Tag Archives: Women’s Olympic Boxing

Women’s Boxing: One year to go till Olympic Glory!

4 Replies

Women’s Boxing: One year to go till Olympic Glory!

I don’t remember a time when I didn’t like boxing.  My boxing hero was Mohammad Ali — and I have vivid memories of watching his fights on television, not to mention his running diatribes with Howard Cosell. And sure, that was all “back in the day” — but that was also history unfolding from Ali’s decision to embrace Islam on through refusing induction in the Army.  What resonated was Ali smiling for the camera and saying, “I’m so pretty.”  Those were powerful words for a boxer and a black man in America at that time — and frankly any time — upending notions of beauty, the ferosity of the ring, and the notion that there were limits on how high a human being could soar.

What I found was inspiration. I wanted to be him. Not so much as a boxer per se, but as a person that could take life and make it my own as an act of courage.

In thinking about the young women working their hearts out in the ring in preparation for next summer’s Olympics, I think of Ali. As a young 18 year old, he won Gold as a light heavyweight in the Rome Olympics and by the age of 28 had became an iconic figure in American history.  “The Greatest” changed the world.

The future Olympians who ply the boards through countless hours of hard work in the gym show feats of courage every time they step into the ring — and while they may not be as earth shattering as Ali, those acts of hard work are no less important to the scheme of things, not to mention that we don’t yet know just where any of these women will end up in the years to come.

Given that we’ve hit the one year mark — the main stream press has started to focus in on these women and their ambition, and as a salute to our future Olympic heros, here’s a smattering from around the web.

Queen Underwood (USA) – USA Today has a piece out entitled Queen Underwood chases glory in the boxing ring that talks about Queen’s dreams of winning Olympic gold.

Mary Kom (India) – Called “Magnificent Mary”, Kom is a five-time gold medal winner who is currently training with the Indian men’s team in pursuit of Olympic gold as noted in the Times of India article, Mary Kom trains with men’s team’s foreign coach.

Katie Taylor (Ireland) – Talk about courage in the ring, Katie Taylor is a fearless competitor having just won her 38th victory in a row with her gold medal victory in the European Union championships.  She is also an iconic figure of brilliance in action in her native Ireland as the Irish Times piece ‘Perfect fight’ ends with European Title attests.

There are countless other Olympic hopefuls with countless other dreams of rising to the podium — and what we can do is support those dreams with our unwavering passion for the sport we love.

Going for the gold, junior style: yep it’s Jr. Olympic Nationals time again!

Leave a reply

Going for the gold, junior style: yep it’s Jr. Olympic Nationals time again!

Starting on August 2nd and running through August 5th, the 2011 Junior Olympic National Championships will be held in at the Mobile Civic Center in Mobile, Alabama.  Long considered a showcase for future for future Olympians and World Champions among male boxers, this year’s female boxers can set their sites on gaining a berth in 2016!

The preliminary bouts are set to begin on the first day of competition, with the quarterfinals set for Wednesday, August 3rd, semifinals on Thursday, August 4th and the championship round bouts set for Friday, August 5th in all of the weight divisions.

The roster of young women set to compete includes weight classes from 90 lbs. on through 176 lbs. Regardless of weight class, however, these young future stars deserve our support!

BTW, if you plan on being in Mobile between July 31st and August 5th you can not only catch the 2011 Jr. Olympic National Championships, but the Men’s Olympic Trials as well.  Here’s a link for tickets to the events at the Mobile Civic Center.
For a taste of the level of competition to be enjoyed here’s video from the 2009 125 lb. Jr. Olympic National Championship finals between Flora Yanes and Chazette Szu.:
Roster of Female Athletes!
90 lbs
Arlene Villalobus, Whittier, Calif.
101 lbs
Monica Vanpelt, Toledo, Ohio
Dominique Siller, Abilene, Texas
Christina Mirabal, Albuquerque, N.M.
106 lbs
Enovi Molina, Scotch Plains, N.J.
Haneefa Muhammed, Lexington, Ky.
Brittany Salas, Amarillo, Texas
Marisol Lopez, Avenal, Calif.
110 lbs
Ruby Suarez, Detroit, Mich.
Kianna Richardson, Fort Worth, Texas
Ariana Garcia, Albuquerque, N.M.
Saira Guiterrez, Sacramento, Calif.
Miranda Burkett, Caldwell, Idaho
Emily Downs, Pensacola, Fla.
114 lbs
Jasmine Hampton, Ann Arbor, Mich.
Angelica Herrera, Grand Prairie, Texas
Ayanna Vasquez, Las Cruces, N.M.
Serena Rojas, Fresno, Calif.
Raynesia O’neal, Washington D.C.
119 lbs
Shante Higgs, Detroit, Mich.
Rianna Rios, Alice, Texas
Dacia Jacquez, Bloomfield, N.M.
Arianna Makes Him First, Little Eagle, S.D.
Evevlyn Borja, Fresno, Calif.
125 lbs
Amber Blumenfeld, Springfield, Mass.
Christina Farwick, Cincinnati, Ohio
Kristal Gonzales, San Antonio, Texas
Brooklyn Brenden, East Helena, Mont.
Jasmin Jones, Vacaville, Calif.
Laura Garfias, Cornelius, Ore.
132 lbs
Rashida Ellis, St. Lynn, Mass.
Nakarri Jones, Tampa, Fla.
Dezaree Negrete, Calumet City, Ill.
Isabella Nieves, Kenosha, Wis.
Nancy Gutierrez, Sacramento, Calif.
Liano Rico, San Bernardino, Calif.
138 lbs
Jessica Alvarez, Lincoln Park, Mich.
Martisa Guillen, Reno, Calif.
145 lbs
Courtney Mink, Monroe, Mich.
Marlisa Stamps, Milwaukee, Wis.
Miceala Fox, McLaughlin, S.D.
Kiera Bell, Washington, D.C.
154 lbs
Clarissa Shields, Flint, Mich.
Breanna Rautio, Rocker, Mont.
Kiera Bell, Washington D.C.
165 lbs
Taylor Carroll, Monroe, Mich.
176 lbs
Dariahn Williams, Lexington, Ky.

