Is Elif Nur Turhan Boxing’s Most Exciting Female Fighter?

Fans who were there or who tuned in on TV well and truly witnessed the arrival of a big star of the sport last night. Of the female sport of boxing. Challenging defending IBF lightweight champ Beatriz Ferreira in Monte Carlo, Turkish warrior Elif Nur Turhan turned what was on paper a competitive fight into a one-way hammering. And what an explosive one-way hammering it was that the 30 year old puncher – arguably the single hardest puncher in the female ranks right now – scored!

Two-time Olympic medallist Ferreira, unbeaten prior to last night’s beatdown, was seen by plenty of fans as the favourite, the 32 year old Brazilian a quality operator of the highest order. But Turhan showed the champion zero respect, her onslaught mesmerising to watch. From the get-go, Turhan unleashed punches with bad intentions, the attack proving far too much for Ferreira.

The opening round saw the challenger score a knockdown courtesy of a right hand that landed high on the head. Ferreira went down but the referee, for whatever reason, didn’t rule it as a knockdown. Moments later, the wild but wholly effective Turhan landed another right to the head, this time seeing the defending champion go down and be administered a count.

Somehow, Ferreira fought on until the fifth-round, but what a savage onslaught she really did take in the fifth. Turhan, smelling blood, hurt Ferreira with a big right to the head, which was followed by a wicked left that really buzzed the soon to be ex-champ. The end was nigh. Another nasty right hand connected, and Ferreira went down. On sheer guts and heart, Ferreira got back up but the ref, after administering the count, wisely waved the fight off. Time was 1:08 of round-five. Ferreira is now 8-1(2).

Turhan, now 12-0(8), this a very high KO percentage for a female boxer, seems to have all the ingredients to become an absolute superstar. And possible fights with the likes of Caroline Dubois, Terri Harper and others could be matchups to see down the road. But can any 135-pound female fighter live with the blend of heat, aggression, indeed non-stop savagery that Turhan brings to the ring!