Junior flyweight Brook Sibrian is coming off her first career loss, and is returning in a crossroads fight against Gloria Munguilla on a 360 Promotions card this Friday.
Sibrian, 31, is looking to start off 2025 better than 2024 ended. She lost her “0” in a unanimous decision to Tania Garcia Hernandez, a few days before Thanksgiving.
What went wrong? Sibrian points to injury.
“Eventually, I came to the conclusion that I had a hamstring injury that really immobilized me for [a] solid four days,” Sibrian said.
Sibrian was returning a month and a half after her previous win, in hindsight, perhaps too soon. She was unable to maximize the productivity of her training camp ahead of fighting Munguilla.
Sibrian grieved the first loss of her career.
“It took us a solid week and a half to process everything,” Sibrian said. “I went through different phases. The first two days I was in denial, crying every time I thought about it, but then I got over that. Then it was acceptance. Then it was finally watching the fight. I didn’t want to relive it and then well, I had to get over that.”
A positive for Sibrian is that nobody has turned their back on her, despite the blemish on her record.
“I think overall, it’s been a really good experience,” Sibrian said. “Obviously, nobody likes to talk about losing or bring it up, but it is what it is. I accept it. I’m using it as motivation to keep on keeping on.”
Her team consists of Sibrian and her fiancé/trainer Jose “Mega” Soto, a former fighter. Sibrian holds a 5-1 (2 KOs) record after her loss to Hernandez in November.
Sibrian turned pro in October 2023. She fought five times in 2024 and now is fighting to start the year. In contrast, Munguilla, 33, turned pro in November 2022 and holds a record of 6-1. Munguilla fought only twice in 2024.
“We have just gone at a different pace in our careers,” Sibrian said. “I also know she hasn’t gone past five rounds.”
Sibrian lost her last fight in Mexico, and last March Munguilla lost to Krystal Rosado. Munguilla moved up to junior bantamweight for the opportunity. Though one loss is not a death sentence, two losses for either, who are both in their 30s, could change the momentum of their career.
The fighters sparred each other once right before Munguilla turned pro and will now meet in the ring, in each woman’s first outing over a scheduled eight rounds.
The stakes are high for an undercard fight. The winner of this match is in the mix for big opportunities.
“Brook is 10 times more dangerous than she was prior to her last fight,” Soto said. “I believe after her loss, people will be more willing to fight her.”
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