Mai Soliman and Maria Micheo Santizo fight to split draw in WBC junior bantamweight eliminator

Female junior-bantamweight contenders Mai Soliman of Australia and Guatemala-born former world title challenger Maria Micheo Santizo fought to a split draw in their WBC title eliminator bout on Saturday night (September 26) at the Commerce Casino and Hotel in Commerce, California.

Fighting in the 10-round main event of the Championing Mental Health 3: The Ring of Opportunity (CMH 3), broadcast globally on UFC Fight Pass, WBC No. 3-ranked Soliman, 10-2 (6 KOs), of Sydney, New South Wales, had to overcome a shaky start and find an answer to the pressure-fighting tactics of WBA No. 3-ranked (at flyweight) Micheo Santizo, 14-7-1 (8 KOs).

Eventually, Soliman found her opponent’s timing and, with her faster fists, was able to sway the action her way, even hurting the perennial high-level contender, Micheo Santizo, badly in round seven.

Micheo Santizo, however, recovered quickly and the two exchanged several volleys until the final bell. 

In the end, the judges couldn’t reach a consensus, with scores of 99–91 for Mai Soliman, 97–93 for María Micheo Santizo and 95–95 Draw, thus leaving the mandatory challenger status for WBC world junior-bantamweight champion current Adelaida Ruiz and/or newly crowned interim champ, Diana Fernandez, unresolved.

“We will run it back,” assured Soliman, post-fight.

In the co-main event, WBA No. 10 junior-lightweight Otar Eranosyan, 18-0 (9 KOs), scored a unanimous decision over Duban Zuleta, 10-1-1 (8 KOs).