LOS ANGELES, CA (September 7, 2022) – World flyweight champion Marlen Esparza (13-1, 1 KO), a Texas-born former Olympian, has re-signed a multi-year promotional contract and fights with GoldenBoy. Promotions. Esparza was the first female Golden Boy boxer to sign with the company in 2016, and she launched her professional career under her banner in 2017 to ultimately become the WBC, WBA and Ring Magazine Women’s Flyweight World Champion. Esparza sits atop the flyweight rankings and will be looking to break into other weight divisions.
“In the cutthroat business of boxing, ‘loyalty’ has proven rewarding. I am super excited about my newly structured deal,” said Marlen Esparza. “I am with Golden Boy, which has been my first day. I’m doing what I love with great compensation and I have opportunities to become an undisputed flyweight and unify in other weight divisions. Thank you, Golden Boy!”
“Marlen Esparza has been a vanguard for female boxers and will continue to break through glass ceilings as a woman in sports,” said President and CEO Oscar De La Hoya. “We are extremely proud of how she has developed as a fighter. She has the work ethic, vision and hunger to become a unified world champion and crush other weight classes. Golden Boy is excited to have her and be a supportive partner as she continues her ambitious plans in boxing.”
The new contract reflects Golden Boy’s continued investment in elevating women’s boxing. Since Esparza, the pioneering company has added several fighters to its roster, including world champion Yokasta Valle, Arely Muciño and Anabel Ortiz.
Esparza, 33, of Houston, Texas, is a decorated amateur who qualified to compete in the 2012 London Olympics, where she became the first American woman to qualify for the Olympics in the first year boxing female debuted as an Olympic event. . Esparza won the bronze medal in the women’s flyweight division. Since she turned pro in 2017, Esparza had a clean resume until she suffered her first and only loss of 2019 against Seniesa “Super Bad” Estrada for the vacant interim WBA flyweight title on the undercard. of Canelo vs. Kovalev. That didn’t stop Esparza’s momentum, though, as she came back stronger with back-to-back wins over former world title contender Sulem Urbina and Shelly Barnett.
In 2021, Esparza had a successful year, with a unanimous decision victory against Ibeth Zamora Silva for the WBC World Flyweight Championship and successfully defending her new world championship title against former world champion Anabel “Avispa” Ortiz. On April 9, as part of the Ryan Garcia vs. Emmanuel Tagoe, Esparza faced her toughest challenge to date, taking on five-division world champion Naoko Fujioka. The fight pitted #1 against #2 in the women’s flyweight division, giving them the honor of fighting for Ring Magazine’s first-ever Women’s Flyweight World Championship. After 10 rounds of nonstop action from two of the most powerful fighters in the flyweight division, the judges ruled in Esparza’s favor by unanimous decision, crowning her the new WBC, WBA and Ring Magazine World Champion. Esparza was last seen successfully defending her three world titles against tough opponent Eva Guzmán (19-2-1, 11 KOs) as the co-main event of Ortiz, Jr. vs. McKinson on August 6.
Press release courtesy of Golden Boy Promotions.