Another round of odd bins: Women’s Boxing around the globe!

Leave a reply

Another round of odd bins:  Women’s Boxing around the globe!

The Burqa Boxers of Afghanistan!

Afghanistan teenage girls train at the infamous Ghazi Stadium. Photo: Kate Geraghty

My beloved Afghani Women’s Boxing team, coined the Burqa Boxers have hit the news again — this time in the Sydney Morning Herald.  These brave young women and their coach continue to defy the odds just by showing up for practice twice a week! As quoted by writer Ben Doughty, Coach Mohammad Sabir Sharifi said, “”We will all work hard, and we will select the best, the strongest and the most talented and we will hope to have one of our girls represent our country at the Olympics.”  Here’s hoping that they do. This highly recommended article and pictural essay can be found here.

A win in Mexico!

Irma Sanchez (L) v. Carlota Santos

Irma “Guerita” Sanchez (20-5-1, 5KO’s) was sucessful in her quest for the WBF female flyweight belt against Panamanian Carlota Santos (5-2-4, 4KO’s) with a TKO victory in the seventh round of the bout.  With her win, Sanchez becomes the first female Mexican boxer to hold two world championships across two weight divisions. The fight was on the “Puños de ierro” card promoted by Hector Garcia’s HG BOXING at the Coliseo Olimpico de Guadalajara, Jalisco on Saturday night (7/23/2011).

Thank you Detroit Free Press!

Queen Underwood and Tiara Brown @ the Nationals, Photo: Jack Dempsey/AP

Queen Underwood and Tiara Brown @ the Nationals, Photo: Jack Dempsey/AP

Andrecia Wasson

Jo-Ann Barnass writing for the Detroit Free Press has a terrific piece entitled, 2012 Summer Olympics: Three classes are not enough for women’s boxing that is really a must read. Barnass publicizes the fact the three Olympic weight classes (Flyweight-112, Lightweight-132, Middleweight-165) have effectively curtailed the Olympic dreams of many women who are unable to step up or down in weight enough to make one of the sanctioned weight classes.  Her case in point is boxer Andrecia Wasson who  won the world welterweight title in Barbados last year, but at 152 pounds does not easily fall into either the lightweight or middleweight category.  Girlboxing has to agree that the limitation on weight classes is unnecessarily hampering the opportunities for women at the 2012 Olympics and applauds the Detroit Free Press for running this important piece!  The link to the piece is here.

Here’s some third round action of Andrecia Wasson at the 2010 Ringside World Championships

Odd Bins: Short takes on Women’s Boxing from around the globe.

2 Replies

Odd Bins: Short takes on Women’s Boxing from around the globe.

Sparta Gym, Photo: Fernando Lara

The talk of El Centro, California are the two girls in the “Selected 7” — representing the Sparta Boxing Gym who will go on to the Ringside World Championships this coming August in Kansas City, MO!

Julie “Bazooka” Muñoz, 13, and Danika “Babyface” Lara, 13, are two of the seven fighters who began started training in earnest this week for the championships.  Click here for the full story.

Jessica Diaz, Mission Boxing Club, Photo: Gabe Hernandez

The Christian Science Monitor recently ran a feature about women’s boxing at the Mission Boxing Club in Mission, Texas. The following quote from Jessica Diaz is typical of women training to box the world over, “You just have to push yourself, you have to be dedicated” Diaz said. “I started training hard. I would come in twice a day and when I wouldn’t come in, I would run. I’d eat right and only drink water.”  Diaz will fight her first bout  nn Saturday, July 30,  at “Beto’s Boxing Club Show: Rumble In The Jungle” in Mercedes, TX.  Click here for the full story.

Irish Boxing — and in particular Irish Women’s Boxing received a huge boost with a 2.3 million dollar infusion of cash issued by the Irish Amateur Boxing Association to improve facilities at boxing clubs across Ireland. The funds are being allocated to provide women with such things as changing rooms of their own!  The intent is to encourage more women to take up the sport — and honors Ireland’s great amateur champion, Katie Taylor acknowledged as a serious Gold Medal contender in the lightweight division in next year’s Women’s Boxing debut at the 2012 Olympics.

The 2011 National Championship’s have begun — in Lao Cai provence, Viet Nam that is.  There will be not less than 86 women boxers representing 20 teams from across the country participating in the tournament across five weight categories. The winners of this year’s tournament will be invited to join the National Team and participate in upcoming regional events to include the 26th annual SEA Games scheduled for this coming November in Indonesia.  The top seed for the championships is Luu Thi Duyen who was a silver medalist in April’s World Youth Boxing Championships in Turkey and a gold medal winner at this month’s President’s Cup tournament in Indonesia.

 

 

 

 

Women’s boxing, women’s sports.

Leave a reply

Women’s boxing, women’s sports.

I know it was a Sunday evening in mid-summer, but something interesting happened last night: both ABC and CBS led their evening news reports with women’s soccer.  Japan had just won as exciting a World Cup final as can be remembered against the US team — only it wasn’t the men’s soccer final, it was the women’s. Eschewing the normal jingoist flag waving, credit was given where it was due to the tremendous, tenacious play of both teams and to Japan for having edged out the US team 3-1 in penalty kicks after having been tied at 2-2 in regulation play.

As a strong supporter of the sport of women’s boxing, so often marginalized, side-swiped and forgotten, cheering from the side-lines for the extraordinary athletes plying their considerable skills for 90 plus minutes of non-stop play on the soccer pitch was inspirational.  After all, these young women came to play. Much as women who glove up for battle in the ring whether it’s in small club amateur fights, National championships or professional bouts in local venues or in places as storied as Madison Square Garden.

My hope is that women’s sports do indeed have a place that can translate into support and appreciation for the women in boxing who work and train against all odds to ply their passion. And perhaps one day, a year or so from now, when the first female boxer ascends the Olympic podium to collect her well-earned gold medal, television stations around the world will lead with her victory!

Would … that it will be true.

For some further inspiration, here’s Katie Taylor’s 2010 World Championship win. (Action starts about 2:00 in.)

