Four of the top five female atomweight fighters in the world will share top billing on a Blanko Sports and SES Boxing co-promotion at the Olympic Center, Heidelberg, Germany on November 23.

The tripleheader will see WBC atomweight (102 pounds) titleholder Tina Rupprecht and WBA/WBO counterpart Eri Matsuda clashing in a unification for the vacant Ring championship.

Meanwhile, IBF atomweight titlist Sumire Yamanaka will put her title on the line against Fabiana Bytyqi. In the undercard, European heavyweight titlist Oleksandr Zakhozhyi will face Arnold Gjergjaj.

“I’m so excited to get the opportunity to unify the titles and fight for the prestigous Ring title,” Rupprecht told The Ring. “This has always been my dream!

“I have huge respect for WBO and WBA champion Eri Matsuda but I’ll show that I’m the best in the division and that I will be undisputed champion.”

Blanko Sports and SES Boxing head honcho Benedikt Poelchau welcomes the opportunity to put on such a big show in his homeland.

Atomweight Eri Matsuda (right) kept her fledgling record perfect (3-0) with a unanimous decision over Nanae Suzuki on March 13 in Tokyo’s Korakuen Hall. (Photo by Naoki Fukuda)

“This is a special night for German boxing,” said the promoter. “Tina has the opportunity to write history. If she wins, she would be the first German boxer – male or female – to hold three world titles plus The Ring belt.

“Additionally 6’9“ EBU European heavyweight champion Oleks Zakhozhyi will defend his EBU title and will show once again that he is a threat for the elite heavyweights out there. I’m proud to bring that historical night of boxing to Heidelberg.”

Rupprecht (13-1-1, 3 KOs), rated at No. 1 by The Ring at atomweight, took up kickboxing in her teens before switching to boxing winning two German national titles as an amateur before turning professional. In her seventh fight she won the WBC interim strawweight title. After one defense she was upgraded to full champion and made five more defenses, notably beating Katia Gutierrez (SD 10) before losing to WBA ruler Seniesa Estrada (UD 10) in a unification. She dropped in weight and beat Bytyqi (UD 10) for the WBC title.

Matsuda (7-1-1, 1 KO), rated at No. 2 by The Ring, won the OPBF in her second bout and added the Japanese national title in her next fight. She was held to a draw by Saemi Hanagata (D 10) for the vacant IBF atomweight title and lost against Ayaka Miyao (SD 10) for the same title. She got back in the win column and won the WBA/WBO 102-pound titles last time out against Yuko Kuroki (SD 10).

Yamanaka (8-0, 3 KOs), rated at No. 3 by The Ring, is the younger sister of former WBO strawweight titlist Ryuya. She made he debut in 2020 and in her sixth fight won a WBO regional title. Last time out she claimed the IBF title by edging home against Mika Iwakawa (UD 10).

Bytyqi (21-1-2, 5 KOs), rated at No. 5 by The Ring, turned professional in 2015. She became the first woman from Czech Republic to win a world title when she bested Denise Castle (UD 10) for the vacant WBC atomweight title in September 2018. The 28-year-old made four defenses before losing to Rupprecht (UD 10) in January.

Zakhozyi (19-0, 15 KOs) made his debut in 2017. However, the 31-year-old Ukrainian has had to fight mostly overseas. The 6’9” fighter has beaten the likes of Kevin Johnson (UD 8), Pavel Sour (TKO 3) and Evgenios Lazaridis (TKO 1) before stepping up in a big way stopping previously unbeaten Granit Shala (KO 2) to win the vacant European title in April.

Gjergjaj (38-3, 27 KOs) had been a professional since making his debut in his adopted home of Switzerland in 2009. The now 40-year-old Kosovan-born fighter won his first 29 against modest opposition. His big opportunity came against David Haye in London in 2016 and he was stopped in two rounds. He lost two other fights but is on a six fight win streak.

Questions and/or comments can be sent to Anson at [email protected].

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