by David P. Greisman
Ronda Rousey is one of the most popular mixed martial artists in the world. Female boxers headline shows internationally. Amateur women will compete in the Olympics for the second time this year.
But in the United States, major boxing broadcasts have yet to feature female fighting. Lou DiBella, who has a couple of female boxers in his stable, believes that time will change soon. He was happy to have one of those boxers, Heather Hardy, featured in a good spot during Saturday’s event at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, in a preliminary bout underneath the Premier Boxing Champions broadcast.
“She keeps moving later in the show, which is good. And every time she fights, she delivers,” DiBella said of Hardy, who moved to 17–0 with 4 KOs following en eight-round decision over Kirstie Simmons. “I like her as a person. And her fighting style, she’s like a blood and guts female warrior. She’s like Micky Ward. I promote her, but Heather’s not going on a pound-for-pound list of women’s fighters. But she throws down. She loves to fight. She takes and gives. She’s super entertaining. And the public’s embraced her.”
He’s hoping someone else seated in the arena will embrace her, or at least embrace the idea of airing fighters with two X chromosomes.
“That was a fun fight. And [Showtime Sports executive] Stephen Espinoza was there to see it, which is a good thing,” DiBella said. “Stephen has expressed an interest in making history, doing a women’s ‘ShoBox’ or a woman’s card on Showtime. I think that’s something that’s possible. Stephen’s very receptive to it. Heather’s one of the most popular female fighters in the world, certainly the most popular in New York. And there’s some other great female fighters that can be featured in an all-women’s card.
“They deserve it. This is the 21st century. It’s time. There’s enough good female fighters. It’s an Olympic sport. Women fight really hard. They work just as hard in the gym as the men. The time has come. I’m going to go on a limb and say before the end of 2016, there’s going to be a women’s card on TV. I believe that.”
In the interim, one of DiBella’s other fighters, Amanda Serrano, will defend her featherweight title in a prelim bout on July 30 underneath Leo Santa Cruz vs. Carl Frampton at Barclays Center.
“One of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world,” DiBella said. “Amanda Serrano is a tremendous talent.”
Pick up a copy of David’s book, “Fighting Words: The Heart and Heartbreak of Boxing,” at http://bit.ly/fightingwordsamazon or internationally at http://bit.ly/fightingwordsworldwide. Send questions/comments via email at fightingwords1@gmail.com