Tijuana’s Kenia Enriquez Goes for First TItle Tomorrow Night!

Whether the ring is in Tijuana, San Diego or any other corner of the world, the goals inside of it, hit and not be hit, are the same. The difference for many fighters comes outside of it. The city, the crowd, the circumstances leading to the actual fight can all affect a fighter positively or negatively. For twenty-year-old Kenia Enriquez of Tijuana, her first fight outside of her hometown and her first in the United States was nothing short of perfect.

Undefeated Kenia Enriquez of Tijuana

“I felt at home, in Tijuana everybody in boxing knows me since I have been fighting there for almost eight years, from the amateurs to the pros,” the always-smiling Kenia (10-0, 5KOs) said. “I was pleasantly surprised when my name was announced and I heard the cheers from the crowd, I instantly felt at home.”

Just like at home, the #7 ranked flyweight in the world by the World Boxing Council did not disappoint earning a lopsided win over the previously undefeated Noemi Bosques (4-1-2, 1KO) of St. Petersburg, Florida, in the semi-main event of the lastest edition of “San Diego Fights” held on Friday, February 28th, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Mission Valley. After sending Bosques to the canvas in the first round from a counter left hook, Enriquez expected to finish before the limit but her opponent turned out a bit tougher than she expected.

“She turned out to be able to take a punch, she was pretty good,” she shared. “She always kept coming and never stopped looking for the fight. I’m sure she would be a world champion someday if she keeps working at it.”

Kenia barely had time to celebrate her win when her U.S. promoter, Bobby DePhilippis who along Guillermo Mayen of Tijuana handle her career, called her with her next assignment that turned to be the biggest fight of her young two-year career.

“The Monday after the fight I was back in the gym getting ready for this, my first chance at a title, a fight I am more than ready for,” Enriquez said.

Kenia will be facing former IFBA straw and light flyweight champion Jolene Blackshear (8-4, 3KOs) of San Diego in the scheduled eight round main event for the vacant NABF light flyweight title.

“I know Jolene is a tough competitor, very strong and experienced, I am expecting the most difficult fight of my career,” Kenia said seriously. “I know that I am going to learn a lot from this fight, the experience I am going to gain can only help me in the future.”

The two women are no strangers since some years back Blackshear traveled south to Tijuana in search of some good sparring and found it against Kenia and her younger sister, Tania. “We’ve sparred in the past and it was clear that she had a lot of experience. I think we both had our moments but I know that now in a real fight, anything that happen.”

One change that Enriquez has made for this camp different than any other is to travel north herself in search of good sparring which she has found in the likes of Amaris “Diamond Girl” Quintana and the young Andrea Medina at Bound Boxing Gym in Chula Vista, CA.

“That along with actually being able to fight in the United States is the biggest benefit in Bobby securing my visa,” she stated. “I have pretty much sparred or fought in the pros or amateurs or both every female fighter in Tijuana and any that have visited like Arely Mucino and Mariana Juarez. I needed to work with different fighters.”

Despite having sparred Quintana in the past, this time it has become something more regular with Enriquez traveling to Chula Vista as many as three times a week for the work. “As women sometimes we have to spar men because there just isn’t enough women but it’s just not the same. With Amaris and Andrea it has been perfect sparring and they have really helped get me ready.”

Now it’s just a matter of her doing what she does best, no matter where the ring is set.