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Fighter of the
Year
Kelsey "Road Warrior"
Jeffries
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| There is
no doubt why Kelsey Jeffries has been named WBAN's 2003 Fighter of
the year. Jeffries has had eight fights, winning 7 out of the
8, with her only loss this year to Jo Jo Wyman, who she also
defeated this year. She took on some very tough opposition,
including defending her IFBA Featherweight World title belt twice.
Runner-Ups: Ann "Brown Sugar" Wolfe, Isra Girgrah, Laila Ali
Honorable Mentioned: Sunshine Fettkether, Layla
McCarter, Ada Velez, and Jenifer Alcorn, Valerie
Mahfood. |
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Highest
Achievements
of the Year
Ann "Brown Sugar" Wolfe |
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| Ann Wolfe faced her
only loss this year when she fought Valerie Mahfood in what was
picked by boxing fans as the best televised women's fight of the
year. Wolfe has demonstrated that she also gives back to the
sport and the community. She opened up a boxing gym for kids
this year in Texas. Runner-Up: Isra Girgrah
Honorable Mentioned: Kelsey Jeffries, Layla McCarter,
Melissa Del Valle, and Naquana Smalls. |
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Most
Inspirational
of the Year
Sumya "Island Girl" Anani |
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| Sumya Anani did not
get many opportunities to fight this year - in fact, she got one
fight---and that ended in a win for her in two minutes. But
Regardless, Anani talks about issues in the sport even if those
issues are controversial, and she is a positive role model for other
women boxers. Runner-Up: Ann Wolfe Honorable
Mentioned: Sunshine Fettkether, Layla McCarter |
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THE BUSIEST
Boxer of the Year
Stephanie "All Action" Dobbs
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| Stephanie Dobbs, 8-12-2
(5KO), 102 lobs., of Moore, Oklahoma, IS THE BUSIEST Pro
Female Boxer of the year in 2003. Dobbs has had 13 fights,
that included fighting Anita Christensen in Denmark! Dobbs
loves to box, and she is training very hard to improve in the sport.
Dobbs has fought just about any and everyone in her weight class.
Dobbs' ring name is "All Action", but WBAN calls her a lil'
spitfire, because when you see footage of her, she is not only "All
Action", but she is gutsy like a spitfire! |
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Most Improved
of the Year
Laila "She Bee-Stingin"
Ali |
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| Who in the world
would NOT give this honor to Ali! Laila "She Bee Stingin" Ali,
16-0-0, (and she DOES have a stinger!) has made huge
strides to be one of the very best female boxers in the world.
Ali's hard work in the gym leaves no doubt her dedication to be one
of the top in her class. |
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Top European Fighter
Regina Halmich
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| German Female boxer
Regina Halmich, 43-1-0 (15KO), remains one of the most popular and
noted boxers in her country. Halmich has been on many
television programs, magazines, and this year she was named by the
German Magazine MAXIM in their sports section as "Woman of the Year
Award." |
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Top Amateur
of the Year
Chris Martinon |
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Chris Martinon, 17,
of California, won the USA Boxing Nationals earlier this year.
Chris had
actually entered the open division at USA Nationals and beat
national champ Stella Nihoff in the first match, But that win was
disqualified when it was discovered she was not old enough. Chris
re-enter the tournament and the won that division, and was
ultimately named "Best Boxer".
Martinon just
recently won the open division of the National PAL Tournament.