Women’s boxing from South Korea to Sierra Leone.

1 Reply

Women’s boxing from South Korea to Sierra Leone.

Boxing in South Korea!

I came across this video about the growing popularity of women’s boxing in South Korea. The sport has seen a huge surge since South Korean actress, Lee Si-young won the 7th National Women’s Amateur Boxing Championships in the 48Kg weight class recently. The video is a nicely balanced piece and highly recommended.

Fighting for the Gold in Sierra Leone!

This short video is a beautiful visual montage of the challenges facing the Sierra Leone women’s amateur boxing team as they prepare for the 2012 Olympics in London.  The moving piece shows the true spirit of the game.  The images are by photographer Lee Karen Stow. (Further info on the photographer is here and here)


Women’s nationals semi-finals – Day 4!

6 Replies

Women’s Nationals Semi-Finals – Day 4!

We are talking really smoking hot in the Olympic divisions!!!

Flyweight!

Marlen Esperza, in training

Marlen Esperza (Houston, TZ) did not disappoint when she handily defeated New York’s own Christina Cruz 9-3.  With this victory, Esperza will be competing for her sixth straight national title in the Finals.

Tyriesha Douglas (L)

Tyrieshia Douglas (Baltimore, MD)  defeated contender Poula Estrada (Palmdale, CA) by a score of 17-11.  This will set up an exciting rematch of the Esperza v. Douglas 2010 National Championship battle!

Lightweight!

Queen Underwood

In a real barn-burner live tweeted by writer Raquel Ruiz, the momentum of the fight shifted back and forth between four-time champion Queen Underwood (Seattle, WA) and contender N’yteeyah Sherman (Barberton, OH) competing in her first national tournament.  They traded punches back and forth with Queen using her ring skill to try to outbox Sherman.  In the end, with the score tied 23-23, the judges awarded the win to Queen Underwood with a tiebreaker decision based on the punch count which was scored in Queen’s favor, 116-96.

Tiara Brown

Compared to the Underwood v. Sherman bout, the Tiara Brown (Lehigh Acres, FL) battle with Lisa Porter (Northridge, CA) was a relative “walk-over” with Brown handily defeating Porter, 13-7.  Underwood and Brown will face each other in Saturday night’s final.

Middleweight!

Franchon Crews

To round out the Olympic divisions, Franchon Crews (Baltimore, MD) defeated Tiffanie Ward (Hacienda Heights, CA) in another close contest by the score 14-13.  The former champion will meet Alyssa DeFazio (Peoria, AZ) who handily defeated the former light heavyweight champion Tika Hemingway (Pittsburgh, PA), 20-14.

A Girlboxing shoutout to all of the amazing women boxers who have participated so far!  Now it’s time to get to work so *ALL* of the female boxing weight divisions will included in the 2016 Olympics!

Here’s the full roster of semi-final women’s bouts.

106 lbs/female: Amy Sowers, Bozeman, Mont., dec. Elizabeth Rodriguez, Gilroy, Calif., 16-10
106 lbs/female: Marina Ramirez, Las Vegas, Nev., dec. Lisa Ha, Honolulu, Hawaii, 15-13

112 lbs/female: Tyrieshia Douglas, Baltimore, Md., dec. Poula Estrada, Palmdale, Calif., 17-11
112 lbs/female: Marlen Esparza, Houston, Texas, dec. Christina Cruz, New York, N.Y., 9-3

119 lbs/female: Amanda Pavone, Burlington, Mass., dec. Lindsay Bartels, Omaha, Neb., 29-15

119 lbs/female: Haley Pasion, Waipahu, Hawaii, stopped Nephateria Miller, New Haven, Conn., RSC-3 (1:44)

125 lbs/female: Heather Hardy, Brooklyn, N.Y., dec. Emily Dagnan, Jasper, Tenn., 25-9
125 lbs/female: Elizabeth Leddy, Portland, Maine, dec. Lori Argumedo, Commerce, Calif., 24-10

132 lbs/female: Tiara Brown, Lehigh Acres, Fla., dec. Lisa Porter, Northridge, Calif., 13-7
132 lbs/female: Queen Underwood, Seattle, Wash., dec. N’yteeyah Sherman, Barberton, Ohio, 23-23 (116-96)

141 lbs/female: Cashmere Jackson, Cleveland, Ohio, dec. Kathleen Walsh, Rankankama, N.Y., 17-16
141 lbs/female: Luvisa Matali, Denver, Colo., dec. Ariel Beck, Deer Lodge, Mont., 17-11

152 lbs/female: Amournix Stamp, Milwaukee, Wis., dec. Faith Franco, Duarte, Calif., 7-6
152 lbs/female: Stephanie Taylor, West Hills, Calif., won on walkover over, Diana Wigand, Lexington, Ky., W/O

165 lbs/female: Franchon Crews, Baltimore, Md., dec. Tiffanie Ward, Hacienda Heights, Calif., 14-13
165 lbs/female: Alyssa DeFazio, Peoria, Ariz., dec. Tika Hemingway, Pittsburgh, Pa., 20-14

Women’s Nationals Quarter-Finals! – Day 3

Leave a reply

Women’s Nationals Quarter-Finals! – Day 3

Talk about a competition!  The 2011 USA Boxing Women’s Boxing division heated up yesterday with some truly fierce quarter-final action — and for the winners in the three Olympic weight classes (Flyweight, Lightweight and Middleweight), it was not only the chance to move on to the semi-finals, but the guarantee of a berth for next year’s Olympic Trials!

Wednesday Afternoon Action

The afternoon quarter finals included a barn-burner between two four-time national champions:  Queen Underwood (Seattle, WA) and Caroline Barry (Boulder, Co).  The meeting between Underwood and Barry was tough, competitive and highly skilled.  USA Boxing note the round-by-round as a battle of strength and wills with each round a tough fight between the two competititors.  In the end, however, Queen Underwood, coming off of two rousing preliminary bouts was able to pull off the win with a cleanly fought 4th round giving her the 14-10 decision over Barry.  The win guarantees Underwood a coveted spot in next year’s Olympic trials.

