Sue Fox Named  in the "Top Ten" Most -Significant Female Boxers of All Time - Ring Magazine - Feb. 2012

HISTORY OF
WOMEN'S BOXING

September 30, 2004 - Grand Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles, California (report by David Avila)  Rhonda Luna pounded out a win against Cindy Christian at the Grand Olympic Auditorium on Thursday. Before more than 1,000, Luna attacked with precision like a buzz saw as she dominated Christian all four rounds.  "I was pleased the way I fought," said Luna (7-0), "I wasn't wild and I was much more aggressive."  Christian (0-2-1) moved laterally side to side but couldn't shake Luna's pitbull aggressiveness especially in the corners.  From the first round to the fourth, Luna controlled the fight with four-punch combinations and a bob and weave defense. Christian managed to stay on her feet with solid footwork and an occasional right hand counter. "I was surprised she lasted so long," said Luna. "She was a game fighter." At times Christian was able to land pot shots at Luna who moved forward all four rounds. But for every two punches the Oklahoma fighter tossed she received four or five for her effort.  Luna was most effective with a left hook that snapped Christians head back several times. But she fought on.  Victor Valenzuela, Luna's trainer, wants Luna to continue working on things in the gym before he lets her fight for a title. "She needs to work on some fundamentals," said Valenzuela, who formerly trained Zack Padilla a former junior welterweight champion. "We're working on her power. It's getting better little by little."  All four judges scored the fight 40-36 for Luna.  Jacob Luna, Rhonda's brother and manager, said he plans for his sister to fight in December.

September 28, 2004 in San Antonio, Texas
Local boxers Valeria Flores won a four-round unanimous decision over Isabel Manyseng.

September 26, 2004 in Gary, Indiana
Kristy Follmar won by TKO2 over Vikky Clardy and Lois Theobold, pro debut, won by TKO2 over "Hall of Shamer" Willicia Moorehead. Full Boxing Records

September 26, 2004 in Parana, Brazil
Roselette Dos Santos won by a four-round decision over Gracie Cotti, pro debut. 

September 25, 2004 - Sporthall of Nagykálló Hungary
Dr. Bettina Csabi fought local hero Viktoria Milo for vacant WIBF-GBU super flyweight title. The bout was qualitative and balanced as well. Bettina's jabs were dominating the match, but the Milo was better in the near and her body shots were very dangerous. At the beginning of the match Csabi was the
dominant however in the middle of the fight Milo succeeded in taking charge. When the fight ended, both boxers believed to be the winner. On the cards Csabi was the victorious (97:94, 97:93 and 95:95) majority decision, however in my opinion at ringside 96:94 of Csabi was the most objective. With her victory Csabi has proved that she is in the elite, and Regina Halmich's official challenger. Report and Photos by JollyDee

September 25, 2004 - Raleigh, North Carolina
Bonnie Mann TKO3 Michelle Ewing. Also, Gwen Wood won by TKO1 over Domesha Allen, pro debut. 

September 25, 2004 in Shawnee, Oklahoma
Franchesca Alcanter won by TKO5 over Crystal Bolles.

September 25, 2004 – Oakland, California
Super Featherweight Sosadea Razo, 131, won a crowd-pleasing four-round unanimous decision in a over Nicole Beard, 133. Final Score was 40-36, 40-36, 39-36. This Show was a Pro-Am Show, and Sosadea was the first fight of the Pro Show.

September 25, 2004 - Riga, Latvia
Kristina Kopane, pro debut, won a four-round decision over Somelia Simmer, pro debut.

September 25, 2004 - Fed Ex Center, Memphis, Tennessee
Christie Nickel, now 4-1-0 (4KO) stopped Kim Cabrena in the first round, on the undercard (non-televised) of the Roy Jones HBO card.

