(APR 15) Finally, the women’s division will have a World Heavyweight champion as there will be a World title fight happening in Costa Rica for the vacant WBA and vacant WBC World Heavyweight titles between Hanna Gabriels and Martha Patricia Lara Gaytan. This event is promoted by Lou DiBella and Hector Fernandez de Cordova.

This is a big deal as we have not seen a World Heavyweight champion in the women’s division since Alejandra Jimenez vacated the title to fight as a Super Middleweight in 2018. The hometown girl for Costa Rica Hanna Gabriels has not fought since July 2019 when successfully defended the WBA Super Welterweight title against the undefeated at the time Abril Argentina Vidal. She has since vacated her title and I guess covid has put her career as a lower priority. Now she returns to fight as a Heavyweight and fighting for the vacant WBA and WBC Heavyweight titles.

Her opponent from Mexico Martha Patricia Lara Gaytan. Her record is a bit 50/50 but she is coming up a weight division after losing a WBC International super-middleweight title fight in October last year. This is her first World title fight against Hanna Gabriels.

So what does this mean for our three New Zealand boxers who are ranked in the top 10. Alrie Meleisea is ranked 3rd on Boxrec, 3rd in WBA and 8th in the WBC, Sarah Long is ranked 10th in WBC and Lani Daniels 10th in WBA. All boxers are in good positions but they need to be more active to keep their positions and to go up in rankings. New Zealand does not have the ability to host World title fights but when they do it’s extremely rare and often comes to the expense of the promoter harshly.

With World Heavyweight title fights being more active overseas, we can see more promoters putting on Heavyweight title fights on more often. This means calling up our ranked fighters to either fight for a world title or eliminator fights for the title. It is something to keep an eye on and to make sure that all of our female heavyweight fighters are ready for the call.

The world women’s heavyweight title fight will be happening on the Saturday 17th of April in Costa Rica time or Sunday 18th of April in New Zealand. Photos below are the ranked women from New Zealand. Sarah Long with the NZPBA Belt. Lani Daniels with Big Bash Logo. Alrie Meleisea with Shane Cameron Logo.

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