The vacant IBF welterweight title was up for grabs Saturday night. Croatian boxer Ivana Habazin (13-1, 5 KO’s) and hometown fighter Sabrina Giuliani (12-2, 1 KO) squared off at the Hall Omnisport de la Prealle in Belgium, with Habazin managing to pull out a split 10 round decision. The new champ had failed in a prior attempt at this title in March of last year, losing a decison to Eva Halasi. She won two contests before years end to earn her way to this shot. Giuliani is a former EBU welterweight title holder, losing the belt to Ornella Domini in her third defense. This loss was her second straight.
Sunday night in South Korea, IFBA featherweight champion Ji-Hye Woo (14-2, 1 KO) retained her title with a 10 round decision over Jennifer Han (10-3-1, 1 KO) at the Wooseul Gymnasum in Haennam. This was only the second title defense for Woo since winning the vacant strap in 2011; she made her first defense two years later in April of last year and didn’t fight again until this past Sunday. Prior to winning the featherweight title, she reigned as the IFBA’s super featherweight champion for nearly four years. Winning the title in early 2007, she made five successful defenses before Jennifer Barber defeated her at the end of 2010.
Entering her fifth year in the pro ranks, this was Han’s first title bout. The El Paso native lost her debut contest, but went unbeaten in her next 12 which included three fights for the Mexican reality series “Todas Contra Mexico” where she won twice and scored a draw in a third bout, all of which are ruled as “no contest” by Boxrec.com and not counted in her professional record. She came into the bout off two six round decision wins in 2013. This was also her first time in a 10 round contest.
Two of New York’s most popular female fighters fought on separate cards over the weekend. On Friday night, Brooklyn’s own UBF super bantamweight champion, Heather “The Heat” Hardy (9-0, 2 KO’s) kept her undefeated record in tact with an eight round unanimous decision over IWBF bantamweight title holder and former New York State featherweight champ Nydia Feliciano (7-5-3) of the Bronx, at the Aviator Sports Complex with nether fighters title at stake.
The women put on a top notch, action packed contest that had the crowd on it’s feet. Though Feliciano was her toughest opponent to date, it was Hardy who pressed the action and left with the win. Feliciano, who challenged for the world title in 2011, disagreed with the decison. Three days after the bout, she called out Hardy for a rematch on her Facebook page, stating (in part) “…I most definitely DO NOT deserve that ridiculously awful score. I want a rematch and if Heather beats me again then I will leave it alone as well as give her the utmost respect…so yes I’m calling her out let’s fight Heather Hardy”. Hardy’s trainer/manager Devon Cormack responded (also via Facebook) by offering Feliciano a “winner take all” rematch, all or nothing for the full purse to which Feliciano’s responded, “bring it”.
The following night at the Five Star Banquet in Long Island City, another New York favorite, Sonya Lamonakis (9-1-2, 1 KO) met Tiffany Woodard (4-8-3, 3 KO’s) for the fourth time. Lamonakis took a comfortable, unanimous decision over eight rounds to win the vacant New York State heavyweght title, and make her record against Woodard now 3-0-1. The prior three contests between the two all went the six round distance. Woodard is now 0-4-3 since her last victory in 2010.
In Germany, Renata Domsodi (12-4, 5 KO’s) dealt Alexandra Vlajk (5-1, 1 KO) her first defeat, winning an eight round decision and winning the vacant Hungary, WBF International, and UBO International bantamweight titles. Domsodi was coming off a stoppage loss to Ramona Kuehne in December in a bid for three world titles, it was her second stoppage loss to Kuehne. The previously undefefeated Vlajk had just turned pro in October.
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