(MARCH 9) New York City-International Boxing Hall of Famer Lou DiBella
is proud to announce today, in light of Women’s History Month, a
ground-breaking new women’s boxing series, “Broadway Boxing
Presents: Ladies Fight” streamed live and exclusively on UFC
FIGHT PASS®, the world's leading streaming service for combat
sports.
With DiBella Entertainment’s
Broadway Boxing celebrating its 18th year, its first all-women
event will take place on Friday, April 23, 2021, at 9:00 PM ET /
6:00 PM PT, headlined by the return of former world champion and
combat sports star Heather “The Heat” Hardy.
“This series on UFC FIGHT PASS® represents opportunity and hope
for women in boxing. I’m thrilled that our first show will be
headlined by
Heather Hardy,
who in 2013 became the first woman to be signed to a long-term
deal by DiBella Entertainment,” said Lou DiBella, President of
DiBella Entertainment.
“‘Broadway Boxing Presents Ladies
Fight’ will provide a platform for veteran contenders like
Melissa St. Vil
and
Carina
Moreno to stay active and for rising stars like
Mikiah Kreps, Alex Love and Stevie Jane Coleman
to gain exposure and recognition. On the heels of the women’s
boxing pay-per-view, I’m thrilled to be able to announce this
quarterly series, the first regular platform for all-women’s
boxing cards.”
Fighting out of her lifetime home
of Brooklyn, NY, Hardy (22-1, 4 KOs), the former WBO
featherweight world champion will clash with Montreal, Canada’s
Jessica “The Cobra” Camara (7-2) in an eight-round
lightweight contest.
Photo Credit: Mary Ann Owen
“When I got the call from Lou, I
knew I had to get back in the gym,” said an excited Hardy, who
also sports a 2-2 record in mixed martial arts. “I could never
leave this game on a loss. I’m a bit bigger, but also older and
wiser. 2021 is the Year of the Comeback!”
“Heather Hardy is a tremendous warrior, mother and ambassador of
the sport. It’s going to be an exciting event and being the main
event on this all-women’s card is an honor,” said Camara. “On
April 23, ‘The Cobra’ is going to strike.”
Competing at Madison Square Garden on October 27, 2018, Hardy
fulfilled a lifelong dream, winning the WBO featherweight world
title in front of thousands of her loyal supporters with a
dominant victory in a rematch against Shelly Vincent.
Returning to “The Mecca” on September 13, 2019, Hardy battled
Amanda Serrano in the “2019 Women’s Fight of the Year” that was
broadcast internationally, losing a decision to the
pound-for-pound world champion in front of a massive crowd.
Camara made her successful U.S. debut on November 1, 2018. In
her last bout, she battled to a very close 10-round decision
loss against two-time world title challenger Melissa St. Vil, on
February 8, 2020. Before turning pro in 2017, Camara was a
two-time Canadian National champion as an amateur.
Co-featured on “Ladies Fight”,
the aforementioned
Melissa St. Vil
(13-4-4, 1 KO), known
as “Little Miss Tyson”, will compete in an eight-round
lightweight bout. A native of Haiti, fighting out of Brooklyn,
NY, St. Vil has been a road warrior for her entire career,
always willing to travel to her opponent's backyard, while
fighting abroad in Belgium, New Zealand, China, Haiti and
Finland.
The former WBC Silver female
super featherweight titlist will look to stay in the win column
following two straight victories after a world title challenge
against champion
Delfine
Persoon in March
2019. Outside the ring, St. Vil has been a longtime champion for
autism awareness who helps her friend’s autistic daughter daily
through physical and educational exercises.
In an eight-round battle of
undefeated bantamweight prospects and highly touted amateur
standouts, Mikiah Kreps (1-0, 1 KO), of Niagara Falls, NY
will make her DiBella Entertainment debut against Alex Love
(3-0, 2 KOs), of Brighton, CO. The 24-year-old Kreps, co-managed
by WBO lightweight world champion Jamel Herring and Jerry
Casarez, was a bronze medalist at the 2019 AIBA Women’s World
Boxing Championships in Ulan-Ude, Russia. She also was a gold
medalist at the 2018 Elite National Championships, 2017 Eastern
Elite Qualifier and 2014 National Golden Gloves. Kreps made her
highly anticipated professional debut with a second-round
stoppage on October 30, 2020.
A participant in the 2012 Olympic Trials, the 31-year-old Love
was a two-time gold medalist at both the USA Boxing National
Championships and the Colorado Golden Gloves tournament. She is
currently a member of the Westminster, Colorado Police
Department and was a sergeant in the U.S. Army, serving in the
military for five years. Love is considered to be one of the
most decorated soldier athletes to compete for the U.S. Army
World Class Athlete Program. A professional boxer since
September 2018, Love is coming off of a second-round stoppage of
Kanisca Ruiz.
In a special attraction eight-round minimumweight clash, former
three-division world champion Carina “La Reina” Moreno (25-7, 6
KO’s), of Watsonville, CA, battles two-time New York Golden
Gloves champion Natalie “The Barracuda” Gonzalez (6-1, 1 KO), of
New Rochelle, NY.
Rounding out the card and making her professional debut,
Stevie Jane Coleman of Columbia, CT, will fight in a
four-round welterweight bout. Taking to boxing after knocking
out a school bully in eighth grade, Coleman was taught how to
box, along with her four brothers, by her father in a makeshift
gym set up on the family farm. The 21-year-old is now trained by
local Connecticut legend Paul Cichon. In her short amateur
career, compiling a record of 7-3, Coleman has shown exceptional
power, speed and an aggressive style.
To sign up for UFC FIGHT PASS®, please visit
www.ufcfightpass.com, or download the UFC app.
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