Monthly Archives: March 2011

84th Annual Daily News 2011 Golden Gloves Finals: April 7 & April 8 @ Madison Square Garden Theater!

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84th Annual Daily News 2011 Golden Gloves Finals:  April 7 & April 8 @ Madison Square Garden Theater!


April 7th Bouts, 7:00 PM Start

106 Lb. Women
Brittany Delgado – Veterans Memorial
Natalie Gonzalez – Main St. BC

119 Lb. Women
Lindsay Tolpa – Main St. BC
Misato Kamegawa – Atlas Cops n Kids

114 Lb. Novice
Christian Castro – Ardon Sweet Science
Oscar Moreno – Brotherhood BC

123 Lb. Open
Jaime Estrada – Newburgh BC
Frankie Garriga – Morris Park BC

165 Lb. Women
Christina Jensen – Veterans Memorial
Jennifer Egan – Gleason’s Gym

165 Lb. Novice
Joseph Scalafani – Veterans Memorial
James Clarke – Unattached

132 Lb. Women
Bertha Aracil – Atlas Cops N Kids
Camille Currie – Gleason’s Gym

141 Lb. Open
Cristino Ceballo – Mendez BC
Patrick Day – Freeport PAL

Intermission

125 Lb. Women
Sylvia Yero – Willis Ave. BC
Heather Hardy – Gleason’s Gym

152 Lb. Open
Christopher Galeano – Mendez BC
Jeremy Fiorentino – Win or Die BC

132 Lb. Open
Louis Cruz – Atlas Cops N Kids
Marcos Suarez II – Atlas Cops N Kids

178 Lb. Novice
Anthony Pegues – Main St. BC
Michael Fischetti – Tiger Schulmann

201 Lb. Novice
Daniel J. Girace – Ray Longo’s MMA
Max Tassy – Redemption BC

201+ Lb. Open
Elijah Thomas – Willis Ave. BC
Iegor Plevako – Win or Die BC

April 8th Bouts, 7:00 PM Start

141 Lb. Women
Christella Cepeda – Yonkers YMCA
Kathleen Walsh – Heavy Hitters BC

123 Lb. Novice
Steven Garrido – Cornerstone BC
Michael Stoute – Veterans Memorial

114 Lb. Open
Hamzah Alnuzaili – Atlas Cops N Kids
Juan Roman – Win or Die BC

152 Lb. Novice
Kamil Abdulshanov – Win or Die BC
Obafemi Bakare – Rustam’s BC

178 Lb. Open
DeVaun Lee – New Legends BC
Marcus Browne – Atlas Cops N Kids

132 Lb. Novice
Prince Slaughter – Heavy Hitters BC
Luis Mancilla – Long Island BC

112 Lb. Women
Christina Cruz – Atlas Cops N Kids
Susanna Mellone-Spence – Mendez BC

Intermission

141 Lb. Novice
David Green – Gym X BC
Julio Arce – Tiger Schulmann

165 Lb. Open
Herve Duroseau – Freeport PAL
Raul Nuncio – Glen Cove BA

152 Lb. Women
Nisa Rodriguez – Mendez BC
LaTarisha Fountain – Unattached

201 Lb. Open
Mark Sinatra – Brotherhood BC
Joseph Williams – Rockaway Ropes BC

201+ Lb. Novice
Gary Burrell – Gleason’s Gym
Eugene Russell – Unattached

 
For more information on tickets click here.  You can also contact Gleason’s Gym.  They’ve set aside a nice block of tickets! Call (718) 797-2872 or email info@gleasonsgym.net

A Tale of the Tape: Lisa Creech Bledsoe v. Mischa Merz @ Atlanta Corporate Fight Night 2!

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A Tale of the Tape:  Lisa Creech Bledsoe v. Mischa Merz @ Atlanta Corporate Fight Night 2!

So how exactly do two amazing women with awesome blogs meet up as the Main Event for the Atlanta Corporate Fight Night 2?  While not exactly the rumble in the jungle, the two dueling scribblers will provide some “real deal” women’s amateur boxing at Atlanta’s huge annual corporate charity fund-raising gala on Saturday, April 23rd! The brain child of champion boxing trainer Terri Moss, ACFN2 will support small charities in and around Atlanta, plus offer a terrific evening of entertainment and great fun!

Main Event Tale of the tape:

Lisa Creech Bledsoe

Writing chops!

Mischa Merz

Lisa: Professional online media, writer of the popular The Glowing Edge blog where boxing, rock & laundry meet in a perfect harmony!

