Gabriela Fundora cemented her reign as the undisputed queen of the women’s flyweight division on an electrifying Saturday night at Frontwave Arena in Oceanside. The event, which marked the venue’s first-ever boxing match, was overflowing with energy as the crowd’s cheers fueled Fundora to a commanding victory over IBF mandatory challenger Marilyn Badillo via a 7th-round TKO.
Fundora, undefeated at 16-0 (8 KOs), used her superior physical advantages in height and reach to overwhelm Mexico’s Badillo (19-1-1, 3 KOs) from the opening bell. The fight began with Badillo showing some moments of aggression, looking to close the gap, but it quickly became clear that she had no answer to Fundora’s well-timed jabs and punishing combinations.
From the first round, Fundora knew she had her opponent figured out. “She would duck and move, but she was still there to be hit,” Fundora said confidently after the fight. That certainty grew as she landed expertly timed shots with both her left hand and relentless combination punching. Badillo, who entered the bout hungry for an upset, found few opportunities to turn the tide against Fundora’s dominance.
The fight reached its conclusion in the seventh round when Fundora unloaded a series of three devastating left hands, sending Badillo to the canvas. Despite a valiant effort to recover, Badillo was unsteady on her feet, leading referee Rudy Barragan to call an end to the bout as Badillo made it clear she did not wish to continue.
The win solidified Fundora’s status as the reigning undefeated champion, and she did so in her first-ever main event appearance. “I’m proud to defend my undisputed status and to make history at such a historic event,” Fundora said in a post-fight interview, thanking her team and the fans for their support. The Frontwave Arena crowd, equally thrilled to witness top-tier boxing, roared in approval as Fundora celebrated in the ring.
Earlier in the night, the co-main event delivered a shocking upset as Jorge Garcia Perez handed Charles Conwell his first professional loss. Perez, entering the ring with no expectation as the favorite, left no doubt about his abilities by securing a split decision victory in a grueling twelve-round contest.
Conwell, previously seen as a rising star and top contender for a world title, struggled to keep up with Perez’s relentless pace. Perez outworked Conwell, landing more power punches in eight of the twelve rounds and proving effective in the close exchanges. Despite the action-packed, toe-to-toe nature of the fight, Conwell’s output and accuracy fell just short of what it took to clinch a win.
The shocking result leaves Conwell, who was on a direct path to a title shot, to reassess his game plan. Perez, meanwhile, walked away from the bout victorious and with newfound accolades, cementing himself as a fighter to watch moving forward.
The evening at Frontwave Arena was a monumental one for the fighters and fans alike. Gabriela Fundora continues to reign supreme in the women’s flyweight division, leaving no doubt that she is the gold standard among champions. Jorge Garcia Perez, on the other hand, emerged as a spoiler with his gritty performance, proving that nothing is guaranteed in the boxing world. Article contributions made by Ardie Crenshaw for the Valley News.
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