FILIPINA warriors Norj Guro and Carleans Rivas are gunning for world titles at the Spaceplus Bangkok RCA Thailand tonight, May 30, 2024.
Guro locks horns with 18-year-old Thai prospect Phunnakran Karnjanawong for the vacant Women’s International Boxing Association (Wiba) atomweight belt.
Guro, who trains under Cebuano trainer Brix Flores, is an experienced female fighter who has fought for a world title twice already. She won the World Boxing Council (WBC) Silver atomweight title in 2022 after a split decision win over Denise Castle. Guro lost her last match by unanimous decision in a World Boxing Organization (WBO) Asia-Pacific Women’s minimumweight championship bout against Riyuna Yoshikawa also in 2022.
Karnjanawong, in the meantime, is a promising young fighter who just turned pro last year. She started hot in her career with three wins and draw before losing two of her last three contests. She’s coming of a loss to Riho Yoshida.
Guro is 12-8-1 with four knockouts, while Karnjanawong is 4-2-1 with two knockouts.
Meanwhile, Rivas takes on Pabumad Bubpamalo for the Wiba light flyweight strap.
Rivas is also a former world title challenger who fought and lost to Costa Rican star Yokatsa Valle in an International Boxing Federation (IBF) Women’s minimumweight title fight in 2020. She returned last year but lost to Chin Hsin Wang by a controversial majority decision in an Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) Women’s Silver super flyweight bout last year.
Bubpamalo, on the other hand, is a heavy-handed fighter. She had a rough start to her career, losing her first three fights. She now has found her rhythm and won four of her last five fights.
Rivas is 8-7-4, while Bubpamalo is 4-4 with three knockouts. / EKA