Mischa:   Journalist for the Melbourne Herald & the Herald Sun, author of the boxing memoir Bruising, and soon to be published, The Sweetest Thing (and for those of you in New York City, come check out her book signing event at Gleason’s Gym on April 12th from 6:00 – 8:00 PM).

 

Boxing or how I found myself in the ring!

Lisa: “I stumbled into boxing entirely by accident.”  A happy accident for Lisa and her many fans who read her stories about life in an out of the ring as a 40-something amateur.  More to the point, Lisa writes, “the single biggest catalyst in my transformation into an amateur boxer was watching my trainer Bonnie ‘Queen B’ Mann.”  In working with Bonnie, Lisa came to understand the kinds of commitment, heart and soul it takes to get into the ring, and in crossing the ropes has never looked back.

Mischa: Mischa started boxing in the mid-1990’s at around the same time she returned to University to study creative writing.  As Mischa writes, “I started boxing and that was when all my activities began to converge and I began writing about my experiences.”  Along the way, Mischa published her first book, Bruising, and picked up some serious boxing chops, winning national championships in her native Australia, and more recently participating in USA Boxing Master’s Division competitions, winning the National Women’s Golden Gloves in her weight class.

Opponent’s corner!

Lisa: “I will be deeply honored to step into the ring with Mischa. I’ve seen her box and I think she’s incredible. The match is a privilege I have worked hard for, and am very much looking forward to.”

Mischa: “Lisa is a true warrior and I love her ‘can do attitude.  That’s the ingredient you can’t teach anyone in the gym.  You’re born with it and it’s called character.  It will be an absolute honour to fight Lisa.”

For further information on this exciting night of boxing in support of a great cause click here or here.  You can also email info@atlantacorporatefightnight.com or call 678.334.8204. Tickets are priced as follows:

$100 VIP Ringside (front row for VIP only)
$50 Gold Ringside
$40 Silver Ringside
$25 General Admission
Don’t miss this GREAT show where Atlanta’s business class go toe-to-toe for one incredible night!

Off my feed

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Off my feed.

I’ve been a bit “off my feed,” so to speak over the last couple of days with deadlines all over the place, lots of work and way too much on my mind.  My hope is to get back into a more regular pattern beginning tomorrow.

Great women’s championship fight night in Uruguay!

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Great women’s championship fight night in Uruguay!

Cecilia “La Reina” Comunales

In another women’s main event fight featuring two South American boxing sensations, UBO Women’s Lightweight champion Cecilia “La Reina” Comunales (7-1-0, 5 K.O.‘s) of Uruguay will take on Adriana “A Garota” Salles (11-6-1, 5 K.O.‘s) of Brazil for an exciting evening of women’s boxing at its best.

Adriana “A Garota” Salles

The bout will be held on April 19, 2011 at the Rio Uruguay Amphitheatre in Parasandu, Uruguay and will feature an exciting undercard to include:

-Light Middleweight division, undefeated John Jackson (9-0-0, 8 K.O.‘s) from the Virgin Islands, U.S.A. vs. Welson Alves De Oliveira (14-4-0, 12 K.O.‘s) from Brazil.

-Super Middleweight division, undefeated Julius “The Chef” Jackson (10-0-0, 6 K.O.‘s) vs. Roberto “Pit Bull” Oliveira De Jesus (9-6-0, 4 K.O.‘s) from Brazil.

-Light Middleweight division, undefeated Samuel Rogers (8-0-0, 3 K.O.‘s) vs. Idiozan “Chibata” Matos (14-12-0, 8 K.O.‘s).

The boxing event is being promoted by Sampson Boxing in association with Sergio Marquez Producciones — as part of the annual Easter Week celebration in Paysandú, Uruguay and will be broadcast on Uruguay’s largest sports network, Vtv.    For further information please visit the Sampson Boxing website here.

Upcoming fight! Sonya Lamonakis to fight on April 16, 2011!

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Upcoming fight!  Sonya Lamonakis to fight on April 16, 2011!

Sonya "The Scholar" Lamonakis, Photo Credit: Claudia Bocanegra

Always exciting Sonya Lamonakis (4-0, 1-KO), four-time golden gloves winner, and currently ranked #3 women’s heavyweight fighter in the world will be fighting on the upcoming Andre Berto vs. Victor Ortiz undercard scheduled for April 16, 2011 at the MGM Grand, Foxwoods Casino.  Promoted by DiBella Entertainment, the Berto/Ortiz bout will be broadcast live on HBO — and with any luck, HBO will throw some video our way of what we know will be another crowd-pleasing Lamonakis event.

