Malpartida UD 10 Palmera

[Dee Williams]

Malpartida shook off a second round knockdown to win a 98-91, 98-91 and 98-91 unanimous decision over Colombian Liliana Palmera, defending the WBA Junior Lightweight title. Some reports indicate that Palmera made a good fight of it for the first four rounds and that Malpartida looked worried until the scores were announced. (The fight was at the Jockey Club in Lima, Peru.)

[Jason Ozuma]

The curse of Million Dollar Baby strikes again, kina keeps on fighting these easy opponents and just like Maureen did she ran against someone who wasn't quite as easy as they thought but Kina saved face and she didn't fall this time.

[Marianne Chubirka]

I watched the fight live online...it was a good fight...Palmera kept coming forward and in the beginning was a little quicker with her punches because she was much shorter...looked like she was punching pretty hard with the right and was willing to just keep pressing...Malpartida was trying to adjust and keep her range bur for the most part was missing with her long punches ...although her jab was somewhat effective...I had it 58-56 for the challenger after 6...then the champ TURNED it UP...she not only started to use the uppercut against the shorter girl but she really shifted to another gear and fought like a champ...she won the last 4 rounds clearly with the Columbian tiring althoug NEVER giving up and continuing to try to land that big right...It was a good fight...worthy opponent and Malapartida fought like a true CHAMP!

[Dee Williams]

Thanks for posting that, Marianne! Sounds like you would have called it 96-94 for Malpartida, or thereabouts?

[Marianne Chubirka]

yes...that's what I had it Dee...she really came back to win in a decisive way...even though it was only 2 points on "my" card...she showed her conditioning AND heart...very impressive...

[Martin Peters]

That's the second time in two fights Malpartida has been knocked down, right?

[Dee Williams]

Malpartida has been knocked down in several earlier fights. Lyndsey Scragg knocked her down, so did Maureen Shea, so did Rhonda Luna, so did Ela Nunez, so did Miriam Nakamoto (several times). Nunez was the only one to stop her, though and she came back to KO Shea. She lost to Luna and Nakamoto on points.

[Dee Williams]

David Avila's report on the fight:

www.thesweetscience.com/boxing-article/8131/ana-julaton-maria-villalobos-title-fight-kwest-kina-win/


WBA junior lightweight titleholder Malpartida (12-3) survived a second round knockdown to dominate Colombia’s hard-hitting Liliana Palmera (19-7-2, 12 KOs)

Peru’s Malpartida used her size and length to beat up Palmera but it didn’t look good in the second round when a counter right hand dropped the champion with a perfect shot on the chin. She beat the count easily and actually out boxed Palmera the remainder of the round.

“She caught me with a good punch and capitalized on the opening,” said Malpartida of the knockdown. “She hits hard.”

Jabs, jabs and more jabs kept Malpartida in front. The only danger came when Peru’s heroine would land a one-two combination that kept her in Palmera’s firing zone. But little by little even that opening closed.

Malpartida was the quicker fighter and often snapped Palmera’s head back while either moving out of the way of the right hand counter or ducking under. The Colombian’s face began to swell from the abundance of punches she was absorbing. A Malpartida right hand to the body nearly dropped Palmera at the end of the fourth round.

Rounds five through 10 were mirror images as the Peruvian prizefighter who makes Maywood, California her training ground used her reach and crisp jab to keep Palmera from attacking.

Malpartida became more aggressive and the punching power of Palmera was more a distant memory as the tall Peruvian began pummeling her challenger. A five-punch combination in the eighth round followed by a sizzling right uppercut forced Palmera to hold on tight.

In the final round Malpartida stepped up her punch output in an attempt to gather a knock out. Palmera hung on and seemed to only be bothered by the body shots, not the head blows. All three judges scored it 98-91 for Malpartida.

“She was very strong,” said Malpartida of her opponent. “I dedicate this victory to all of Peru.”