Savanna Hill, born August 5, 1985, and
has had many pro bouts in her boxing career.
Hill told WBAN, "My husband, Brad Hill, is a pro boxer. He basically
trains himself. He also trains kids around our neighborhood in
Russellville, Arkansas."
Hill with husband, Brad Hill
"When I met Brad, I had no desire to
box. I watched the grueling time he put in training and it seemed
out of reach. He never asked me to start boxing. As I continued to
see the passion and fun he had training the kids he trains, I kept
getting more interested. I asked him one day if he would train me,
and to my surprise he said sure," added Hill.
Hill began her training in December of 2005. Hill said that
after about a month of training she said to him [her husband] that
she wanted to make money at it, and fight professionally.
Hill said that he told her she was not ready, but being "stubborn"
and "persistent", and after a lot of pleading...he said that he
would book her to fight, and give her a "taste" of what it was like.
Hill's first fight was on February 2, 2006, where she fought Sandra
Ortiz in Kansas City, Missouri. Hill said, "I went out and
gave it all that I could only to end up with a bloody nose at the
end of the 3rd round. I finished the fight, but lost to the more
experienced Ortiz."
Hill fighting Shore. Photo by Alan Messick
Hill said, "After my first fight, I realized that I was in no kind
of shape yet, so I got home with a new found desire to train harder
and get better and that's what I did. About two weeks later, we got
a call from Ortiz's manager asking if I would want to fill in as an
opponent against Holly Shores because Sandra Ortiz backed out of it.
Feeling better about myself physically and enjoying my new passion
so much, I gladly accepted with my husband's approval. I fought
Holly Shores on February 16, 2006, in Kansas City, Missouri. I
totally underestimated her size and she dominated me the whole
fight. I went the distance once again, only to lose by a unanimous
decision."
Hill said that after that fight, when she and her husband returned
home, that they evaluated the situation. Hill told her husband that
she was still enjoying herself, and that she was enjoying the time
on the road together.
Hill continued to train with her husband, and he continued to work
with her on the basics. Hill said that after about a week, she
was offered an opportunity to rematch with Sandra Ortiz. Hill
said, "This fight was an eye-opener for me, because we truly felt
like I had won this fight." Hill and her husband felt that it
was a hometown decision, and that her husband said that they would
not fight her [Ortiz] again in her hometown.
Hill said, "I had a lot of confidence coming out of this fight,
because I finally saw that look of excitement in my husband's eyes
for the first time because I had performed so well and had come so
far in a month since my first fight."
Hill said that she was then offered a fight with Stephanie Dobbs on
March 28, 2006, about two weeks after the Ortiz fight. Hill
fought Dobbs in a five rounder, losing by a unanimous decision.
Hill said that she knew Stephanie would be tough and had a lot of
experience, but that her husband (Hill's husband) never counts her
out. Hill said that she wanted to fight Stephanie and she knew
that she was getting better, and felt that she had a chance.
"She was technically better than me and it showed. There were a lot
of head butts, which I had never encountered before and I totally
got off of my game plan. I finished the fight proudly and can say
that I learned a lot from that fight" said Hill.
Hill said, "Now, 0-4, (never being stopped), and with my husband
seeing the passion and heart that I started developing for this
sport, he knew he had to make some choices. He chose to let
another manager, Stacy Goodson, sign me. (signed both me and my
husband) My husband knew that Stacy would get me the right fights at
the right time to develop my career since I didn't have any amateur
experience."
In Hill's fifth bout, on April 22, 2006, in Fort Smith, Arkansas,
under her new management team, she fought against Kalea Crain. Hill
stopped Crain in the third round. Hill said, "The ref stopped
the fight in the 3rd round and as he waived the fight off, my
husband climbed through the ropes (he is my cornerman as well as
trainer) and lifted me over his head and literally had a tear
running down his cheek. He was so happy to see me WIN after all we
had been through over those two tough months of fights. I was so
happy! "
Her next fight took place on May 6, 2006, in Oklahoma City, OK,
against Nikki Verbeck. Verbeck was going into the fight
with a 1-11 record, Hill 1-4. Hill said, " We fought and I
easily made my way through the first three rounds working on things
that my husband told me to. Between the 3rd and 4th round, Brad told
me to turn it up and try taking her out. I turned it up like he said
and midway through the last round, I put her head through the ropes
with a straight right hand. The ref stopped the fight immediately.
My husband nicknamed me "Lightning Bolt" because of my quick right
hand. That is now my ring name."
Hill had two more pro bouts, winning both bouts over Natasha Wilburn
and Louise Miller.
Hill has been training very hard to prepare herself to take on a
very tough opponent, Carina Moreno on December 14, 2006, in Lemoore,
California.