Coming off her decisive win over Tanzee Daniel by unanimous decision on March 12th, Sonya will be fighting Gigi Jackson (2-1 by KO) in the scheduled six-round bout. This will also be Sonya’s fifth fight since turning pro in June 2010.

In Girlboxing’s estimation, Sonya’s ever-growing popularity is part and parcel of the non-stop action work ethic she brings with her into the ring; no doubt a reflection of the effort she puts in day-in and day-out as a New York City middle school teacher.

>>>>>UPDATE>>>>>

To facilitate attendance for this exciting evening of boxing at its best, Gleason’s Gym is selling $75.00 $65.00 tickets without the usual fees.  For further information call (718) 797-2872 or email info@gleasonsgym.net.

My own sweet 16!

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My own sweet 16!

I was not one of those girls that had a sweet 16 or a sweet teenage anything for that matter.  To put it charitably, my adolescence was challenged, and of course, it was the late 60’s so the best of circumstances were fairly topsy-turvy.

Flash forward to my future — 2011 and here I am touting the joys of my Saturday gym days where my sweet 16 consists of four rounds of shadow boxing, four rounds of hard work with Lennox Blackmore on the pads, four rounds circling and boxing the double-ended bag, and four rounds to wind things up on the speed bag.

We are talking the perfect morning.  Not to mention seeing the likes of Sonya Lamonakis and Belinda Laracuente going through their paces.  Inspiring to say the least — not to mention the countless men and women, old and young working their hearts out!

This is all a long way of saying whatever may have brought you down in your life — you have it within your power to reinvent it all to give yourself a sweet life.  And really, why not, what have you got to lose except some bad crap that happened so long ago it doesn’t matter anyway.  So be a champ to yourself with your own special brand of sweet 16, you deserve nothing less!

Why women box: Kiesher “Fire” Mcleod-Wells!

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Why women box:  Kiesher “Fire” Mcleod-Wells!

Keisher "Fire" Mcleod-Wells, Credit: Andrea Mohin/NY Times

The New York Times has a fabulous piece out about Keisher “Fire” Mcleod-Wells (4-1, 1-KO).

In the article Fire was asked about her plans following her stint on Todas Contra Mexico, the Mexican reality TV show now in production in Chiapas pitting women boxers from Mexico against a team of International fighters.

In talking about the financial side of women’s boxing she said for a title fight, she’d get, “Maybe $8,000, $10,000,”  continuing, “it’s pennies compared to a man.”

Where Fire zinged my heart was when she added, “I think that’s why we fight harder, because we do this for the love of the sport. There’s no money really to be made.”

Way to go Fire!

The link to this must read article is here.

Life in snippets

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Life in snippets

I had my annual visit to the accountant yesterday.  He’s a friend, but one I only see 45 minutes a year managing to catch-up on our lives in between questions about expenditures and dividends.

Those kinds of snippets of conversation; however, can be very affecting.  This year’s catch-up was no exception. He’s gone through the break-up of a long-term relationship and I’m in still in that one year period following my mother’s death.  That’s a lot of momentous change for one year, and yet I observed that he was happily going about transforming his life in wonderful new directions — just as I have found new outlets for expression.

It got me to thinking that gym life is kind of similar.  We make friends and share wonderful emotional moments, but only in small intervals.  Life in a boxing gym is no exception, yet the pursuit is often solitary.  Sure in a boxing class, their may be a circle of a few people all warming up together; but the majority of time for a boxer is spent moving in and out of contact.

Shadow boxing, pounding on a heavy bag, bobbing and weaving around the double-ended bag, and moving along the slip rope are all fairly solitary experiences.  The interactions tend to have to do with keeping out of each other’s way as on a busy evening, four, five or even six boxers shadow box in the ring, each carving out a bit of solitary space while dancing around without colliding or impeding the others.

And yet those conversations happen.  In the locker room; in the intervals between rounds; and in the occasional acknowledgment in the mirror as both boxers bang away at imaginary opponents.  It’s one of the things I have come to love about going to Gleason’s Gym.  The chance to feel embraced by a community of friends I may or may not see for periods of time, and yet are always there in my corner as I am in theirs.

 

 

 

MMA & Boxing: Taking a look!

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MMA & Boxing: Taking a look!

