthur Abraham-Robert Stieglitz rubber match, world middleweight champion Christina Hammer (17-0, 8 KO’s) made a successful defense of the WBF and WBO titles, winning a unanimous decision over GBU welterweight titlist Jessica Balogun (23-3, 11 KO’s) at the GETEC Arena in Magdeburg, Sachsen-Anhalt, Germany.
Hammer, who has held both world championships since her ninth pro bout in 2011, fought behind a stiff jab, keeping Balogun at a safe distance with her lateral movement and superior footwork keeping her from being cornered by the bigger challenger. It was shut out victory, with the champion wining on all three judges scorecard by scores of 100-90; a wider score than world welterweight champion Cecilia Braekhus earned over Balogun when the two fought almost two years ago. Balogun’s next bout is scheduled for April where she’ll be the headlining bout at Museum Zinkhuetter Hof against an opponent to be named.
In Argentina, another world champion remained undefeated when Erica Anabella Farias (19-0, 9 KO’s) defended the WBC lightweight championship for the 11th time against Maria Eugenia Lopez (8-8-2) at Estadio F.A.B. in Buenos Aires. It was a fairly one sided bout, with the champion dropping her opponent in the final frame. Scores of 98-91 across the board gave Lopez her third loss in her last four outings. Farias is scheduled to face WIBF, WIBA and WBF lightweight title holder Delfine Persoon (28-1, 13 KO’s) in her next defense in April. Persoon’s titles won’t be at stake.
Nearly seven years after their first meeting, WBC super-flyweight champion Zulina Munoz (41-1-2, 26 KO’s) avenged her lone professional defeat when she scored a technical six round decision win over Alesia Graf (26-4, 11 KO’s) at the World Trade Center in Naucalpan, Mexico. It was Munoz’s fifth defense of the title she won in late 2012.
The fighters first met back in 2007 with Grafs GBU super flyweight title on the line. The defending champ scored a comfortable 10 round decision to retain the title, and would go on to defend the belt six more times before it was vacated. Graf would also win the WIBF super-flyweight title, but lose her first shot at the WBC strap, dropping a decision to Ana Maria Torres in 2010. This weekend’s bout was her first in 15 months as well as her third loss in her previous five contests. Her last bout took place in December of 2012 where she won the WBF super bantamweight title.
The IFBA minimum-weight title was on the line in South Korea. Champion Dan-Bi Kim (9-2-1, 2 KO’s) scored a shut out 10 round decision over rookie challenger Dorkmaipah Kiatpompetch (0-2). This is the second reign for Kim, who lost a challenge for the WBC light flyweight title against Nongmuay Kokietgym in 2009.
Headlining a card in Edmonton, Alberta Canada, WBC featherweight champion Jelena Mrdjenovich (32-9-1, 16 KO’s) scored a 10 round decision over Fatuma Zarika (24-8-1, 14 KO’s). It was a non-title affair, the champs third straight since regaining the title last May. Zarika’s now lost four of her last five bouts.
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