Despite
female boxing being an official
part of the international
Olympic Games and ever
increasing amount of female
professionals possessing in-ring
skills that can rival their male
counterparts ladies boxing is
still struggling to maximize its
potential. Blame it on lack of
proper promotion, blame it on
mismatched bouts or blame it on
the fact that if and when a
female fighter becomes a top
draw their management team
refuses to let them stray far
from home. Only a select few
ladies have been known to travel
for their fights and become
successful in doing so.
There is one female fighter
right now that is on the cusp of
being able to elevate ladies
boxing to the next level and go
anywhere necessary to accomplish
that goal, one who has won world
titles on the road, has a
complete skillset, is seeking
out the best names possible, has
beaten the best in and around
her division while looking to
broaden her horizons by making a
U.S. debut if she can get a
worthy opponent. Her name is
Christina Hammer.
The 22 year-old Queen of the
ladies middleweight division has
won titles not only at
middleweight but Super
Middleweight as well. Currently,
Hammer is the WBF/WBO World
Middleweight Champion. She won
the WBO strap in 2010 and
followed that with a TKO win
over Diana Kiss on February 18,
2011 to capture the WBF World
Middleweight Title, which she
still holds and defends. In
addition, Hammer moved up in
weight on May 4, 2013 to win the
WBF Super Middleweight Title
with a ten-round decision over
Zita Zatyko. She vacated the WBF
Super Middleweight Belt in order
to continue dominating the
Women's Middleweight Division.
Unlike a certain few other top
female fighters over the past 5
years who managed to become part
of boxing’s active “Pound for
Pound” list without going
further than a rocks throw away
from home and shall remain
nameless right now Hammer is a
proven commodity no matter where
she fights. Born in Novodolinka,
Kazakhstan, residing in Germany
where her manager Ulf Steinforth
is based out of Christina has
journeyed from home to win
championships in Slovenia and
made defenses in the Czech
Republic.
Hammer has not only faced but
beaten in dominate fashion 5
former or current world title
holders, and 3 former world
title challengers in her 15
professional fights. Those
numbers mean over half her
professional bouts have taken
place on a championship level,
something even a limited amount
of male world champions can
claim.
Now Hammer is ready to elevate
her career to a new level as if
her current accomplishments were
not already enough. I recently
asked Hammer what other
currently active fighter in her
opinion would be skilled and
tough enough to push her
physically since most of her
previous wins have been
dominate. The name of unbeaten
current WBF Super Middleweight
champion, Nikki Adler (Adler won
the vacated WBF Super
Middleweight Belt on May 25,
2013 with a decision win over
Zane Brige) is the one that
surfaced immediately, though
according to Christina there
seems to be an issue in getting
the fight made.
“Nikki Adler says she wants to
fight me but always has excuses
when it comes to deciding on a
date. Now, I'm waiting for her,
I'm waiting for her with
impatience!"
While waiting for Adler I
wondered what Christine thinks
about possibly facing Cecelia
Braekhus at a catch weight to
declare a definite front runner
in the ladies division since
Braekhus seems to be a media
favorite. I also inquired about
Anne Sophie Mathis (currently
the WBF Super Welterweight World
Champion) who like Hammer is a
multi-division champion and
similar in size. Both names are
ones Christina not only wants to
face but feels they are names
she needs to defeat so she can
be considered the best female
fighter in the world.
“Those two opponents are in my
range and sights. I need to
fight them ASAP!!! I want to be
the considered best female
fighter around! I had my step up
to Super Middleweight and show I
can be successful in more than
one division but now I am back
at Middleweight, closer to Anne
Sophie’s weight class. We are
similar in size and this fight
can be made. Plus being back at
middleweight is not only better
for my fitness but figure”
While Christina made it clear
Nikki Adler is who she wants
next she will fight whoever is
needed to be recognized as the
world’s best active female
fighter. She also made it clear
that to become a household name
among boxing fans
“I need to step to the States to
show my skills to the American
boxing fans”. Everything she
stated to me and everything she
has accomplished thus far makes
me think Christina Hammer is the
real deal. Hammers added good
looks are a bonus for her
followers, now it’s time to play
the waiting game and see exactly
who will take her up on the
challenges she has thrown out
publicly.
Every male fighter who has ever
reached super star status has
done exactly what Christina has
and demanded they fight the best
just as she is demanding. If the
challenges are answered and
Hammer manages to make these
fights happen in the United
States on international
television I have no doubt she
can elevate female boxing to the
next level.
Now I am going to sit and wonder
what if any promoter is smart
enough to utilize her desire for
success. It would not only
benefit female boxing but the
sport as a whole, we can never
have too many superstars
fighting at an elite level.
Especially ones willing to sort
out the difference between
legitimate and manufactured.