I’m still trying to grapple with the sport of MMA (no pun intended).  It is certainly fast, exciting and tough.  With a growing fan base and movements to legalize MMA bouts in more states including, New York, I  thought it might be fun to post a few videos, courtesy of YouTube to see the great New Mexico fighter, Holly Holm in her first MMA bout as compared to Holly’s performance in a boxing match with Brooklyn’s own Belinda Laraquente.

From Holly Holm’s recent MMA debut bout vs. Christina Domke:

Classic Holly Holm vs. Belinda Laraquente in the ring from 2009:

Your thoughts will be appreciated!

 

Exciting Women’s Boxing coming up in Costa Rica!

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>>>>>UPDATE>>>>>

REMINDER EXCITING BOXING 2NIGHT!

Here’s the video for the official weigh-in!

 

Exciting Women’s Boxing coming up in Costa Rica!

Hanna Gabriel and Melisenda Pérez

If you happen to be in Costa Rica on March 31st, there will be a terrific main event rematch coming up between the W.B.O. Jr. Middleweight Champion from Costa Rica, Hanna Gabriel (11-0-1, 7-KO)

Hanna Gabriel

and Mexican fighter Melisenda Pérez (7-4-1, 4-KO).

Melisenda Pérez

The exciting co-feature will he be an IBF Women’s Super bantamweight title fight between Las Vegas’ own Melinda ‘La Maravilla’ Cooper (21-0, 11-KO)

Melinda "La Maravilla" Cooper

and Ada ‘Ace’ Vélez (18-3-3, 6-KO) hailing from Puerto Rico, via Hollywood, Florida, U.S.A.

Ada "Ace" Vélez

According to boxing promoter Sampson Boxing, the fights will be held in the Costa Rica National Stadium with a visit promised by Costa Rican President Laura Chinchilla. Pretty cool stuff!

>>>For further information, click here.

84th Annual Daily News 2011 Golden Gloves Semi-Finals Week Ten Reminder!

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84th Annual Daily News 2011 Golden Gloves Semi-Finals Week Ten Reminder!

The full week’s schedule is:

>>>Semi-Finals + Three Final Bouts on 3/25 @ Empire Raceway Casino, Women’s Bouts on 3/23 & 3/25

3/21/2011 – Saint Patrick’s High School, 9511 Fourth Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11228, Featuring: 152 lb. Open, 201 lb. Novice, 123 lb. Novice, 114 lb. Novice

3/23/2011 – K2 Boxing Club – Queens Crossing Mall, Mundan Banquet Hall, 136-17 39th Avenue, 2nd Floor, Flushing, NY 11354, 7:30 PM Start. For Tickets, contact K2 Boxing Club, 718-361-5252 or email Jane@k2boxing.com, Featuring: 132 lb. Open, 165 lb. Open, 112 lb. Women, 132 lb. Women.

3/24/2011 – Blessed Sacrament Church, 198 Euclid Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11208, Featuring: 178 lb. Open, 201+ lb. Novice, 123 lb. Novice, 165 lb. Novice.

3/25/2011 – Empire Raceway Casino, 800 Yonkers Avenue, Yonkers, NY 10704, 7:30 PM Start.  Tickets available at entrance to event only. Featuring: 141 lb. Novice, 201+ lb. Open, 178 lb. Novice, and the following FINAL BOUTS!  108 lb. Novice – FINALS BOUT, 176 lb. Women – FINALS BOUT, 176+ lb. Women – FINALS BOUT.

And get ready for the Finals to be held at the Theater @ Madison Square Garden on Thursday April 7th & Friday April 8th, 7:00 PM start!

For more information click here.

 

USA Boxing Pan American Games Women’s Qualifier Team!

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USA Boxing Pan American Games Women’s Qualifier Team!

A giant Girlboxing shout out to the women of the USA Boxing’s first women’s boxing team to head off to the Pan American Games qualifier to be held from March 25-29 in Cumana, Venezuela.

The team members are as follows:

112 lbs/female: Christina Cruz, New York, N.Y.

 

132 lbs/female: Queen Underwood, Seattle, WA.

 

 

165 lbs/female: Tiffanie Hearn, Louisville, KY.

 

USA Boxing has the full story here.

Why I love women’s boxing!

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Why I love women’s boxing!

Afghan Women Boxing, Credit: AFP/Katherine Haddon

I came across an amazing piece about young Afghani women training for the 2012 Olympics entitled, Afghan women boxers eye Olympic knockout!  We’re talking from the Taliban to the ring — in a country where girls and women still struggle for the right to leave the house or attend school, never mind don boxing gloves to learn the intricacies of the sweet science.