Tyriesha Douglas (L)

The good news is that Caroline Barry is that she can still qualify for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials if she emerges victorious at the Women’s Golden Gloves or National PAL Championships.

Queen Underwood will fight in the semifinals against N’yteeyah Sherman (Barberton, Oh).

Full roster of Quarter-final bouts:

106 lbs/female: Elizabeth Rodriguez, Gilroy, Calif., won on walkover over, Natalie Gonzalez, New Rochelle, N.Y., W/O

119 lbs/female: Amanda Pavone, Burlington, Mass., dec. Shanice Herron, St. Louis, Mo., 32-7

119 lbs/female: Nephateria Miller, New Haven, Conn., won on retirement over, Tiffany Griffin, Chicago, Ill., RET-4 (0:00)

119 lbs/female: Lindsay Bartels, Omaha, Neb., stopped Bryonna Sumandig, Tacoma, Wash., RSC-4 (1:47)

119 lbs/female: Haley Pasion, Waipahu, Hawaii, dec. Shanne Ruelas, Fresno, Calif., 26-19

132 lbs/female: Queen Underwood, Tacoma, Wash., dec. Caroline Barry, Boulder, Colo., 14-10

132 lbs/female: Tiara Brown, Lehigh Acres, Fla., dec. Bertha Aracil, Yonkers, N.Y., 23-8

132 lbs/female: N’yteeyah Sherman, Barberton, Ohio, won on retirement over, Jayli Fimbres, Newton, N.D., RET-4 (0:00)

132 lbs/female: Lisa Porter, Northridge, Calif., dec. Jesse Owens, Virginia Beach, Va. 27-9

Wednesday Evening Action

Christina Cruz, New York Golden Gloves Winner

New York’s own and 2010 National PAL Champion Christina Cruz won a decision over Nicole Pasillas, (Aurora, CO) with a rousing 18-6 decision.  In the other highly anticipated  female flyweight division bouts 2010 USA Boxing National Championships finalist, Marlen Esparza (Houston, Texas) handily defeated former National Champion Cynthia Moreno (Guadalupe, Ariz.) 25-15.

Rounding out the lightweight division Tyrieshia Douglas (Baltimore, Md.) defeated Berenice Hernandez (Las Vegas, Nev.) 25-14 and Poula Estrada, (Palmdale, Ca.) defeated hometown Alicia Avila, (Colorado Springs, Co) in a closelfy fought contest by a mere, 11-10.

Tika Hemingway

The women’s middleweight division  was no less exciting in a bout between two-time national champions. The reigning middleweight titlist Tiffanie Hearn (Louisville, Ky.) battled the former light heavyweight champion Tika Hemingway (Pittsburgh, Pa.). According to USA Boxing, “Hemingway took the early lead in the bout, holding a 10-5 edge after two rounds.”  Hemingway was able to win an upset victory with a final score of 17-14 margin. She will face 2009 National Champion Alyssa DeFazio (Peoria, Ariz.) in Thursday’s semifinals.

Franchon Crews

In other exciting action, the rousing fighter of the Pan-Am qualifier, Franchon Crews, (Baltimore, Md.) had a forth round stoppage over Audrey Drew, (Dallas, Tx), RSC-4 (1:10).  To round out the quarter finals, Tiffanie Ward, (Hacienda, Heights, CA) defeated Christina Jensen, (Centereach, N.Y.), 31-11 and Alyssa Defazio, (Peoria, AZ) won her bout over Dara Shen, (Fairfax, VA), 29-10.

Full Roster of Quarter-final bouts:

112 lbs/female: Poula Estrada, Palmdale, Calif., dec. Alicia Avila, Colorado Springs, Colo., 11-10
112 lbs/female: Tyreishia Douglas, Baltimore, Md., dec. Berenice Hernandez, Las Vegas, Nev. 23-14
112 lbs/female: Christina Cruz, New York, N.Y., dec. Nicole Pasillas, Aurora, Colo., 18-6
112 lbs/female: Marlen Esparza, Houston, Texas, dec. Cynthia Moreno, Phoenix, Ariz., 25-15
125 lbs/female: Emily Dagnan, Jasper, Tenn., dec. Asia Stevenson, Washington, D.C., 20-18
125 lbs/female: Heather Hardy, Brooklyn, N.Y., dec. Andrea Peters, Fort Carson, Colo., 22-9
125 lbs/female: Elizabeth Leddy, Portland, Maine, dec. Casey Morton Carissa, San Francisco, Calif., 45-26

141 lbs/female: Cashmere Jackson, Cleveland, Ohio, dec. Kristin Gearhart, Oak Park, Ill., 13-5
141 lbs/female: Kathleen Walsh, Rankankama, N.Y., dec. Kendra Macon, Charlotte, N.C., 29-11
141 lbs/female: Luvisa Matali, Denver, Colo., dec. Jessica McCaskill, St. Louis, Mo., 14-9
141 lbs/female: Ariel Beck, Deer Lodge, Mont., dec. Rachell Wehrl, Stafford, Va., 21

165 lbs/female: Tiffanie Ward, Hacienda, Heights, Calif., dec. Christina Jensen, Centereach, N.Y., 31-11

165 lbs/female: Tika Hemingway, Pittsburgh, Pa, dec. Tiffanie Hearn, Louisville, Ky., 31-11

165 lbs/female: Franchon Crews, Baltimore, Md., stopped Audrey Drew, Dallas, Texas, RSC-4 (1:10)
165 lbs/female: Alyssa Defazio, Peoria, Ariz., dec. Dara Shen, Fairfax, Va., 29-10

Women’s Nationals results – Day 2

Leave a reply

Women’s Nationals results – Day 2!

Tuesday Afternoon Action

Queen Underwood, training in Seattle

Caroline Barry

Four-time national champion Queen Underwood won her second fight with a stoppage over Darina Mimms yesterday. Four-time national champion Caroline Barry also won her bout against the 2010 Bantamweight National Champion Lauren Fisher (Dania, FL).  This sets up a terrific quarter-final match between Underwood and Barry for the right to enter the semi-finals and an all important berth in the Olympic trials next year.  Look for this fight to be about as exciting as it can get.

