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2002
Another year has
gone by and it is time to have the "hot" picks and "not" picks
for the
year 2002! There were definitely the GOOD, the BAD, and the NOT so
good this year
in women's boxing!
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FIGHTER
(PRO BOXER ) OF THE YEAR
LAILA ALI
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MOST
OUTSTANDING OF THE YEAR
SUMYA
"ISLAND GIRL" ANANI
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Moreno |
O'Toole |
Martinon |
FIGHTERS
(AMATEUR BOXER ) OF
THE YEAR
Three-way Tie between these
boxers |
CARINA
MORENO
TERESA
O'TOOLE
CHRIS MARTINON
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MOST
IMPROVED BOXER OF THE YEAR
SUNSHINE
FETTKETHER
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In the year 2001, Sunshine began her boxing career with a 0-2-0
loss. In the year 2002, she stayed extremely busy, fighting
seven times, not losing one bout, accumulating 5 wins and 2
draws. Fettkether ended the year 2002 with a hard-fought
upset for veter Mitzi Jeter. Fettkether went 10 rounds
with this seasoned fighter and walked away a world
champion.
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MOST
IMPROVED BOXER OF THE YEAR
KELSEY
JEFFRIES |
Kel-C
fought her way to a world championship this year by taking on
opponents with substance to get there. She could have made it an
easy road like many others but did not.
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MOST
INSPIRATIONAL
BOXER OF THE YEAR
ANN "BROWN
SUGAR" WOLFE
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Ann is considered to be one of the very best in her weight
class. She has truly come a long way to get where she is
today. At the age of 18, Ann lost both parents. Her
mother died of Cancer, her father was murdered. Ann has two
daughters and at one time lived on the streets, before becoming
a boxer. |
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MOST
ACCOMPLISHED
BOXER OF THE YEAR
LAILA ALI
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TOP
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
MELINDA
COOPER
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Melinda is the wave
of the future in the sport. She made history in the state
of Nevada, when she received her professional boxing license at
17 years old. Before turning pro, she was an accomplished and
multi-titled amateur champion. Cooper began boxing at the rip
old age of 12 years old, and turned pro in March of 2002, and
has racked up a 6-0-0 (3kO) record! These boxers coming from the
amateurs are fighters to be reckoned with as we will probably
see an influx of them enter into the pro ranks in another two
years. Cooper will turn 18 in a few months.... |
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FUTURE
STARS OF THE YEAR (TIED)
MELINDA
COOPER
Age 16, (Las Vegas) - Amateur Boxer
112 lb. Weight Class
CHRIS MARTINON
Age 14, (California) - Amateur Boxer
106 lb. Weight
Class
Both boxers are undefeated in 2001; both won USA Boxing National
Championship; NationalGolden gloves; National PAL; and Ringside
Nationals; and both are very talented boxers. |
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GOOD
SPORTSMANSHIP FOR THE YEAR
GINA NICHOLAS
VALERIE MAHFOOD
These two exceptional and
top women boxers of the world tied for the "Good
Sportsmanship" for the year. Gina Nicholas was
chosen by WBAN. Valerie Mahfood was nominated by boxing
fans who wrote into WBAN saying that they felt Mahfood deserved
this award for the way she gave her opponent, Kendra
Lenhart credit for her knockout of Mahfood. Mahfood made no
excuses and gave credit to her opponent for a job well-done. |
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BIGGEST
"MISMATCH" OF THE YEAR
ANY TOP
CONTENDER WHO FOUGHT SHAKURA WITHERSPOON |
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BIGGEST
"UPSETS" OF THE YEAR
Mia St. John surviving
Christy Martin
One boxing fan wrote: "Mia pulled off a respectable
showing for herself against Christy Martin when most of us,
including myself, didn't give her a snowball's chance in hell of
even coming out of the matchup in a conscience state. I figured
that her career as a 'pugilest' would end on the canvas in the
horizontal position, but she proved me wrong and that is to her
credit as a serious contender and not just a pretty face that
graces the ring to sell tickets for a 'T&A' show. She pulled
off an upset simply by not being knocked out by the more
experienced Martin."
