Tag Archives: Tiffany Woodard

Back in the ring with Sonya

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Back in the ring with Sonya

Girlboxing friend Sonya “The Scholar” Lamonakis won a tough hard-fought battle last night against Tanzee Daniels at the MGM Grand at Foxwoods Resort, Mashantucket, Connecticut.  This brings her record to 7-0-2. Two judges scored the bout 59-55 with the third scoring it 57-57.

Steve Smoger was the referee and as Sonya put it he told her “it’s an honor to work your fight.”  Sonya of course was thinking the opposite, feeling all the more humbled because Smoger was set to ref the Edwin Rodriguez-Jason Escalera main event.

Sonya Lamonakis and Tanzee Daniels, March 2011, Photo: Claudia Bocanegra

Humble is par for the course with Sonya who busts her butt all day teaching kids she loves up in Harlem before humping it to the gym to put in all the hours she needs to work out the stuff from the day and keep herself on the path towards her goal: a women’s heavyweight title, and hey why not, an actual chance to show her stuff on HBO on something other than an undercard bout that doesn’t get aired.

Last night was tougher though. Sonya has been through two bouts in the ring that were both ruled a draw by the judges. This past June she fought Tiffany Woodard with the scores 56-58, 58-56 & 57-57 and in January she fought Carlette Ewell with the same spread.

In the midst of it all, Sonya has been fighting through issues in her corner that led her to rethink her training style and to take on perhaps the toughest fight of all — seeing her way clear to the changes she needed to make to get herself back on track with a win.

Well, if she had any doubts they were dispelled last night. More than anything though, stepping back into the ring meant that she was going to fight through it all no matter what the outcome. That kind of courage is was makes boxing the sport that it is. A sport where each fighter truly puts herself or himself on the line.

For the moment, Sonya is slated for a WBF heavyweight title fight this coming December in Australia against Lisa Marie Vizaniari (5-0, 2 KOs). Knowing Sonya, she’ll work like crazy and then work some more to get into the kind of shape she’ll need for the win and the title. Along the way, she’ll throw us all lot of inspiration as we watch her suck back the tough things in life to bring it all into the ring, but then again, that’s Sonya.

Sonya Lamonakis: Working to make it a lucky 7!

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Sonya Lamonakis:  Working to make it a lucky 7!

Girlboxing had the chance to interview Sonya Lamonakis (6-0, 1-KO) ahead of her upcoming heavyweight bout on January 21st, 2012 against Carlette Ewell (15-7, 9-KO’s) at the storied Roseland Ballroom in New York City.  The fight is being promoted by DiBella Entertainment as part of the Broadway Boxing series.

1.  Tell us about your upcoming six-round fight against Carlette “The Truth” Ewell on January 21st at the infamous Roseland Ballroom in the heart of New York City.
I’ve been asking her to fight for a year and she finally accepted….this will be our first one and then our next fight will be for a title win or lose. It’s going to be a great fight we both have a lot of experience and have been training hard for this fight. Many of my fights have stolen the show and this might just be another one of the barn yard burners. 
2.  You’ve had six successful outings since your debut as a pro in June 2010 — having most recently defeated Tiffany Woodard in August 2011.  Ewell on the other hand has a 15-7 record with 9-KOs since her pro career started in 2002.  How are you preparing to meet the challenge of such a tough, seasoned opponent.
I had an amateur career and she didn’t so I’m hoping my thirty fights as an amateur and six pro fights will carry me to victory. I’m preparing by training excessively and after studying her video of her last fight I have been working on what needs to be done to get the win. 
3.  Ewell also has an upcoming fight on the books for the UBC Heavyweight Title against Gwendolyn O’Neil.  What sort of message do you want to send to both of them in your January 21st bout against Ewell.
I didn’t even know about that. Gwendolyn I see in Gleason’s and have asked her to fight me many times but she told me she is not fighting heavyweight anymore. Female heavyweights blossom late in life and I feel they are both on their way out and there is going to be a new queen of the heavyweights. 
4.  There’s been a fair amount of trash talk thrown your way in the run up to your battle against Ewell.  What is your reaction to all of that?

Yes, I have read her comments about what she has been saying and I feel fighters that are scared or intimidated talk trash. I have never been a trash talker I’m not that type of athlete. I save it all for the ring. I would rather be a positive example for my students and look like a classy athlete more than one that trash talks. I have been fighting for 9 years and it’s just not me. I have never been a trash talker. For her to say that I lost all my fights and they were just handed me is pretty rude to me. Especially,  being that she has not been at one of my fights and two out of the three were not on tv either. But it’s ok. Some people talk trash to make themselves feel better. It feeds their ego and helps them survive. So carry on Ewell. I’ll see you in the ring. 

5.  What adjustments are you making in the gym as you prepare for this fight and beyond?
I have been working on lowering my height, moving my head, and working angles to improve as a fighter for this fight and the future. 
6.  You recently had a powerful video interview published as part of Yahoo’s online “Power Your Future” series.  What can you tell us about that?

That was a great video. I was proud to show off my school and both of my careers in one. My students were very happy to be a part of my boxing career. I think I’m a special fighter because I have two careers as a fighter and an educator. To be a role model to children is a gift in itself. 

