Top Female Boxing Champions who have fought for the Prestigious WBAN belt – Past and Present by Sue TL Fox

This last weekend, on January 14th, at the Barclay’s Center, in New York, we had the privilege to have our independent WBAN World title belt on the line when Amanda Serrano fought Yazmin Rivas.  The WBAN belt can only be fought by top boxers in our ratings, and it must accompany a Federation Belt on the line in the bout.  Thus far, the WBAN Belt has been fought with most of the federations on these top-notch world title bouts.

We honor All of these top champions who have fought for the WBAN Belt, past and present are the following:  

Holly Holm, Mary Jo Sanders (Holm won belt); Chevelle Hallback vs. Jeannine Garside (Hallback won Belt);  Melissa Hernandez vs. Lindsay Garbatt (Majority draw, no belt); Myriam Lamare vs. Ann Marie Saccurato (Lamare won belt); Holly Holm vs. Ann Marie Saccurato (Holm won belt); Anne Sophie Mathis vs. Holly Holm (Mathis won belt); Holly Holm vs. Anne Sophie Mathis (Holm won belt); and lastly Amanda Serrano vs. Yazmin Rivas (Serrano won belt.)

First Event that had WBAN Belts included with the IFBA Federation belt….WBAN made history on June 13, 2008, on a televised PPV Event called “Finally”, Isleta Casino, Albuquerque, New Mexico

In the main event, Holly Holm, 150½ , won a 10-round unanimous decision over  Mary Jo Sanders, 152¼.  Holm won the Junior Middle IFBA World title, and the history first WBAN Championship Belt.

In the co-main event, Chevelle Hallback, 132 , won a 10-round unanimous decision over Jeannine Garside, 132. The two were fighting for the IFBA Lightweight World title.  Hallback also received the history first WBAN Championship Belt.

So why did WBAN create an independent belt, as the Ring Magazine belt that is for men’s boxing?

Never before have women boxers received an independent World Title belt, for being the “Best of the Best”, and having an opportunity to fight for an elite independent belt.  Ring Magazine does it for male boxers-and we felt it was time that WBAN did the same thing for women boxers in the sport.  The Women Boxing Archive Network (WBAN) championship belts,  are designed to recognize the “best of the best” of the sport’s championship title holders.  We do not perform as a sanctioning body and no sanctioning fees are paid to us for the WBAN Independent World Title belt. When there is a world title fight that is considered the top of the line bout,  and the promoter is interested in adding this prestigious  independent WBAN belt to that fight—WBAN presents the matchup to the Selection board members.  The board consists of three independent members, and the majority of the vote of these three members will be the final word on approving or disapproving the match. The WBAN belt represents a gold standard for the sport of women’s boxing.

What qualifies a female boxer for the WBAN Belt?

Only the top-rated women boxers can fight for the belt that is approved by WBAN’s independent board who by a majority rule, approves the fight. There can be no last minute replacement opponent.  If the belt had already been made, it will go back to the WBAN Archive for historical purposes.  This belt cannot be bought to be featured on a card—we take NO sanctioning fees and it is only based on top-rated female boxers in our computerized BoxRec Ratings.

Check out more of the elite female boxers who have fought for the WBAN Belt along with many of the federation belts in the sport.

History Made in France
Myriam Lamare vs. Anne Marie Saccurato

Marseilles, France, In what was an exciting bout between Myriam Lamare vs. Ann Marie Saccurato, Lamare won the 10-round title bout by a unanimous decision. WBAN was told the fight had the fans out of the seats cheering.  Lamare not only won the WBFJunior Welterweight World title, but also the WBAN Junior Welterweight Independent belt.  Lamare and Saccurato made history for WBAN by fighting for the first WBAN Independent belt in Europe. 

Melissa Hernandez vs. Lindsay Garbatt
Santa Ana Star Casino, Bernalillo, New Mexico, USA
October 16, 2010 – Majority draw

On October 16, 2010 in New Mexico, in the main event, Lindsay Garbatt and Melissa Hernandez fought to a 10-round majority draw. The two were fighting in a rematch, and for three vacant world title belts, that included the GBU, WIBA, and WBAN super featherweight belts. Judges scores were 95-95, 95-95, and 98-92 for Hernandez.

Holly Holm vs. Anne Marie Saccurato
Route 66 Casino, New Mexico, USA
December 3, 2010 – Holm Wins belt second time

On December 3, 2010, at the Route 66 Casino Hotel, Albuquerque, New Mexico,  in the main event, Holly Holm won by an eight-round TKO over Ann Marie Saccurato. Holm defended her IBA belt, and fought for the WBAN Junior welterweight. This is Holm’s second WBAN Belt she has won.

Anne Sophie Mathis vs. Holly Holm
Route 66 Casino, New Mexico, USA
December 2, 2011 – Mathis Wins belt

On Friday, December 2, 2011, “World Dominance”, promoted by Fresquez Productions, took place at the Route 66 Casino Hotel, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The boxing card featured Holly Holm vs. Anne Sophie Mathis in the10-round mainliner.  Holm-Mathis were fighting for the WBAN and IBA welterweight world titles.  Mathis won the belt this night. Mathis won by a seventh round KO.

Anne Sophie Mathis vs. Holly Holm
Route 66 Casino, New Mexico, USA
June 15, 2012 – Holm Wins Belt three times

In a rematch, on June 15, 2012, in New Mexico, Holly Holm won by a ten round unanimous decision, reclaiming the WBAN Belt, in addition to the WBF and IBA federation belts.

Diana Prazak vs. Frida Wallberg
Water Front Congress SAS Radisson,
Stockholm, Sweden
June 14, 2013- Prazak Wins belt
History First  in Sweden for WBAN

Diana Prazak won by an eighth round KO over Frida Wallberg. The bout was scheduled for 10 rounds.  Prazak  won the WBAN Super Featherweight World champion.  She also won the WBC Super Featherweight Title.  Wallberg was injured and carried away on a stretcher and is hospitalized—More on this as soon as more info is released.

Amanda Serrano vs. Yazmin Rivas
Barclay Center, Brooklyn, New York
January 14, 2017 – Serrano Wins belt
History First in State of New York for WBAN

On Saturday night, January 14, 2017, at the Barclay Center in Brooklyn, New York, Amanda “The Real Deal” Serrano won a 10-round unanimous decision against Yazmin Rivas where she was defending her  Junior Featherweight WBO world title, in addition for the WBC Diamond belt, and the WBAN Independent belt.  The Judges scored 97-93, 98-92, 99-91 for Serrano.

For any addition info on the WBAN belts you can contact us at wban100@aol.com.