On Saturday January 14, two World Boxing Federation Women’s World Champions will defend their titles on big shows on both sides of the pond, as Ramona Kuehne takes on Hungarian Renata Domsodi in Germany, and Irma Sanches squares off with Thailands Fahpratan Looksaikongdin in Mexico.
Having won five world titles in three weight classes, WBF Women’s World Super Featherweight Champion Ramona Kuehne is without a doubt one of the most accomplished female boxers on the scene today. Against Domsodi, at the Baden-Arena in Offenburg, she will make her third WBF title defense.
The two will fight on a show aired live by ARD in Germany that also features a Super Middleweight World title bout between Robert Stieglitz and Henry Weber, and the return of “King” Arthur Abraham.
Currently 18-1 (5), with her only defeat coming on a cut against 25-0 Ina Menzer in an unlucky attempt at a world title in a fourth weight class, Kuehne is still only 31 years old and could potentially achieve many more goals in the sport. Amazingly almost half of her professional bouts have been for World titles, and the fight against Domsodi will be her tenth World Championship contest.
Kuehne won the WBF World title in her first fight after the Menzer-setback, when she knocked out Dominican Maribel Santana in June 2010. She has since successfully defended with victories over undefeated opponents Irma Adler and, most recently, Arleta Krausova in April of last year. After nine months of waiting, she is now itching to get back in the ring against Domsodi.
One year older than Kuehne at 32, Budapest-resident Renata Domsodi has only lost once as a pro (7-1, 3 KOs). The loss was in her debut when she dropped a decision to current WBF World Bantamweight Champion Renata Szebeledi, who back then had fifteen bouts under her belt. Since then Domsodi has not looked back, defeating all the opponents put in front of her, and while she will naturally be the underdog against Kuehne she will be an ambitious one.
On the same night, but thousands of miles away in Guadalajara, WBF Women’s World Flyweight Champion Irma Sanchez is making the second defense of her crown against Fahpratan Looksaikongdin. Sanchez won the world title this past July by stopping Panamanian Carlotta Santos, and in her last bout she defended with a unanimous decision over fellow Mexican Susana Cruz Perez in October.
Only 24 years old, Sanchez has already been a pro for more than five years and has had an eventful career spanning 27 fights with 21 victories, 5 defeats and a draw. She won her first title in 2008 when she lifted an International championship, and challenged for her first world crown the following year, losing on points to the much more experienced Mariana Juarez.
Since then Sanchez won a few regional belts and unsuccessfully challenged for another world championship, before finally becoming world champion when she defeated Katia Gutierrez for the IBF Light Flyweight title in January of last year. Losing the title in her first defense to Jessica Chavez, Sanchez decided to move up in weight to capture the WBF world championship.
In her second defense she will stand opposite another young and hungry boxer in 20 year old Looksaikongdin. Despite a modest verified boxing record of 7-3, the Thai girl has already been in three world championship bouts, and fared well in them all despite losing.
In 2009 she was stopped in four rounds by current WBF Light Flyweight World Champion Ju Hee Kim for WIBF, GBU and WIBF titles, but did well enough to earn a rematch in July 2011 where she came up short on points with the WBF title also on the line. In between the two encounters with Kim in South Korea, Looksaikongdin lost on points to Gretchen Abaniel in Manila, Philippines for a Minimumweight World title.
With WBF President Howard Goldberg at ringside, coming all the way from South Africa to witness the fight live, the Irma Sanches vs. Fahpratan Looksaikongdin clash at the Coliseo Olimpico de la UG in Guadalajara, will be presented by Hector Garcia and his HG Boxing, and will go out live to boxing fans via Mexico Televisa.
www.worldboxingfederation.net