Para Draine vs. Bridgett Riley
Laila Ali vs. Suzy Taylor
Sunshine Fettkether vs. Mitzi Jeter
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BIGGEST
"KNOCKOUT" OF THE YEAR
Sumya Anani over Jane
Couch |
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TOP
THREE TELEVISED FIGHTS OF THE YEAR
CHRISTY
MARTIN VS. KATHY COLLINS (PAY-PER-VIEW)
SUMYA ANANI VS. FREDIA GIBBS (DIRECT TV)
LAURA SERRANO VS. CHEVELLE HALLBACK (FOX SPORTS NET)
WBAN asked boxing fans to
vote for their most favorite boxing match that had happened in
the year 2001. These were the three top fights that were
chosen by WBAN and boxing fans. |
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BEST
SPORTS NETWORK OF THE YEAR THAT FEATURED WOMEN'S BOXING
#1
ESPN2
ESPN2 has continued to be the leading boxing sports
network to consistently have more women boxers on their televised
cards.
Honorable mention: FOX SPORTS NET
At the beginning of 2001,
it looked like Fox Sports Net would be more like the
"weakest link" for women's boxing on television, but
they began to put on some very good and higher calibre matches
throughout the year. |
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THE
WORST SPORTS NETWORK OF THE YEAR FOR WOMEN'S BOXING (TIED)
HBO
SHOWTIME
There are only two words for
HBO and Showtime. They positively suck! Okay, that was three
words. |
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THE
"NOW YOU SEE IT-NOW YOU DON'T" AWARD
PATRICIA
DEMICK VS. KARLA REDO
WIBA INTERCONTINENTAL WELTERWEIGHT TITLE FIGHT
On August 23, of this year at the Chili Pepper Nightclub, in Fort
Lauderdale, Florida, Patricia Demick fought a
"hard-fought" eight-round title fight against Karla
Redo.
These boxers were fighting for the WIBA Intercontinental
Welterweight Title. The fight was "Power against Speed."
Demick knocked Karla down in the second round, and she took an eight
count...The fight was declared a split decision, naming Demick as
the new WIBA champion. The belt was placed on Demick, and all
was well....ah...until they retallied the scores! Karla Redo was the
actual winner and was brought back up to receive her belt. Karla
was so excited about winning the fight that she fell to the canvas
and cried.... Ryan Wissow who was the representative for the WIBA
said, "the first round was a feel out round, and then Demick
dropped Redo in the 2nd round. What would transpire for the rest of
the way was a very close grueling fight with both fighters landing
bombs. When the decision was first announced, it was announced as
a split decision, for Patricia Demick. So I put the belt around her
waist, congratulated Demick and her team, then I walked out of the
ring. Then I saw them call Karla back into the ring, and they
took the belt off of Demick and put it on Redo! The announcer
got the scores wrong. Karla Redo in fact had won the decision." |
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THE
MOST TALKATIVE BOXER OF THE YEAR
JACQUI
FRAZIER
Have boxing fans seen anyone else that could have compared with
this lady? She bragged, she promised to kick Laila’s booty (which
she did not by the way.) She went on, and on, and sometimes
unfortunately talking "on"…… |
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MOST
CONTROVERSIAL FIGHT OF THE YEAR
DAISY LANG
VS. MICHELLE SUTCLIFFE
On September 29, 2001, in Hamburg, Germany, Daisy Lang fought
Michelle Sutcliffe for the WIBF World Junior Bantamweight title. The
fight came to an end when Lang failed to answer the bell for the 8th
round due to a bad gash over her left eye. However, because the
injury was held to have resulted from a clash of heads, the fight
went to the cards and Lang was declared the unanimous winner (68-66;
67-66; 68-66). One boxing fan, Jon Fox, said, "I have two
problems with this. Firstly, it is correct that there was a meeting
of heads early in round 7, but no blood was in evidence until late
in the round after Sutcliffe had landed in the area of Lang's left
eye with at least 3 good overhead rights. Secondly, at the end of
round 7, I had Sutcliffe winning by 69-66." Another boxing fan
said, "There has just been a robbery in Germany. Daisy Lang was
deemed by the ringside doctor, to not be able to continue, because
of a cut caused by her opponent’s punches, YET Lang did NOT lose.
In fact she was given the decision because she was ahead on points.
