Finally, after months and months of rumored fights, Maricela Cornejo has a date set in stone for her return to action. The undefeated middleweight (2-0) has had difficulty securing an opponent recently, but will be headed to Washington on Wednesday where she will step into the ring for the first time this year.
Training out of the Mayweather Boxing Club in Las Vegas, Cornejo has seen fellow fighters compete multiple times since her last outing. Such are the problems for women competing in a sport that has had its share of difficulties in recent years. Since the retirement of Laila Ali, interest in the sport has waned, as have the number of ladies competing. Those factors have combined to make it a challenge for some women like Cornejo to find an opponent or a place to fight. In fact, many fighters are finding it necessary to go outside the United States, where there is a little more interest, if they want to compete.
As can be expected, Cornejo is excited to finally compete again. It can be a tough grind to continuously train, not knowing where and when you may be able to show off the benefits of your hard work. Despite the lack of interest in the sport as a whole, however, interest in Cornejo continues to climb. With a dominating performance this weekend, that can only increase. With her combination of talent, looks and willingness to promote herself and her sport, perhaps she is just the shot in the arm women’s boxing needs.
