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(MAY 21) This weekend, there will be an all women’s boxing card staged in
Japan on May 23rd, where the main event will feature local star and current
WIBA World Featherweight champion Emiko Raika against Shelby Walker in
Raika's defense of her belt.
This is the kind of world title matchup --
especially in the shadow of a great flyweight matchup like Wendy
Rodriguez against Anissa Zamarron, also this weekend, but in Louisiana and
for the North American Boxing Association belt -- that makes absolutely no
sense and damages the credibility of the sport and those in it.
WBAN did a little research, using both subjective federation ratings and
objective computerized rankings, to see how Walker stacks up. The U.S. boxer
was not rated in the top ten by the IFBA, WIBF, NABA, or the GBU. There were no
ratings available on the net for the IWBF, and the IBA does not have a
rankings system for women boxers.
Two different computerized rankings paint a similar picture. Walker is
ranked No. 24 in the world by Boxrec.com, while the independent efforts of
Dee Williams -- former operator of the Women’s Boxing Page -- have Walker
slotted in at No. 17. In fact, the only organization which recognizes Walker
as an even remotely world-class opponent is the WIBA (#10).
Clearly, and especially in women’s boxing, there are fighters with
respectable records like Walkers -- 6-3-1 -- who could and should be
considered worthy of a title opportunity. Six wins, while not overwhelming,
can still be the foundation for a quality world title bout. Such is not the
case with Walker.
Shelby’s first five wins, with her opponents record at the time of their
fight in parentheses, follow: Christmas Davis (0-0), Diane Thompson (0-0),
Miranda Lynch (0-0), Tricia Silotta (0-1-0) and Lanisha Hinson (0-0). See a
pattern here? Even her draw came against a pro debuter, Ninfa Herrera.
Walker’s one respectable win came over Renee Douglas, who herself is still
ranked only 21 by Boxrec, and who scored her 11 wins over opponents with a
combined record of 13-35. One of Walker’s most recent of her three losses came in
June of 2003, against a 2-4 fighter, by fourth round TKO. (record stats
were taken off of the records site boxrec.com)
Sitting idle this weekend is
the WIBA No. 1 ranked featherweight,
Jo Jo Wyman. Contacted by WBAN,
Wyman said, "Okay
what kinda BS is that. I am ranked #1 and they have not even
offered me that fight with Emiko. Who
is Shelby Walker anyway? She wouldn't even fight me. Last year they
were looking for a fight for her and they declined me. What ever
happened to mandatory fighting?"
Wyman
said that the WIBA had been calling her though to fight Australian Sharon
Anyos in Anyos' home country for a whooping $2000.00. "I am done with
fighting anyone, anytime, anywhere. My record will take another loss, for no
less then 15,000.00. I should of had my belt back when I got robbed against
McCarter in 2000. I will tell you----I have lost a lot of heart and drive
because of all the BS. I tell you all, call me when you have a serious,
neutral fight and your fighter/husband is not promoting the card in your
hometown," added Wyman.
| WBAN also contacted the #2 WIBA ranked boxer,
Kelsey Jeffries. Jeffries said that she was never offered the fight
with Emiko.
If people involved in this sport want to move it to the next level, they
need to step up to the plate to make it credible. This is far from making
the sport credible. The only level it’s reaching is lower, not higher, AND in
what appears to be someone's hidden agenda. |
Jeffries Ranked #2 in the world
with the WIBA in the featherweight division |
The WIBA has sanctioned some worthy title
fights----BUT THIS world title fight is way off the mark. |
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