She WON. What a fix!" |
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BIGGEST
HYPES OF THE YEAR IN THE SPORT
Talk of a
Christy Martin Vs. Lucia Rijker fight - didn't happen.
Talk of a Christy Martin Vs. Mia St. John fight - didn't happen.
Talk of a Christy Martin Vs. Laila Ali fight - didn't happen.
A lot of trash talk, but
very little action in these particular matchups. It would
be nice just to see Rijker fight---ANYONE (that was a
viable opponent) at this point. St. John, as much as it
would benefit her and Martin's pocketbook is far from a
legitimate match. Ali is NOT in Martin's weight class,
unless Martin was to pork up, fight Ali, and then go to Jenny
Craig. How about in the year 2002, Christy
Martin vs. Sumya Anani, remember...ah the girl that
gave Martin a licking in 1998! |
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MOST
"OUTLANDISH" COMMENT IN 2001 MADE BY A BOXER
Freeda
Foreman
"Laila Ali and Jacqui
Frazier-Lyde don't belong in the same ring as me," said
Foreman. "As far as I'm concerned, when they fight each other,
it's an eliminator to fight me. And the winner will become the
loser. I'll knock either of them out," she added. "Isn't
it interesting how neither of them will step up and fight me first?
They don't want to risk their big payday." (Excerpt from press
release). |
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MOST
PUBLICIZED WOMEN'S BOUT OF THE YEAR
LAILA ALI VS.
JACQUI FRAZIER (Pay-Per-View)
You can love them---you can dislike them.....But…in
the year 2001, this fight was clearly the winner that received the
most publicity for women’s boxing. Ali and Frazier also pulled off
a surprise for skeptics when they fought a hard-fought eight-rounder
that had boxing fans off their seats---and in many cases had
journalists eating their words, when they wrote scorching editorials
just prior to their fight. |
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TOP
HOT COMMENTS PICKED BY WBAN FROM BOXING FANS WHO WROTE IN TO
CONTRIBUTE TO THE WBAN AWARDS 2002
Highlight: Laila should be nominated for the following
reasons:1)She's an exceptional boxer. She's proved all her
critics wrong, who've said that she was only in it for the money
and all other negative comments, which they now have to eat. 2)
She brings great exposure to women's boxing. Whether it's T.V.
commercials, magazine covers, T.V. shows etc. 3) She's a great
role model. She wears more than one hat. She's a boxer, an
actress, an author, a model, a housewife and more. 4) She's the
2002 recipient of the BET female athlete of the year award. 5)
Charity. Laila puts aside time for her and husband's charity.
She is reaching out to the community which is very commendable.
THE "BELT SNATCHER"
Why Laila Fighter of the Year:
She is improving her skills and
opponents while Christy Martin, Regina Halmich and Lucia Rijker
continue to disappoint.
Why Laila Fighter of the Year: Taking out Mahfood should have
been no easy task but Laila made it seem so. Making bold
predictions and then following through with them shows a huge
amount of confidence. Also, she made me and many others eat a
lot of crow.
Why St. John/Martin greatest
upset: I thought Christy would repeat what
Rolanda Andrews did to Mia KO2.
Why Anani outstanding of the
year: Instead of stalking Chrsity martin, Anani just
fights Lisa Holewyne, Jane Couch & Fredia Gibbs.
Lowlight: No
Martin vs. Rijker, Anani, Couch or Gibbs; No more Kim Messer or
Margaret Sideroff fights; Not enough TV exposure; too many belts; no
Halmich vs. Trevino or any top ranked fighter.
Best and Worst Awards:
Best News - more All-female cards. Worst news: only ESPN2 wants
to cover women's boxing.
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A FEW WORDS
FROM FOX:
WBAN asked boxing fans to
contribute their ideas of who should be nominated. WBAN
received many emails from boxing fans, and would like to say
thank you for many of the award picks. Sue TL Fox
If
you enjoy the larger digital photos on the AWARDS segment,
the Exclusive WBAN
Records Site has
HUNDREDS of huge digitals of women boxers, including some
ONLINE MPEGS that have just been added. The records site
is unique in that it has "fight reports"
"behind the scenes scoops" and much more! To become
a member, GO
HERE! |
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