By James Blears
Brooke Dierdoff defeated Mia St. John for the second time, and this time took Mia's WBC International Lightweight Title, in Victoria Tamaulipas, by unanimous decision.
Mia who'd lost in their first encounter in April 2007 due to a telephone booth style brawl, tried to use her longer reach this time around to box, but Brooke was again successful with her rough tactics which weren't elegant, but they proved effective.
Mia started well boxing intelligently, but as the fight wore on there were more and more clinches. Mia who's left cheek was scuffed raw fought back with courage, cuffing Brooke in clinches with some short rights and going to the body. But Brooke's workrate was higher and she was giving marginally more than she was taking although there were not too many clean connecting punches.
Mia caught Brooke charging in with a peach of a long arching right hook at the beginning of the eighth and final round. More of this marksmanship would have won her the fight, but Brooke had smothered her style.
To their credit, both ladies showed their class with great sportswomanship following the final bell. And the crowd applauded Brooke for a hard fought win.