The CBZ Newswire

By Karl Hegman

Photo courtesy of USA Boxing.

Marlen Esparza made boxing history in Spokane, Washington at the USA National Boxing Championships on Saturday by becoming the sport’s first 9 time National Champion. The determined flyweight gladiator once again fought off a strong challenge from her nemesis, Ginny Fuchs and captured the outstanding fighter award of the tournament.

Esparza out boxed and out hustled Fuchs in a tough battle and has added a new dynamic to her ring style. She is a far more versatile fighter than the one I first encountered some five years ago. She pivoted off of 90 and 45 degree angles and used her torso movement and footwork to slip most of Fuch’s heavy shots. (continue reading…)

By Karl Hegman

The Bayou City’s International Roving Warrior, Marlen Esparza, capped off a phenomenal campaign in 2014 by capturing the AIBA Women’s World Flyweight Boxing Championship in Jeju, South Korea on November 24th.

Esparza won a total of five fights in eight days to capture amateur boxing’s most prestigious tournament. She fought more times in one week than most Houston professional boxers fight in two years or more. (continue reading…)

By Karl Hegman

Marlen Esparza

“All of my opponents were good fighters. I just made them look ordinary with my great boxing ability.”-Jose “Mantequilla” Napoles Welterweight Champion 1969 – 1975

Fighter of the Year: Marlen Esparza

The 2013 USA Boxing Women’s Flyweight National Champion and PAL National Champion. Gold Medalist Continental Championships and Silver Medalist World Combat Championships.

Those credentials make Esparza the winner of this award for the fourth consecutive year. Esparza was hard pressed to capture her seventh consecutive National Title with a close and controversial decision victory in April over Virginia Fuchs in Spokane.

Marlen left no doubt as to whom the better fighter between the two was in a rematch at the PAL Championships with a convincing points victory over Fuchs this past October in Oxnard, California. (continue reading…)

Marlen Esparza

A major boxing announcement came from Houston today where it was revealed that the 2012 Olympic Women’s Flyweight Bronze Medalist, Marlen Esparza is to fight on a Universal Boxing Federation sponsored event next spring in the nation’s fourth largest city.  

The fight will be offered on Webcast Pay Per View with a very reasonable buy rate according to the co-promoter of the event, the President of the Houston Boxing Hall of Fame, Karl Hegman. (continue reading…)

By Karl Hegman

Termite Watkins, at right, shown here connecting versus Saul Mamby in a fight he lost by UD, is one of the inductees (photo courtesy of St. Petersburg Times)

The following is a complete list of the Inaugural Class of the ten 2013 Inductees into the Houston Boxing Hall of Fame as determined by the President and Board of Directors.  Congratulations to the “Eternal Champions” of the Bayou City! (continue reading…)