The full roster of bouts included:

119 lbs/female:  Amanda Pavone, Burlington Mass., dec. Erica Rosenburg, Fountain, Colo., 18-11

132 lbs/female: Tiara Brown, Lehigh Acres, Fla., dec. Jody-Ann Weller, Pomona, N.Y., 18-9

132 lbs/female: Bertha Aracil, Yonkers, N.Y., dec. Mikaela Mayer, Marquette, Mich. 14-12

132 lbs/female: Caroline Barry, Boulder, Colo., dec. Lauren Fisher, Dania, Fla., 11-9

132 lbs/female: Lisa Porter, Northridge, Calif., dec. Sherry Whetten, Tucson, Ariz., 17-9

132 lbs/female: N’yteeyah Sherman, Barberton, Ohio, dec. Rita Martinez, Las Cruces, N.M., 19-7

132 lbs/female: Queen Underwood, Tacoma, Wash., stopped Darina Mims, Greensboro, N.C., RSC-3 (0:57)

132 lbs/female: Jayli Fimbres, Newton, N.D., dec. Ishika Lay, Jacksonville Beach, Fla., 12-11

132 lbs/male: Jesse Owens, Virginia Beach, Va., dec. Amorena Baca, Denver, Colo., 14-13

Tuesday Evening Session

Marlen Esperza, in training

In an exciting evening of boxing, the top female flyweights fought simultaneous close bouts. Five-time national champion Marlen Esparza (Houston, Texas) fought against the 2010 USA Boxing National Championships bronze medalist Alex Love (Monroe, Wash.).

Alex Love

USA Boxing noted that “Love kept the bout close through the first two rounds, but Esparza extended her lead to a comfortable margin late and won a 13-7 final decision.” Esparza will go to fight the former bantamweight national champion Cynthia Moreno (Guadalupe, Ariz.) in the Wednesday night quarter-finals for a berth in the first-ever U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Women’s Boxing.

These bouts are particularly heartbreaking for fighters such as Alex Love who have set their sites on fighting in the upcoming 2012 Olympics.

All of the quarterfinal bouts will be contested on Wednesday in two sessions at noon and 6 p.m., with the victors moving on to the semifinals and those in Olympic weight classes earning berths in the U.S. Olympic Team Trials.

The full roster of Tuesday evening’s bouts are as follows:

112 lbs/female: Berenice Hernandez, Las Vegas, Nev., dec. Taversha Norwood, Marietta, Ga., 32-13

112 lbs/female: Poula Estrada, Palmdale, Calif., dec. Maryquenn Vellinga, Salt Lake City, Utah, 22-8

112 lbs/female: Alicia Avila, Colorado Springs, Colo., dec. Jamie Mitchell, Pacific Grove, Calif., 13-12

112 lbs/female: Cynthia Moreno, Guadalupe, Ariz., dec. Megan Rembold, Oswego, Ill. 27-13

112 lbs/female: Tyreishia Douglas, Baltimore, Md., dec. LaTonya King, Harrison, Mich., 17-11

112 lbs/female: Nicole Pasillas, Aurora, Colo., dec. Autumn Anderson, Bellevue, Neb., 17-16

112 lbs/female: Marlen Esparza, Houston, Texas, dec. Alex Love, Monroe, Wash., 13-7

112 lbs/female: Christina Cruz, New York, N.Y., dec. Noemi Bosques, Pinellas Park, Fla., 25-6

141 lbs/female: Cashmere Jackson, Cleveland, Ohio, dec. Griselda Madrigal, Wenataliee, Wash., 18-12

141 lbs/female: Ariel Beck, Deer Lodge, Mont., dec. Urbana Hernandez, El Paso, Texas, 14-11

141 lbs/female: Jessica McCaskill, St. Louis, Mo., dec. Samantha Griffith, Pittsburg, Pa., 27-18

165 lbs/female: Tiffanie Ward, Hacienda Heights, Calif., dec. Danyelle Wolf, San Diego, Calif. 13-12

165 lbs/female: Audrey Drew, Dallas, Texas, won on walkover over, Marie Ybarra, Greeley, Colo., W/O

165 lbs/female: Christina Jensen, Centereach, N.Y., dec. Heather Bassett, Jackson, Tenn., 25-9

165 lbs/female: Alyssa Defazio, Peoria, Ariz., stopped Tara Weisshaar, Burlington, Colo., RSC-1 (0:55)

165 lbs/female: Franchon Crews, Baltimore, Md., dec. Raven Barnes, Marquette, Mich., 29-7

165 lbs/female: Tika Hemingway, Pittsburgh, Pa., stopped Amy Castillo, Bakersfield, Calif., RSC-1 (0:40)

165 lbs/female: Dara Shen, Fairfax, Va., dec. Kalita Marsh, Smithfield, N.C., 18-8

165 lbs/female: Tiffanie Hearn, Louisville, Ky., stopped Melinda Levasseur, Magnolia, Del., RSC-1 (0:55)

Women’s Nationals Results – Day 1!

Leave a reply

Women’s Nationals Results – Day 1!

2010 USA Boxing National Championships

Nationals!  

Nationals got off to a rousing start in the Olympic divisions with Queen Underwood easily overtaking her opponent, Maria Madrigal with a first round stoppage.  She will take on Darina Mims (Greensboro, N.C.) in second round action on Tuesday afternoon.  Also look for Christina Cruz to fight Noemi Bosques (Pinellas Park, Fla.) who decisively won her first preliminary bout on Monday night over Cassandra Mendoxa (Greeley, Co.).

Early favorite for a medal Marlen Esparza (Houston, Texas) won on walkover over, Tiffany Perez, (Hammond, Ind)

Monday Afternoon Preliminary Bouts!

