Post by Dee Williams on Apr 26, 2009 15:04:26 GMT -5
Gerula beating Jelena creates buzz from Vegas
By MURRAY GREIG, Edmonton Sun
www.edmontonsun.com/Sports/Columnists/Greig_Murray/2009/04/24/9227876-sun.html
It didn't take long for the shock waves to travel from Edmonton to Las Vegas.
Ever since Jelena Mrdjenovich was relieved of her WBC super featherweight title by Winnipeg's Olivia Gerula on Apr. 9 at the Shaw Conference Centre, we've been inundated with e-mails from managers, trainers and fight fans in Sin City, where female boxing is always a hot topic.
"After reading Sun Media's coverage of the fight on the Internet, we are hereby issuing a challenge to fight Gerula anywhere, any time," wrote Luis Tapia, the trainer/manager of Vegas-based Layla McCarter, whose 31-13 record includes decisions over Mrdjenovich in 2008 and 2005. "If Gerula really wants to face the best pound-for-pound female fighter in the world, Layla will come down to 130 pounds to take the title from her."
Butch Gottlieb, Gerula's manager, also weighed in from the Nevada city, where he helms Infinity Boxing. "It was refreshing to read in your coverage that this is the first time (trainer) Milan Lubovac has actually acknowledged that Jelena did in fact lose," wrote Gottlieb. "I just wish she would have given credit to Olivia instead of blaming the judges for her loss - the same as she had done in all her previous losses.
"Jelena is a great fighter and a very nice young lady. It will be interesting to see where she goes from here, because there was no rematch clause in the contract and Olivia's next two fights are already set."
Another note came from a fan of WBC lightweight champ Ann Marie Saccurato, who defeated Mrdjenovich here in 2006. "According to your story, Gerula took the title by taking the fight right to Jelena - which is exactly what Saccurato did," wrote Mark Sempel. "My guess is that Jelena is finished. It sounds like her heart isn't in it anymore."
Mrdjenovich's promoter, KO Boxing's Glen Carriere, said this week that the former champ is "weighing her options", but wouldn't elaborate.
Immediately after losing her crown, the 26-year-old said she had no thoughts of retiring, but with Gerula now replacing her in a lucrative June title bout in Paris, it will likely be at least three months before we see Mrdjenovich back in the ring.
By MURRAY GREIG, Edmonton Sun
www.edmontonsun.com/Sports/Columnists/Greig_Murray/2009/04/24/9227876-sun.html
It didn't take long for the shock waves to travel from Edmonton to Las Vegas.
Ever since Jelena Mrdjenovich was relieved of her WBC super featherweight title by Winnipeg's Olivia Gerula on Apr. 9 at the Shaw Conference Centre, we've been inundated with e-mails from managers, trainers and fight fans in Sin City, where female boxing is always a hot topic.
"After reading Sun Media's coverage of the fight on the Internet, we are hereby issuing a challenge to fight Gerula anywhere, any time," wrote Luis Tapia, the trainer/manager of Vegas-based Layla McCarter, whose 31-13 record includes decisions over Mrdjenovich in 2008 and 2005. "If Gerula really wants to face the best pound-for-pound female fighter in the world, Layla will come down to 130 pounds to take the title from her."
Butch Gottlieb, Gerula's manager, also weighed in from the Nevada city, where he helms Infinity Boxing. "It was refreshing to read in your coverage that this is the first time (trainer) Milan Lubovac has actually acknowledged that Jelena did in fact lose," wrote Gottlieb. "I just wish she would have given credit to Olivia instead of blaming the judges for her loss - the same as she had done in all her previous losses.
"Jelena is a great fighter and a very nice young lady. It will be interesting to see where she goes from here, because there was no rematch clause in the contract and Olivia's next two fights are already set."
Another note came from a fan of WBC lightweight champ Ann Marie Saccurato, who defeated Mrdjenovich here in 2006. "According to your story, Gerula took the title by taking the fight right to Jelena - which is exactly what Saccurato did," wrote Mark Sempel. "My guess is that Jelena is finished. It sounds like her heart isn't in it anymore."
Mrdjenovich's promoter, KO Boxing's Glen Carriere, said this week that the former champ is "weighing her options", but wouldn't elaborate.
Immediately after losing her crown, the 26-year-old said she had no thoughts of retiring, but with Gerula now replacing her in a lucrative June title bout in Paris, it will likely be at least three months before we see Mrdjenovich back in the ring.