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Anne Sophie Mathis retained
the
World Boxing Federation (WBF)
Womens World Super Welterweight
title by the skin of her teeth
on Friday night, February 27, at
the Espace Venise in Sarcelles,
France, when her defense against
former WBO world champion
Oxandia Castillo was declared a
split draw.
In a very exiting and fast-paced
fight in front of a packed
arena, the reigning champion had
problems with the skilled and
determined 20-year-old Dominican
challenger from the start, and
looked hurt by hard shots from
Castillo several times in the
first three rounds.
But Mathis (37), a three weight
world champion, seemed to find
her rhythm better from round
four on, and started to connect
regularly with well-placed body
punches, and also found more
success in landing her jab and
straight right hand.
After a ten round war with
skilled boxing and plenty of
power-punching, judge Christophe
Hembert from France scored the
fight dead even at 95-95, but
judge Sergio Sotelo (Mexico) had
it 96-94 for Mathis, while judge
Alexander Plumanns (Germany) saw
it as 96-94 for Castillo.
Mathis, making her second
title-defense, is now 27-3-1
(23) in a career that started in
1995, while Castillo, a pro for
only three years, travels home
to Santo Domingo at 13-2-3 (10).
Due to the closeness, quality
and excitement of the fight, a
rematch seems almost inevitable.
Promoter was Abdelila Rahilou
and Etoile Verte Production.
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