132 lbs/female: Sherry Whetten, Tucson, Ariz., won on walkover over, Kymmberli Stowe, Pittsburgh, Pa., W/O

132 lbs/female: Bertha Aracil, Yonkers, NY., dec. Brenda Gutierrez, Sacramento, Calif., 35-6

132 lbs/female: Queen Underwood, Seattle, Wash., stopped Maria Madrigal, Wenatcher, Wash., RSC-1 (1:32)

132 lbs/female: Tiara Brown, Fort Meyers, Fla., dec. Storm Chandler, New York, N.Y., 18-14

132 lbs/female: Amorena Baca, Denver, Colo., dec. Marianne Kraus, Nauvoo, Ill., 25-7

132 lbs/female: Lauren Fisher, Dania Beach, Fla., dec. Amber Smith, Fort Worth, Texas, 24-7

132 lbs/female: Ishika Lay, Jacksonville Beach, Fla., dec. Jenelle Leal, Corpus Christi, Texas, 30-7

132 lbs/female: Mikaela Mayer, Los Angeles, Calif., dec. Robin Conroy, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 13-3

132 lbs/female: Rita Martinez, Las Cruces, NM., won on walkover over, Takesha Edward, W/O

Monday Evening Preliminary Bouts
112 lbs/female: Poula Estrada, Palmdale, Calif., dec. Ginny Fuchs, Houston, Texas, 15-9

112 lbs/female: Noemi Bosques, Pinellas Park, Fla., dec. Cassandra Mendoza, Greeley, Colo., 21-14

112 lbs/female: LaTonya King, Harrison, Mich., stopped Rhonda McGee, Vacaville, Calif., RSC-2 (1:42)

112 lbs/female: Marlen Esparza, Houston, Texas, won on walkover over, Tiffany Perez, Hammond, Ind., W/O 

132 lbs/female: Sherman N’yteeya, Barberton, Ohio. dec. Alecia Gutierrez, Chicago Ill., 33-19

165 lbs/female: Danyelle Wolf, San Diego, Calif., dec. Jennifer Egan, Mohopac, N.Y., 18-13

 

N A T I O N A L S ! Yep, Women’s Amateur Boxing Rules!

2 Replies

N A T I O N A L S !  Yep, Women’s Amateur Boxing Rules!

Cool fact!  This year’s women’s national champions will give us all a look at the possible Olympians for next year’s Olympic games in London!

The 2011 USA Boxing National Championships are set to begin on June 19th and will run through June 26th in Colorado Springs, Col

As stated on USA Boxing website, “For the first-time ever, one event will serve as a qualifying tournament for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for both male and female athletes with the top four finishers in the three female Olympic weight classes and 10 men’s divisions clinching the critical qualifying spots.”

As a reminder the three Olympic divisions are:  Flyweight (112 lbs). Lightweight (132 lbs) and Middleweight (165 lbs).

So look for the defending champions in the three Olympic weight divisions to rock the house: flyweight Marlen Esparza (Houston, Texas) competing for her sixth straight national championship, lightweight Queen Underwood (Seattle, Wash.) boxing for her fifth title and middleweight Tiffanie Hearn (Louisville, Ky.) vying for her second consecutive middleweight crown and third overall.

The going won’t be easy though as there are a record 36 women vying for the Lightweight title alone this year including 2010 National PAL Champion Stephanie Han (El Paso, Texas), four-time winner Caroline Barry (Boulder, Colo.), former featherweight national champions Melissa Parker (Camp Lejeune, N.C.) and Jody Ann Weller (Pomona, N.Y.), as well as 2010 bantamweight gold medalist Lauren Fisher (Dania, Fla.).

The middle weight division is no lock either with 21 entrants including Franchon Crews (Baltimore, Md.) who was AWESOME in the Pan Am trials, plus former light heavyweight champion Tika Hemingway (Pittsburgh, Pa.) and defending heavyweight titlist Denise Rico (Los Angeles, Calif.) both of whom moved down to the middleweight division in the hopes of making the team.

Action will begin for the Olympic weight classes on Monday with the start of their preliminary bouts.  According to USA Boxing’s rules, the athletes in the three Olympic divisions will need to win their preliminary bouts and the quarter finals to earn a place in Thursday’s semifinal action.  Only Semi-finalist and above will be able to clinch a spot in next year’s U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Women’s Boxing.

The roster of fighters set to compete is impressive to say the least!

2011 USA Boxing National Championships Female Athletes by Weight Class

Light flyweight/106 lbs (Six Boxers)

Natalie Gonzalez, New Rochelle, N.Y., Elizabeth Rodriguez, Gilroy, Calif., Lisa Ha, Honolulu, Hawaii, Vanessa Guzman, Chula Vista, Calif., Marina Ramirez, Las Vegas, Nev., Amy Sowers, Bozeman, Mont.

Flyweight/112 lbs (22 Boxers) – Olympic

Tyreishia Douglas, Baltimore, Md. (2010 USA Boxing National Championships silver medalist), Noemi Bosques, Pinellas Park, Fla., Megan Rembold, Oswego, Ill., Marlen Esparza, Houston, Texas (Five-time National Champion), Alicia Avila, Colorado Springs, Colo., Jamie Mitchell, Pacific Grove, Calif., Bernice Hernandez, Las Vegas, Nev., Christina Cruz, New York, N.Y. (2010 National PAL Champion), LaTonya King, Harrison, Mich., Heather Han, El Paso, Texas, Rhonda McGee, Vacaville, Calif., Nicole Pasillas, Aurora, Colo., Autumn Anderson, Bellevue, Neb., Paola Estrada, Palmdale, Calif., Cassandra Mendoza, Greeley, Colo., Alex Love, Monroe, Wash. (2010 USA Boxing National Championships bronze medalist), Cynthia Moreno, Guadalupe, Ariz. (2008 National Champion), Taversha Norwood, Marietta, Ga., Virgina ‘Ginny’ Fuchs, Baton Rouge, La., Tiffany Perez, Hammond, Ind., Ashlee Reyes, San Antonio, Texas, Maryguenn Vellinga, Salt Lake City, Utah

Bantamweight/119 lbs (12 Boxers)

Amanda Pavone, Burlington, Mass., Rayleen Williams, Lincoln, Del., Rosa Rodriguez, Miami, Fla., Tiffany Griffin, Chicago, Ill., Shanice Herron, St. Louis, Mo., Shanne Ruelas, Fresno, Calif., Bryonna Jumandig, Tacoma, Wash., Haley Pasion, Waipahu, Hawaii, Nephateria Miller, New Haven, Conn., Lindsay Bartels, Omaha, Neb., Amanda Pavone, Burlington, Mass., Erica Rosenburg, Fountain, Colo.

