With an effective second round knockout against the rugged and experienced Nora Cardoza (16-10-2, 7KO), former world champion Kenia Enriquez (25-1, 11KO) continues on the road to another world title opportunity.
The scheduled eight round bout, presented by BxStrs in association with TM Boxing, was the semi-main event broadcast live last Friday from the Grand Hotel in Tijuana, Mexico, on ESPN Knockout in Latin America and Canela.tv in the United States.
Enriquez of Tijuana, Mexico, began her attack from the opening bell. She was not only aggressive but precise especially with a stiff educated jab to the face and body of Durango, Mexico’s Cardoza. Halfway through the first round Enriquez began to vary her attack to the body scoring left hooks to the liver as well as a left uppercut to the stomach.
Near the end of the first round Enriquez scored yet another left uppercut to the stomach that forced Cardoza to drop to a knee to catch her breath.
Enriquez came out even more determined in the second and only seconds in scored with a counterpunch left hook to Cardoza’s jaw. The experienced Cardoza immediately took another knee but beat the count. Despite getting up before the ten-count, the referee decided she had enough.
“I felt very good in my second fight this year,” Enriquez stated a couple of days of her 25th win. “I’m thankful to Nora Cardoza for taking the fight. I am more than ready for anything that comes in 2023.”
Enriquez, who had not fought in his hometown of Tijuana for four years, is ranked #1 by the WBA, WBC and IBF in the flyweight division.
“I saw Arely Muciño’s who I want to congratulate for winning another world title,” she said. “I am ready for anything I would like to face Marlen Esparza; I can kill two birds with one stone and win the WBC and WBA titles. That is why I am traveling to the WBC convention so I can ask Mauricio Sulaiman and the championship committee for the opportunity.”