BY SIMONE J. SMITH
V was for Victory on Saturday November 12th, 2022, when the greatest of Canadian Boxing talent was highlighted again at the United Promotions’ last boxing night of the year. Hundreds of people flocked the CAA Centre located in Brampton, to cheer on the hometown heroes, and the boxers did not let their fans down.
Broadcasting LIVE on DAZN, boxing fans across North America witnessed the evolution of boxing in Canada, as we were all entertained with eight bouts of action-packed battles between some of the very best in all weight classes.
Naturally, the Toronto Caribbean Newspaper had to show up to take in the night’s festivities, especially because one of our Classic Men Shakeel Phin was headlining the main event. Yes, Shakeel won his match by unanimous decision, and our other Canadian fighters represented to the fullest. Here is a quick run down of the scorecards for those who could not attend:
- Josh Wagner vs. Yaser Yueksei – TKO, at 2:05 in the 3rd Round
- Joshua Frazer vs. J. Canales – Win by Unanimous Decision
- Josh O’Reilly vs. Jorge Amaya – TKO, at 2:07 in the 3rd Round
- Sara Haghighat-ioo vs. Naveli Verde – Win by Unanimous Decision
- Mehdi Abidi vs Roddy Rene – Win by Unanimous Decision
- Ryan Young vs. Tsetsi Davis – Win by Unanimous Decision
- Helmand Alekozai vs. Dylan Rushton – Split Decision
United Promotions once again pulled off an over the top event, but there was one fight that caught my eye; it was the women’s fight between Sara Haghighat-ioo vs. Naveli Verde. To be honest, it was the best fight of the night. It is common to see women fighters in the ring now, but not too long ago, women had to fight to have their time in the ring.
The early 1700’s had raw British female fighters like Elizabeth Wilkinson boxing other women (and even men) in bare-chested, bare-knuckle style brawls. There were no “rounds,” weight classes, or low blows. Actually, there were no rules at all. Women engaged in bloody prize fights, mixed pair boxing, and even matches involving cudgels or small swords. Imagine that!
In the United States, there are stories that say the first women’s world championship match occurred in 1888 in New York. Fighters Hattie Leslie and Alice Leary endured a brutal fight that ended in black eyes. They also endured limitless disdain and ridicule from the press. The New York Herald vilified and objectified the boxers in the coverage of the event. There are other stories that say the first woman’s fight was held at New York Hills Theatre between Nell Saunders and Rose Harland. To some this is considered the first female boxing match in the United States. The top prize was a silver butter dish.
Not long after, women’s boxing did appear at the 1904 Olympic games in St. Louis — but only as a demonstration bout. Women fighters battled for equality in the sport for years. It wasn’t until 1975 that Caroline Svendsen became the first woman to receive a boxing license in the United States. Female boxing continued to evolve until 2012 when women’s boxing made its debut as an Olympic event for the first time since the games began.
Now, here I was, watching one of the most acclaimed female boxers slowly pick her opponent apart, until finally her hand was raised. Boxing fans understand the concept behind matchmaking: put together a competitive, entertaining fight that means something to the fans and the careers of the fighters. Not much is said about the scouting that comes before the matchmaking. It is not so glamorous, and it’s something that’s often overlooked.
I had a chance to sit down with Tyler Buxton, half of the United Boxing Promotions Management team, and I was curious about how they picked their fighters, Sara more specifically, but in general.
“There are multiple levels to this,” Tyler shares with me. “I look at their amateur experience and international fights. I see their commitment to the sport, and how they carry themselves. I also take note of how they represent themselves, how large is their following, and the root of their fan base?
One of our primary goals is to help great amateur fighters turn professional in the province of Ontario. We have established ourselves as a premier promotional company that is recognized world wide in the sport of boxing. Over the last couple of years, we have seen the difference that we have made in Ontario, and it is our goal to continue the growth of the sport by providing assistance to other start up promotional companies, and to continue to support amateur boxing programs.
“Let’s take Sara Haghighat-joo,” Tyler continued. “She has 12 years of boxing under her belt, she has been competing internationally for six years, has had 125 fights, and 107 wins, she is 3x Canadian Champion, 2x Irish Champion, the 2022 African Continental Champion, and she is currently competing for Sierra Leone. That is a boxer we can stand behind.”
“Having Sara as part of the United Promotions team was a no brainer,” Tyler tells me. “She has an immense resume, and I have known her husband for a very long time. She has a champion spirit, and that is what we are all about.”
During my talk with Tyler, he shared some news that will make boxing fans in Toronto giddy. They just signed a new deal with Pickering Casino, something Tyler says the team has been working on for nine years. Construction of the Casino got delayed thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, but guess what folks? They are going to be starting the New Year off with a BANG! January 28th, 2023, Pickering Casino Resorts will host United Boxing Promotions fight night. They are kicking up the entertainment and giving it to us Vegas style.
“Women love going to the fights, and people love going to the casino,” Tyler shares to conclude our talk. “It is going to have a whole new vibe.”
I can hardly wait!