7.  For those who do not know, you teach technology to K-5th graders at a public school in Harlem.  You’ve been quoted as saying, “I’m an educator before I’m a fighter.”  Even given that sentiment, you bring your “all” into the gym and into your “game” on fight night.  What inspires you to bring so much of yourself to what you do?
I’m a passionate person. I play hard, live hard, and love hard. Teaching is not a job but a passion. I hope to inspire children to be life long learners and instill the value of education in them. My inspiration comes from the joy I receive when I’m with my students currently, and past students that come back to let me know the difference I made in their lives. 
8.  Having watched you work out in the gym, I’ve no doubt that you still have a lot more to accomplish in the sport, what are your goals and dreams?
I want to be a World Champion holding many titles. I also enjoy educating people about the sport of boxing. The determination it takes and the will and drive you must have. One part of boxing that’s important for me is that you must have something to fall back on because you can’t rely on boxing forever. You’re an active fighter for a short period but your work time expands beyond that. Only a small percentage of fighters make enough money to live off of. It’s important to have a back up plan, something that you can count on if the fight game doesn’t work out.
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Tickets are available for what will be an EXCITING night of boxing priced at $45 and $65. Ringside tickets are available upon request at $125.

Contact Gleason’s at 718 797 2872 or info@gleasonsgym.net if you want tickets.

Reminder! Great Women’s Boxing tonight, 8/20/11!

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Reminder! Great Women’s Boxing tonight, 8/20/11!

There is some terrific women’s boxing going on tonight!

First off — if you can get Mexico’s Televiso do because there are two fabulous female bouts on HG Boxing’s “Triple Corona” fight card! (Luckily for those of us who can’t get it live, the full bouts will likely be put up on YouTube.  You might also try to find a live video stream for some coin.)

The two co-main feature women’s bouts will include IBF female flyweight world champion Arely “Ametrallado” Muciño (13-0-1, 8 KO’s) defending her title against Susana Vasquez (5-5-1, 2 KOs) in a ten-round bout.  The other co-main feature female bout is none other than California’s own WBO female bantamweight champion Kaliesha “Wild Wild” West (13-1-3, 4 KO’s) defending her hard-won title against Mexico’s own Jessica Villafranca (12-2, 6 KO’s)

Over on the East Coast, Gleason’s own scholar, the ever-popular female heavyweight Sonya Lamonakis (5-0, 1-KO) will be fighting a tough rematch against Tiffany Woodard (4-4-1, 3-KO’s) at Mechanics Hall in Worcester, Massachusetts on the Broadway Boxing card.  To quote Sonya, “it’s going to be war”, and nothing new for a Lamonakis fight night!

 

Women’s Boxing: Sonya Lamonakis to fight on 8/20!

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>>>UPDATE>>>

In her usual crowd pleasing fashion Sonya Lamonakis made it an even 6-0 with her win over Tiffany Woodard.  Capturing a majority decision, the judges scored the bout  59-55, 58-56, 57-57 with Woodard the clear aggressor in the early rounds of their six-round bout.

Women’s Boxing: Sonya Lamonakis to fight on 8/20!

Gleason’s own and Harlem Academy’s favorite middle school teacher, Sonya “The Scholar” Lamonakis (5-0, 1-KO) will be looking to make her record a perfect 6-0 when she takes on Tiffany Woodard (4-4-1, 3-KO’s) at Mechanics Hall in Worcester, Massachusetts on August 20th.

The fight is part of DiBella Entertainment’s popular “Broadway Boxing” series and will feature Edwin Rodriguez (18-0, 13-KO’s) in the Main Event.

Sonya is excited about facing Tiffany again and as she put it, “Hey…yeah…she’s a good fighter…she’s been my toughest fight so far. But I’ve been training hard and I got something new for her.”

Returning to the scene of her first professional victory on June 24, 2010 against Kasondra Hardnette, Massachusetts native (and Greek born) Lamonakis, is itching for a heavyweight title bout. She is currently ranked 2nd in the U.S. heavyweight rankings and 4th in the world.

The fight at Mechanics Hall marks Sonya’s return to the ring after handily defeating Gigi Jackson (2-2) at Foxwoods Resort on April 16th. Lamonakis had hoped her decisive win would put her in line for a title shot against then heavyweight WIBA title holder and Global Boxing Union title holder, Gwendolyn O’Neil, however, a fight was not in the offing and O’Neil has since seen her titles stripped for failure to compete.

The hope is that DiBella Entertainment’s Lou DiBella will be successful in putting together an all-female card at Madison Square Garden featuring Sonya Lamonakis in a main event heavyweight title championship fight.

“We’re hoping it goes through,” Sonya said, “and hoping to get all the local girls that sell tickets on there. It would be a great accomplishment for women’s boxing….Lou Dibella would be smart to do this and support the women.”

Meanwhile, Sonya has been hard at work.

She trains with Lennox Blackmore and Don Saxby and is perfecting her tough, no-nonsense style of boxing that has taken her to the heights of the amateur world and five straight professional victories.

Tickets for the bout are available directly from Sonya Lamonakis on Facebook click here.  Just message her for tickets.  Seats are $55.00 and $75.00. You can also contact  Sharon Lamonakis (Sonya’s Mom!) at 413-863-3052.