When Will Sarah Mahfoud Get Back Into The Ring?
IBF featherweight Sarah Mahfoud (10-0, 3ko) has been hampered by COVID-19 canceling fights since 2020. The Danish female champion has struggled to secure fights, and the woes continue going into 2022 after another fight cancellation.
Mahfoud is unknown to most of the boxing community as she has never fought outside of her homeland in Denmark. Even in her backyard, the more known and popular fighter is two-divisional champion Dina Thorslund.
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ANOTHER YEAR OF WAITING
In 2021, she saw two important fights put on hold. A Danish Fight Night promotional card got canceled as Mahfoud was to fight in a non-title matchup. Also, the IBF champion was supposed to fight seven-divisional champion Amanda “The Real Deal” Serrano in a major unification bout. However, she claims due to COVID-19, the planned December showdown could not happen.
The Danish fighter has not been in the ring since February 2, 2020. Mahfoud defeated then IBF Interim champion Brenda Carabajal before being elevated to full champion status in July 2020. Mahfoud took to social media to express the frustration of not being able to fight in 2021.
“2021 has been a very ambivalent year with boxing. I really hope that 2022 does better. It has been so frustrating with several canceled matches and time just flying by, and all of a sudden, it has been almost 2 years since I have been in the ring! Not exactly what I had in mind when I got the title. Hopefully, the restrictions are soon past, so I myself and many others can be allowed to do what we love again.”
Sarah Mahfoud, female IBF featherweight champion
2022 STARTING WRONG ALREADY
News broke she would finally be back into the ring, making the first defense of the title against Nina “The Brave” Menke (12-2, 3ko) on January 7, 2022. There was a level of excitement as Menke is a quality fighter which is missing from Mahfoud’s resume.
Menke has shared the ring with former title challenger Edina Kiss and undisputed lightweight champion Katie “KT” Taylor. Unfortunately, due to COVID restrictions in Denmark, another fight has been canceled.
“Since my fight on 07.01. unfortunately had to be canceled due to the Covid restrictions in Denmark, so stay fit and wait. Hopefully, there will be a new fight date soon.”
Nina Menke
This is a big disappointment for the champion as 2022 is not getting off to a great start.
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By: Garrisson Bland
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