Featherweight/125 lbs (10 Boxers)

Heather Hardy, Brooklyn, N.Y., Alecia DeFrank, Rickey, Fla., Ronica Rodriguez, Lansing, Mich., Carissa Casey Morton, San Francisco, Calif., Lori Argumedo, Commerce City, Calif., Andrea Peters, Ft. Carson, Colo., Elizabeth Leddy, Portland, Maine (2010 USA Boxing National Championships silver medalist), Kristen McKnight, Angien, N.C., Asia Stevenson, Washington, D.C., Emily Dagnan, Jasper, TN

Lightweight/132 lbs (36 Boxers) – Olympic

Comel Chandler, Brooklyn, New York, Tiara Brown, Lehigh Acres, Fla., N’yteeyah Sherman, Barberton, Ohio, Marianne Kraus, Indianola, Iowa, Jeanelle Leal, Corpus Christi, Texas, Earnestine Wesley, Garland, Texas, Amorena Baca, Denver, Colo., Jayli Fimbres, Newton, N.D., Brenda Gutierrez, Sacramento, Calif., Maira Madrigal, Wenataliee, Wash., Lisa Porter, Northridge, Calif., Caroline Barry, Boulder, Colo. (Four-time National Champion), Melissa Parker, Camp Lejeune, N.C. (2009 National Champion), Mikaela Mayer, Marquette, Mich., Stephanie Han, El Paso, Texas (2010 National PAL Champion), Queen Underwood, Tacoma, Wash. (Four-time National Champion), Jody-Ann Weller, Pomona, N.Y. (2010 Featherweight National Champion), Darina Mims, Greensboro, N.C., Tiara Brown, Lehigh Acres, Fla., Bertha Aracil, Yonkers, N.Y., Storm Chandler, Brooklyn, N.Y., Robin Conroy, Wilmington, N.C., Stefanie Taylor, West Hills, Calif., Jasmedh Rosales, Los Angeles, Calif., Micaela Arce, Reno, Nev., Rita Martinez, Las Cruces, N.M., Madeline Guzman, Perth Amboy, N.J., Jessie Owens, Virginia Beach, Va., Amber Smith, Ft. Worth, Texas, Selina Barrios, San Antonio, Texas, Alecia Gutierrez, Chicago, Ill., Ishika Lay, Jacksonville Beach, Fla., Takesha Edward, Houston, Texas, Lauren Fisher, Dania, Fla. (2010 Bantamweight National Champion), Sherry Whetten, Tucson, Ariz., Kymmberli Stowe, Millersville, Pa.

Light welterweight/141 lbs (12 Boxers)

Kathleen Walsh, Rankankama, N.Y., Samantha Griffith, Pittsburgh, Pa., Rebecca Laborde, Tampa, Fla., Cashmere Jackson, Cleveland, Ohio (2010 USA Boxing National Champion), Jessica McCaskill, St. Louis, Mo., Urbana Hernandez, El Paso, Texas, Ariel Beck, Deer Lodge, Mont., Luvisa Matali, Denver, Colo., Griselda Madrigal, Wenataliee, Wash., Rachell Wehrle, Stafford, Va., Kendra Macon, Charlotte, N.C., Kristin Gearhart, Oak Park, Ill.

Welterweight/152 lbs (Seven Boxers)

LaTarishia Fountain, Flushing, N.Y., Christine Poulauskis, Oakland Park, Fla., Amournix Stamp, Milwaukee, Wis., Lindsey Soderberg, Holt, Mich., Faith Franco, Duarte, Calif., Jen Johnson, Kalispell, MT., Diona Wigand, Lexington, Ky.

Middleweight/165 lbs (21 boxers)  – Olympic

Christina Jenson, Centereach, N.Y., Franchon Crews, Baltimore, Md. (Four-time National Champion), Heather Bassett, Jackson, Tenn., Audrey Drew, Dallas, Texas, Tara Weisshaar, Burlington, Colo., Amy Castillo, Bakersfield, Calif., Fallon Farrar, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, Tiffanie Ward, Hacienda Heights, Calif., Raven Barnes, Marquette, Mich., Kalita Marsh, Smithfield, N.C., Denise Rico, Los Angeles, Calif. (2010 USA Boxing National Champion), Alyssa DeFazio, Peoria, Ariz. (2009 National Champion), Tiffanie Hearn, Louisville, Ky. (2010 Heavyweight National Champion), Dara Shen, Fairfax, Va., Melinda Levasseur, Magnolia, Del., Tika Hemingway, Pittsburgh, Pa. (2009 Light Heavyweight National Champion), LaTeisha Darden, Wilmington, N.C., Danyelle Wolf, San Diego, Calif., Maria Dominguez, Wouchula, Fla., Jennifer Egan, Mohopac,NY, Marie Ybarra, Greeley, Colo.

Light heavyweight/178 lbs (1 Boxer)

Kimberly Olech, Canton, Ohio

Heavyweight/178+ (3 Boxers)

Natalie Pacheco, Bronx, N.Y., Charnita Johnson, Columbus, Ohio, Natacia Manuma, Mililoni, Hawaii

Freddie Roach volunteers to help coach Team USA Men’s and Women’s Boxing Olympians!

Leave a reply

Freddie Roach volunteers to help coach Team USA Men’s and Women’s Boxing Olympians!


USA Boxing’s Men’s and Women’s Olympic hopefuls will be joined by volunteer coach, Freddie Roach who has opened up his heart and his gym, Wild Card Boxing Club, to the elite athletes who will comprise Team USA’s 2012 Boxing Olympians.

In a press release issued by USA Boxing, Freddie Roach is quoted as saying, “An Olympic medal is one of the greatest accomplishments in all of sport, and I promise to do all I can to ensure that these young men and women are fully prepared to go to London to proudly represent our country,” said Roach.