September 24, 2004 - Winnipeg,  Canada
Jelena Mrdjenovich, 130,  now 7-0-0 (5KO), remained undefeated when she stopped Olivia Pereira, 128,  in the fifth round by KO.   In news sources the fight it was reported that in the fourth round, Mrdjenovich knew that Pereira was hurt.  Mrdjenovich said that, she hit her with a clean right shot, following it up with a left hook.  Pereira fell straight back onto the canvas, and needed several minutes to recover.

September 24, 2004 - Atlanta, Georgia
In front of over 6, 000 boxing fans, Laila Ali, 174 1/4, now 19-0 (16KO), KO3 1:59 second, Gwendolyn O'Neil, 175. Ali won the (IWBF) International Women's Boxing Federation light heavyweight championship. News sources reported, that Ali knocked O'Neil down twice in the second round, each time with a right hand to the chin.  Ali began pounding O'Neil late in the third round and ended the fight with a barrage of punches to the face, knocking O'Neil down in a neutral corner where she sat stunned as she was counted out.  O'Neil, from Guyana, fell to 9-4-1 (6KO);  Super-Middleweights Leatitia Robinson, 168 1/4, UD10 Valerie Mahfood, 168 3/4. Robinson new IBA Continental Champ. final judges scores 99-89, 100-88, 98-90; Janaya Davis defeats Elizabeth Kerin, 168. Final judges scores 40-36; 40-36; 39-37.; and Featherweights Trish Hill, 130, decision win over Lisa Pedersen, 130. Final judges scores 60-54; 60-54; 57-57.

September 23, 2004- HP Pavilion, San Jose, California
Kelsey Jeffries, 121 1/2,  of Gilroy, California won by a 10-round majority decision over Jerri Sitzes, 122,  in a 10-round super-bantamweight IBA title bout. Final judges scores were 96-94, 97-93 for Jeffries, and 95-95 even. Jesus Sanchez, who covered the fight for WBAN said, "The fight was advertised as being for the vacant IBA Super Bantamweight World title. This was definitely the fight of the night! Both fighters took a lot of punishment but their great conditioning was a factor in this fight going 10 rounds. I was very impressed with both fighters but let me tell you...Jerri is the best 5-5 fighter I have ever seen! I believe Kelsey did enough to win a decision but a rematch would be great to see!"

September 24, 2004 in Albuquerque, New Mexico
 Victoria Cisneros won by a four-round unanimous decision over  Janae Archuleta.

September 24, 2004 -  Trapani, Italy
Angela Cannizaro, pro debut, won a four-round decision over Borislava Goranova. 

September 24, 2004 in Montebello, California
 Heather Percival won by UD4 over Reiko Muruyama.
Full Boxing Records

September 22, 2004 in Kansas City, Missouri
Mary Ortega won by UD4 over Leslie McNamara.

September 21, 2004 in Hamburg, Germany
 Ina Menzer won by a four-round unanimous decision over Viktoria Oleynik. Also, Alesia Graf won by TKO2 over Pavla Stankeova. 

September 18, 2004 - Seoul, South Korea
United States boxer Maribel Zurita won a ten-round unanimous decision over Korea’s Shin Hee Choi.  Zurita is the new IFBA flyweight Champion.   Final judges scores were 96-94, 96-95, and 97-96. 

September 18, 2004 - Kyoto, Japan
Yvonne Caples, 105,  of Las Vegas, fought Japan's Yuko Sodeoka, 101,  to a 10-round majority draw. WBAN RECEIVED NOTICED that the WIBA Awarded the WIBA World title belt to Sodoko - READ CAPLES LETTER with the fight being a majority draw! The two were fighting for the WIBA Mini flyweight title.  In a second WIBA world title fight, Japan's Emiko Raika, 126, now  (12-1-1, 5 KOs),  defeated Missy Fiorentino,124.5, now 9-1-0 (6KO),  of Cranston, Rhode Island, for the WIBA Featherweight World title;  Flyweight Kazumi Izaki, 111½, had a draw with Naoko Yamaguchi, 111¾; Strawweight Nanako Kikuchi, 102½, won an eight-round unanimous decision over Marika Watanabe, 102½. Kikuchi won the Japanese Women's Mini Flyweight Title;  Featherweight Togo Rigo, 126¾, stopped Makiko Mizuno, 127, in the third round with a TKO; Strawweight Ayaka, 104½, won a four-round unanimous decision over Erika Irie, 105½.  Super Featherweight Maki Koyakashiro, 128½, won a four-round unanimous decision over Megumi Yabushita, 130½.