As Katherine Haddon put it in her lead graph, “In a gym at Kabul’s main stadium, where the Taliban used to publicly execute women accused of adultery, female Afghan boxers hoping to make it to the London 2012 Olympics are practicing their jabs.”

This is why I love women’s boxing.

Sure there’s the “game” side of it and the frustrations of attempting to make it as a professional — but at its heart any woman who boxes has an opportunity to push herself past all of the crap of gender construction in whatever society she is in to work it all out on the bag.  As a case in point, pick any ten random videos of a female boxing match on YouTube and read the vitriol, if the comments aren’t sexualized then they are some nonsense about how women “shouldn’t fight …”  And those comments are written here, in the U.S., so what’s that saying???

Meanwhile, back at the gym, girls and women box anyway because they have figured out it’s a beautiful way of moving beyond that sort of thinking into a realm of physical and mental strengthening.  And whether it’s an Aikido dojo, Tai Chi in the park or young Afghani women with an Olympic dream, taking those steps — and providing opportunities and encouragement for other women, young or old to take those steps is what will ultimately knock down the barriers that still keep so many women locked up inside.

YouTube also has a link, however it will only play on their site.  I recommend it highly!  You can find it here.

Friday morning odd-bins

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Friday morning odd-bins

Good morning fight fans! (Always wanted to says that!)

Todas Contra México Update!

Here’s a first look at Todas Contra México‘s star fighters as they get ready to begin shooting in Chiapas, Mexico!  Nice promo up on YouTube:

Pan American Games Box-off begins today!

Yep, the USA Boxing qualifier for the debut of women’s boxing at the Pan American Games is set to begin today at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado with a “Box-Off” of USA’s top competitors in the three Olympic weight categories:  Flyweight (112 lbs), Lightweight (132 lbs), and Middleweight (165 lbs).

This is historic stuff!

The top women amateur boxers participating in the Box-Off are:

Flyweight/112 lbs
Marlen Esparza, Houston, Texas
Tyrieshia Douglas Baltimore, Md.
Cynthia Moreno, Phoenix, Ariz.
Alex Love, Monroe, Wash.
Christina Cruz, New York, N.Y.
Marina Ramirez, Las Vegas, Nev.

Lightweight/132 lbs
Queen Underwood, Seattle, Wash.
Patricia Manuel, Long Beach, Calif.
Caroline Barry, Boulder, Colo.
Mikaela Mayer, Marquette, Mich.
Melissa Parker, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
Jody-Ann Weller, Pomona, N.Y.
Liz Leddy, Portland, Maine

Middleweight/165 lbs
Tiffanie Hearn, Louisville, Ky.
Franchon Crews, Baltimore, Md.

The winners of this event will go on to the Pan American Games qualifying event in Cumana, Venezuala set to run from March 25th to March 30th 2011.  The Pan American Games are set to run in Guadalajara, Mexico from October 14th – October 30th 2011.

WBA Women’s Super Bantamweight Title Fight Tonight

Yesica Patricia Marcos, WBA Women's Super Bantamweight

Bleacher Reports has a story up on tonight’s WBA Women’s Super Bantamweight title fight tonight between Yesica Patricia Marcos (16-0, 5-KO) and Maria Andrea Miranda (13-5) in San Martin, Mendoz, Argentina.  The folks at Bleacher Report opine that the shorted training period for Marcos, and Miranda recent 2-4 record will present challenges to both fighters.  The full story is here including news on other upcoming bouts.  Well worth the read!

Enjoy the day — and if you happen to be in the NY area it’s set to hit the high 60’s, yea!

Yoga mama shadow boxing around my living room

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Yoga mama shadow boxing around my living room

Having fallen “off the wagon” so to speak, I’m on day two of my renewed daily yoga routine what with being a bit hit and miss over the last two weeks — with an every 3rd morning routine.

What can I say — my arms are straining from plank pose, my hamstrings from downward facing dog, and my whole body from the Warrior 1, 2 & 3 sequences, but hey, I’m sitting taller while breathing nice and deep and full.  Even the kitty is excited, finding in my unfurled yoga mat a fun toy she’d apparently, really missed.

Next up, three rounds of shadow boxing around the living room to James Brown’s “Funky Good Time” before prancing my way around the kitchen to make some breakfast for the family.

It’s good to be back.