Kentikian-McMorrow for Unified Flyweight Title May 16 in Germany

By Ryan Maquiñana 

Norcalboxing.net

McMorrow (left) and Kentikian meet on May 16. (Team McMorrow, WBAN)

Unified women’s flyweight world champion Susi Kentikian will put her titles on the line against San Jose’s Melissa McMorrow on May 16 at Brandenburg Hall in Frankfurt, Germany.

“We learned a lot from her last fight against Arely Mucino in terms of traveling into a foreign country, and taking the title from the champion,” said McMorrow’s trainer Eddie Croft, himself a former three-time world title challenger.  “She is ready to go into hostile territory and win again.  Only this time she will leave no doubt.”

Kentikian (29-0, 16 KOs) currently holds the WBA and WBO belts in addition to the WIBF 112-pound crown.  Although the resident of Hamburg, Germany, via Yerevan, Armenia, is only 24 years old, this bout will mark her 15^th world title defense of any sort.  A brilliant combination puncher, “The Killer Queen” is coming off a 10-round unanimous decision over Thailand’s Teeraporn Pannimit last October.

Meanwhile, “Mighty” McMorrow (6-3-3), a former New York state title champ, will be entering her second straight world championship bout.  The 30-year-old who trains at San Mateo’s B Street Boxing dropped a controversial split decision to Mucino last February in Mexico for the interim WBA crown that was on the line due to Kentikian’s inactivity.

To close the circle, Mucino challenged Kentikian two years ago, but their meeting was cut short after three rounds due to a headbutt that resulted in a cut over the Armenian-German’s scalp.  Two of the judges had it tied at the time of the stoppage, but the bout was eventually ruled a no-contest.

Ryan Maquiñana writes a weekly column for Comcast SportsNet Bay Area (CSNBayArea.com). He’s also a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and Ring Magazine’s Ratings Panel. E-mail him at rmaquinana@gmail.com, check out his blog at norcalboxing.net or follow him on Twitter: @RMaq28.