September 18, 2004- Wilhelm-Dopatka-Halle, Leverkusen, Küppersteg
Flyweight Julia Sahin, 110, won a six-round decision over Iliana Boneva. 

September 18, 2004 in Magdeburg, Germany
Natasha Ragosina won by TKO2 over Dana Tabuskova.

September 16, 2004 - Irvine, California
(Report by Mara Castillon)  Despite Julie Rubalcalva engaging in only her third professional fight, her opponent Gina Abel was out-classed in a bout scheduled for four rounds at the Irvine Marriott on Thursday.  "When I first saw her throw punches I said to myself what is this?" said Rubalcalva of her Texan opponent in a fight card promoted by Golden Boy Promotions.  The Orange County fighter quickly realized it was an easy opponent. Too easy, and took her time letting Abel (0-6) throw jabs while Rubalcalva moved her head easily avoiding punches At the sound of the 10 second bell, Rubalcalva let loose with a barrage of punches that snapped Abel's head back in a grotesque manner. Referee David Denkin saw enough and called the fight at 2:58 of the first round. "I just want to fight," said Rubalcalva who trains out of Westminster. "I'll fight anybody."  The miniature junior bantamweight was hoping to face Mexico's Mariana Juarez but promoters were unable to match their purse requests. 
"I'd really like to fight Mariana," said Rubalcalva (3-0) who   despite only three fights had a decent amateur career. Richard Garcia, who trains Rubalcalva, said he's confident she can fight any of the top junior bantamweights in the world including Melinda Cooper, Elena Reid or Carina Moreno. 
"She'll have no problem," Garcia said. 

September 16, 2004- Kewadin Casino, Sault Ste Marie, Michigan
Mary Jo Sanders TKO'd Shakura Witherspoon 57 seconds in the third round of a scheduled six rounder. 

September 16, 2004 - Ontario,Canada
Sandy Tsagouris, 123, of Toronto, Ontario TKO1 1:20 Monique Velasquez, 126. Also, Christina Christian, 211, of Hamilton, Ontario., won her pro debut by TKO3 over Lynette Shade, 280. Shade quit after the 3rd round.