The 2012 Olympics will mark the first time women’s boxing will be recognized as an Olympic sport — so what better gift than Freddie Roach’s remarkable skills as a trainer for the women who will represent Team USA!

As United States Olympic Committee CEO Scott Blackmun put it, “I’d like to thank Freddie and his team for their willingness to help our boxers achieve their highest potential.”  Blackmun further stated that he is “thrilled that we were able to make this happen and can’t wait to see the results.”

USA Boxing also noted that “the program … is designed to act as a resource for up to ten medal-potential athletes to attend multi-day training sessions at the Wild Card Gym with their personal coaches and USA Boxing’s National Coach Joe Zanders. These sessions will be established under the leadership of Freddie Roach and his staff and will be used to help provide feedback and strategy on the athletes’ preparation for the Olympic Games. The USOC will support this program as an add-on to the 2011-12 approved high performance plan with the intent of providing a unique and valuable resource for the designated athletes as a supplement to the existing coaching structure.”

Freddie Roach and his team will begin their participation with USA Boxing at an upcoming high performance retreat at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Co.

Girlboxing would like to send a shout out to Freddie for offering this great opportunity!

For further information click here and here.

Women’s boxing from around the amateurs!

2 Replies

Women’s boxing from around the amateurs!

 

AIBA Women's World Championship 2010 in Barbados

Cuban women’s boxing

It seems that Women’s Olympic boxing in 2012 will be minus one potential powerhouse team:  Cuba.  Why?  Well as noted in a piece on Reuters yesterday, “Cuban head coach Pedro Roque was quoted as saying in 2009, when women’s boxing was added to the Olympic programme, that Cuban women “are made for beauty and not to take blows around the head”.

Hmmm.

Meanwhile, AIBA (International Amateur Boxing Association) officials stated yesterday that they are confident that the lure of gold will eventually sway Cuban officials to support women’s boxing at the elite amateur level, perhaps in time for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.  The link to the full article is here.

 

Team USA to compete in prestigious Feliks Stamm Tournament in Warsaw, Poland, April 6-8

The United States along with 15 other nations will take part in three days of competition at the Feliks Stamm Tournament in Warsaw, Poland beginning tomorrow.  The team sported by USA Boxing will consist of 2010 USA Boxing National Championship Silver medalist Tyrieshia Douglas, the 2010 National PAL and USA Boxing National Championship Bronze medalist Stephanie Han and the 2009 National Champion & 2010 National Golden Gloves Champion Alyssa DeFazio.

The team has been training at the Polish Olympic Training Center with the Polish and Italian Team readying for the competition.  As noted by USA Boxing, “the event is the first international competition for the trio of women since the Women’s International Dual Series in Oxnard, Calif., in November and will provide valuable international experience for all the competitors prior to the Olympic debut of women’s boxing in 2012.”  The link to the full article is here.

2011 USA National Championships!

 

2010 USA Boxing National Championships

 

The 2011 USA National Championships are set to run from June 19 – June 26, 2011 in Colorado Springs, Colorado.The published schedule is:

June 19: Arrival/Event Registration
June 20-24: Preliminary – Bronze medal bouts at the Colorado Springs Christian High School
June 25: Championship bouts at the City Auditorium
June 26: Departure

Participant forms are due by June 1st!  The link to USA Boxing’s information sheet is here.

Why I love women’s boxing!

8 Replies

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.

Queen Underwood’s Quest For Olympic Gold!

5 Replies

Queen Underwood’s Quest For Olympic Gold!

Queen Underwood, AP Photo: Jack Dempsey

If you happen to have been in and around Seattle over the past couple of days, you may have come across a life-size poster of U.S. Women’s National Boxing Champion and Seattle native Queen Underwood in your travels.

Queen Underwood, 26, has been hard at work in her quest to win Gold in the 2012 Olympic Games in the 132-lb. weight class, one of three sanctioned for the debut of Women’s Olympic Boxing, and is looking for support as she trains full-time in pursuit of her dream.

Just now, Queen is in her final preparations for the upcoming Pan American Games Box-offs set to run from March 18-20, in Colorado Springs, Colorado at the Olympic Training Center.

The winners of this important event will be offered the opportunity to wear the red, white and blue at the upcoming Pan American Games qualifier in Cumana, Venezuela, March 25-30 — a first ever event for the games as Women’s Boxing makes its debut.

Queen hopes “to make history” in the Pan American Games,  “by bringing back the first Gold Medal ever for Women’s Boxing.”

Queen’s pursuit of Olympic excellence is her true motivator, as well as the driver behind what Queen calls her training “lifestyle,” which includes nearly daily workouts at Cappy’s Gym in Seattle, upwards of six hours per day.

This sort of focused dedication to the quest for gold is in the manner of any elite Olympian, whether that athlete be a women’s gymnast, weight lifter or  — thanks to the recent decision made by the International Olympic Boxing Committee, a female amateur boxing champion.

Along with the potential for triumph in the ring at the Olympics are the harsh realities of finding support and sponsorship in an era of continuing financial crisis.

Where “Queen Team” has come up with an edge is in reaching out to the public to help support Queen’s quest for gold through tax-deductible sponsorships, volunteer and in-kind support, small donations, and by building awareness of Queen’s dedication to the sport.

As Queen put it, “The Queen Team takes on the task to get money so I can train full-time.”

“It is my duty and my job,” Queen went on to explain, “All I do is box!”

Queen’s personal goals aside, she also sees herself as a role model to younger women and hopes to establish a high-profile not only to eventually pursue a professional boxing career, but importantly, to act as “a mentor to future boxers.”

Still and all, the Olympics mean everything to Queen: an opportunity to win the first Olympic Gold medal for Women’s Boxing in her weight class, a chance to put “Women’s Boxing on the map” and through her own examples of dedication, hard work and focus, the chance to show the world just what it really means to be a woman boxer.

For more information on sponsoring Queen, or just to check out her fabulous website click here.  You can “like” Queen’s Facebook page here.  And you can follow Queen on Twitter by clicking @Queenteam2012