(APR 20) Besides defeating Dahiana Santana easily – a point upon which all commentators and now even Santana herself are agreed – Ana María Torres seems to have conquered hearts and minds throughout the Dominican Republic with her performance on Monday night: the promoter was delighted with the sold-out stadium and understandably wants her to defend on Dominican soil; the fans gave her a far warmer ovation at the end than she could have expected, given that they'd just seen the title hopes of a local woman dashed for the umpteenth time; commentators like Carlos Nina Gómez (who asked "What useful purpose would be served by a rematch? There was only one fighter in the ring, and she gave Dahiana a ten-round thrashing") seemed to have become Mexicans overnight; and even the Republic's "Sporting Hero Number One", WBO super featherweight champion Joan Guzmán, phoned from Las Vegas to congratulate the Mexican champion, before telling journalists: "I hope Ana María will return to my country soon so that I can meet her in person. I would have like to have been in Santo Domingo to see the fight, but they tell me it was a great exhibition and I warmly congratulate her."

 

What may perhaps interest 'La Guerrera' more, however, is the interest from across the Atlantic. Watching the fight in the Coliseo Carlos 'Teo' Cruz on Monday was Daniel Born, the WIBF's supervisor for Latin America, whose offices are in Santo Domingo and has long served as the liaison between Germany's powerful Universum Box Promotions and the local boxing community. He it was that organized the ill-fated German expeditions of Marilyn 'La Cachorrita ' (The Puppy) Hernández, Yahaira Hernández, Santana herself, and a number of other Dominican fighters. These returned home empty-handed; but though The Puppy (who climbed into the ring after the fight on Monday yapping "I'm the real champion. I really could beat Ana María Torres. I should be her next opponent.") may demur, Born is convinced that the Mexican woman is made of far sterner stuff.

 

"The best super flyweights in the world at the moment are Ana María Torres, the WBC champion, and Alesia Graf, who holds the WIBF belt," Born told Roberto Santos of Box Latino yesterday. "A fight between the two of them would be sensational for Universum Box Promotions. I spoke this morning to (Universum boss) Peter Kohl, and he instructed me to begin negotiations at once to sign Ana María. I am convinced, after the demonstration she gave against Dahiana Santana, that she has a great chance of becoming a star in Germany.

 

"To fight and defeat Halmich in Germany would be the best thing for Ana María because Regina is famous throughout Europe and has an exclusive contract with German television. Furthermore, the purses in Germany for both male and female fighters are the best in the world, and from the moment they set foot in Germany, they are given the kind of treatment major sporting figures deserve.

 

"Graf would be a difficult opponent, as she's currently the best European fighter, but from what I've seen of Ana María, she has the wherewithal to beat her. The difference between Torres and the women from the Dominican Republic that have fought in Germany is that the Mexican has a big heart, she has charisma and personality, great technique and exceptional strength and stamina. She's an authentic warrior."

 

The response was much the same in Xalapa  last October when Torres defeated Mayela ("The Little Cobra") Pérez for the interim title. Fuelled by tales of the animosity between the two women, which gave every appearance of being genuine once the fight got underway, ticket sales were brisk, and the organizers of the bill – and even the governor of Veracruz – expressed their hope that Ana María would return to defend the title in the state.

 

Local manager "Zorrito" Altamirano was at pains, too, to repair the shattered morale of her 'swift and elusive' opponent, who had done at least as much as Torres to promote the fight but had suffered a sustained and brutal beating in the sixth after Torres, 'with a beautiful piece of skill', trapped her in a corner : "''La Cobrita' is a valiant fighter," he said, "but for me, she's not a super flyweight. I hope the promoters will offer her a chance to fight for the Mexican title at junior flyweight." Remembering, one can only suppose, whatever it was Pérez had said that had so incensed her, Torres preferred to grind her heel into the Little Cobra's face by dismissing it as "a comparatively easy fight".  But then women and snakes …

 

Like Santana before her – whom Torres called out over a year ago, though she had no title to use then as a lure – Graf has been the Mexican's sights for some time now, and she's already expressed her eagerness to confront her for a unification – even on German soil. The risk in this to Graf is that, if she were to lose, the Mexican might usurp her altogether; in other words, that Universum might simply sign Torres to replace her within the organization and that it would be Torres that was offered all the good fights at super flyweight for as long as she remained undefeated; but after protesting (or so rumour has it) that Ina Menzer's getting all the attention and that Universum aren't making enough effort to find her opponents, it's hard to see, were Kohl to opt for a unification, how Graf could possibly back out.

 

Quite aside from their disparity in weight, it seems unlikely that Halmich, though – given her determination to go out on a winning note and her expressed fear that further facial injuries could interfere with her hopes of a career in television – would risk a fight with Torres at this late stage in her career. Mariana Juárez may have survived three bloody encounters with La Guerrera with her looks intact, but others have fared less well; and I don't think disputing a world title with Ana Maria Torres would feature in anyone (except perhaps the Elephant Man)'s  5-point beauty plan.

 

[Sources: Box Latino,  Listin Diario, Diario de Xalapa]

 

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