September 11, 2004 - Karlsuhe, Germany
(report by David Avila) After a fierce 10 rounds against Germany’s WIBF flyweight champion, Elena “Baby Doll” Reid returned home without the belt but a smile on her face.  “They were so wonderful to me,” said Reid of her experience in Germany.  In her first world title bout Reid engaged female prizefighting’s most experienced world champion Regina Halmich at DM Arena in Karlsruhe, Germany before more than 4,000 rabid fans. “It was very exciting,” said Reid (14-1-5), who had never been to Europe before spending several days promoting the fight in Germany. “The people were so nice to me everywhere I went.”  Inside the ring, the always-smiling Reid faced Halmich (45-1-1), a veteran fighter of numerous clashes in defense of the several world titles she has picked up in her long career. It’s a career that has spanned more than 10 years as a professional including 40 title fights. In that time she had only suffered one loss and no draws. That was until yesterday.  The left-handed Reid who has changed back to a more marauding aggressive style after experimenting with a classic boxing mode, was set to see who would blink first. Both Reid and Halmich have the same juggernaut approach to boxing, never a step backward.  “I felt I was able to hit her with everything I threw,” said Reid, 22. “She was a very tough fighter.”  Chris Ben, Reid’s trainer, said the plan was to attack and use the left. Both Reid and Ben felt they were able to achieve their goal successfully. “She hit Regina every time she threw a left,” said Ben who worked her corner. “She was snapping her head back with jabs and lefts.”  Halmich, 27, reportedly suffered cuts and bumps on her face from Reid’s punishing blows, but never stopped trying.  “You have to hand it to Regina, she is one tough girl,” said Ben, adding that other fighters might have quit under the same pressure. “Elena was too strong for her.”  By the end of the first half of the fight, the crowd had swayed over to Reid. “They were cheering for Elena and calling out Baby Doll, Baby Doll,” said Ben.  When the fight ended Halmich walked over to congratulate Reid on her performance. “She told me she would give me another fight,” said Reid, who felt she won every round in the fight.   The judges scored it 98-94 Halmich, 97-93 Reid and 97-97 for a draw. It’s Reid’s fifth draw and Halmich’s first.The media called two of the judges scores “scandalous”. The television commentator interviewing Halmich told her they felt she lost convincingly.  “She was mad at the television guys cause they told her she lost the fight,” said Reid, adding that Halmich fought bravely and never stopped trying. “The people there treated me so well. I’ll never forget them. They were really wonderful people.  IN a second's women's bout, Silke Weickenmeier won a 10-round unanimous decision over
 Austria Urbaez Urena in an uneventful bout. Lastly in a four-round undercard bout, featherweight Sandra Schreiber won by a unanimous decision over Pavla Stankeova. Final judges scores were 40-35, 40-35, and 39-36. Photo Gallery Hot Comments Round by round Full Boxing Records

Sept 11, 2004 -Silver Reef Casino, Ferndale, Washington.
Molly McConnell won a unanimous decision over Claudia Valenciana, now 7-2-0 (4KO),  and #1 ranked Light middleweight in the United States. After the first round of getting used to Valenciana's mauling approach to boxing. Molly went on to win the last three rounds handedly with scores of 39-37 on all three judges cards.  Valenciana weighed in two pounds over her contract weight of 147 and according to Bill Mertzl, refused to lose the two pounds saying; "we'll just go home". Molly accepted the bout and at fight time Valenciana weighed 158. This was a BIG order for McConnell who boxes as a Light Welterweight, however the BIG order was handled with ease. Molly's record improves to 2-0.  (Source: Bill Mertz /McConnell's trainer)Full Boxing Records

September 11, 2004, Polideportivo Carlos Cerutti, Córdoba
World Champion Super Bantamweight Marcela Eliana Acuña,  121¼, stopped newcomer Ada Camila Santos,  119½, in the third round. ords

September 11, 2004 - FAB TV Studio Berlin, Germany
Bantamweight Petra Jachmanova,121¼, won a four-round split decision over Iryna Ponomarova, 119. Final Judges Scores 37-40, 38-39, and 40-36. 

September 11, 2004 in Topeka, Kansas
Strawweights Sandra Ortiz, pro debut, won by TKO2 1:38 seconds, over Katie Shadwell, pro debut.

September 10, 2004 - City Sport Hall, Tököl, Hungary
After the long inactivity period Piroska Beki (6-2-0; 2KO's) winning by scheduled four round split decision over Agnes Varga (0-2-0) in a featherweight division. Beki dominated her opponent every rounds, but knocked down in the 2nd round with a lucky-punch.  The second women's bout featured Bettina Csabi, 115,   (20-0-0; 10KO's) who TKO'd former three-times kick box champion Maria Balogh in the second round, in a scheduled six rounder. Balogh was making her pro debut in boxing.  Csabi will be fighting on September
25th where she is set to fight Viktoria Milo for the WIBF-GBU Super Flyweight title.  In the main event, Krisztina Belinszky, 102 3/4, (9-4-2; 5KO'S) won by a unanimous decision over Juliane Quaassdorff, 102 3/4, in  in a ten round Strawweight division, and captured the vacant WIBF-GBU world title. Belinszky dominated her opponent every round, and knocked down  Quaassdorff in second round with a double left and right hook combination. Belinszky win superciliously and Quaassdorff suffered a first knockdown and defeat of her professional career.

September 10, 2004 in Hollywood, California
Suswella Roberts won by TKO3 over Danille Christensen, pro debut. 

September 10, 2004 at the Tropicana Casino and Resort, in Atlanta City, New Jersey
Jacqui Frazier-Lyde, 179, won a ten-rounder over Mary Ann Almager, 183, in a heavyweight title fight. According to news sources, Almager knocked Frazier-Lyde to the canvas twice, but lost the bout by 97-92, 96-92, and 95-93.  Report by Jack Crider:   The Tropicana Hotel and Casino played host to one of the most exciting Women’s Boxing Championship Bouts in many years. The Event Title “Sister Smoke Returns” was a well matched battle between two of the best female boxers in the world. From the opening bell it was evident that neither of the two women was going to give up much ground.  Round one saw both women see sawing back in forth trading heavy leather with Frazier-Lyde narrowly winning the first round of an exciting bout. The second round began with both ladies again trading heavy shots, trying to take out each other. To the crowd’s amazment, Almager landed a big right hand, catching Frazier-Lyde off balance and sending “Sister Smoke” to one knee. After looking surprised and dazed, Frazier-Lyde shook off the cob webs and survived the second round. In round three Frazier-Lyde seemed to gain her composure and clearly landed the heavier blows pounding Almager to the body and sending her against the ropes. The fourth round Frazier-Lyde started looking much like the third round with Frazier-Lyde again going to the body of Almager and making her cover up. Almager in this round did have some moments, but the heavier damage went to Lyde. The fifth round saw both Almager and Frazier-Lyde going back and forth each having their moments, but the body attack by Frazier-Lyde again seemed to win the round. Round six was exciting but with no real fanfare, again Frazier-Lyde doing more to impress than Almager. In round seven Almager came out looking to again try to take out Frazier-Lyde, however Lyde used good defence and came on later in the round again with a good body attack which slowed down Almager. Almager came out in round eight again trying to land big shots on Frazier but again “Sister Smoke” used good defense and again clearly used better boxing skills to win the round. The ninth round was a recap of the eight round with Frazier-Lyde controlling the action with body shots, good defense and holding Almager at bay and easily winning the round.  In between rounds Almager’s corner screamed encouragement to her and instructed her to let it all hang out. The result was good because the motivation saw Almager get a controversial knock down half way into the round. As a result, Almager clearly won this tenth round. Frazier-Lyde on the other hand as well as many observers ringside, thought the knock down was more a push than actually a knock down. Referee Eddie Cotton to quite a few fans dismay ruled it a knock down.

September 4, 2004 - Big Boxing Sport Club presented a professional boxing gala in the City Boxing Centre, Nyíregyháza, Hungary
The Romanian born Hungarian Gabriella Insperger, 108,  2-4-0 (2KO), captured her second professional victory. She TKO'd the pro debutant Slovakian Maria Vanceova, 114 3/4, in the second round of a scheduled four round flyweight match. In the main event, Viktoria Milo, 113, 10-3-0 (2KO) defeated by points slovakian Petra Di Jachman, 120 1/4, in a six round Super Flyweight division. Milo dominated her opponent every round, and stunned Jachman in the 4th round who was second division higher than her. Milo successfully warm up for her September 25th fight that she is set to fight Dr.  Bettina Csabi for the  WIBF-GBU Super Flyweight title.

August 28, 2004 Cartagena, Columbia Yidi Meza and Adriana Payeres, pro debut, fought to a six-round draw.

September 2, 2004 - Harrah's Casino, in Kansas City, Missouri
On the undercard of  a Showtime card, and promoted by Titan Entertainment, Sharon Gaines, 120, won a four-round unanimous decision over Leslie McNamara, 121, of Cameraon, Missouri, in a junior featherweight bout.  Judges scores: 40-36, 39-37, 39-37. Gaines is now 3-1-0, and McNamara slips to 0-3-0.