Runner-Up: Naquana
Small |
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Best-Kept Secret
Woman Boxer
Valanna McGee |
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| So WHO IS the
Best-Kept Secret woman boxer for the year 2003? Well, ask no
further, because it can be no other than Valanna McGee! McGee,
23. a featherweight, with a 4-2-0 record, from Sacramento,
California, has taken on some of the toughest foes in her boxing
career thus far! Check this out.... McGee has her pro debut
against Eliza Olson...Ouch, that is a tough start.... With
only a 2-1 record McGee steps through the ropes against IFBA World
champion Kelsey Jeffries and loses by only an eight-round split
decision! So folks...BE ON THE LOOKOUT for this "Best-Kept
Secret" because WBAN's prediction is that McGee will not be a secret
for long! |
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Top Rookies
of the Year (Tied)
Carina Moreno - Mary Jo
Sanders |
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| Carina Moreno,
23, 3-0-0, works out at the Watsonville Police Activities League
under the tutelage of Rick Noble. Carina is a formal three-time
member of the U.S. national Women's Boxing Team. Moreno won the
2001 Championships for the same event. In August 2002, Moreno won
her third-straight national title at the U.S. Women's National
Boxing Championship in Scranton. Moreno made her pro debut in July,
and almost did not get on the "Riot of the Hyatt" when not one boxer
would step forward to fight her. Finally they did find an
opponent, and Moreno won the fight with a unanimous decision.
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Top Rookies
of the Year (Tied)
Carina Moreno - Mary Jo
Sanders |
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| Mary Jo Sanders,
6-0-0, fights out of Detroit, Michigan, and in less than one year
has already fought six times! Sanders is definitely a rising
star on the scene and will be tough foe for many boxers in the sport
today.! Sanders made her pro debut in February 2003, and has
been going strong ever since! |
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Busiest Rookie
of the Year
Hollie "Hot Stuff" Dunaway
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| Hollie "Hot Stuff"
Dunaway, 110 lbs., of Ft. Smith, Arkansas, has had NINE fights
in the year 2003, making her pro debut in February! She has
been busy for a new fighter, accumulating a 6-3-0 record.
Dunaway did not come from the amateurs. |
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The Most Unexpected
Rookie Of the Year
Tonya "America's Bad Girl"
Harding
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| Tonya Harding, ice
skater turned boxer, began her boxing career in the year 2002,
when she fought an exhibition match against Paula Jones on
"Celebrity Boxing." This year in February, Harding
made her pro debut, and has fought five fights this year,
accumulating a 3-2-0 record. The news media buzzed in a frenzy when
Harding, best known as an Olympic ice skater turned to boxing. |
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Top Televised Fight of the Year
Ann Wolfe vs. Valerie Mahfood
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| The Ann Wolfe vs.
Valerie Mahfood rematch in the year 2003 won "Hands down" when the
overwhelming votes by boxing fans went to this fight! Wolfe
and Mahfood fought on the same card as the Ali - Martin fight on
Pay-Per-View. |
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Top Untelevised Fight of the Year
Jo Jo Wyman vs. Laura Serrano
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| This fight SHOULD have
been televised---it wasn't. Jo Jo Wyman fought Laura Serrano
in July of 2003, and she won by a six-round unanimous decision over
Serrano. Wyman dropped Serrano in the second and fifth Round. |
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Biggest Upsets of the Year
Lisa Holewyne defeating
Sunshine Fettkether
Galina
Ivanova defeating Daisy Lang
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| Very few people thought
that Lisa Holewyne could pull a win after being stopped by Sunshine
Fettkether the first time that they fought earlier this year, but
Holewyne changed trainers and worked out hard to rematch with
Fettkether. Holewyne defeated Fettkether and gained a GBU
Welterweight belt in the process! In November of
2003, Oberfrankenhalle, Bayreuth,
In a big upset, Super Flyweight Galina Ivanova (Gumliiska) won a ten-round unanimous decision
and becoming the new WIBF Super-Flyweight champion over Daisy Lang.
Not many thought that Ivanova, at 9-9-1 would defeat
Lang, 17-1-1, but she won convincingly with final judges scores
at 96-94, 99-91, an 97-93. |
The "NOT SO HOT" In Women's
Boxing For the Year 2003!
Biggest Mismatches
Laila Ali vs. Christy Martin (Out
of weight class)
Chevelle Hallback vs. Michelle Ewing (Lame)
Bridgett Riley vs. Nicoles Gallegos (Lame)
The
"I-Forgot-To-Train Award
Willicia Moorehead
Excerpt News report of one of
Willicia's fights in 2003
"Moorehead, who
struggled to throw simple punches, was down twice before referee Frank Garza
stopped the fight."
Worst Sports
Television Networks
(In regards to covering
Women's Boxing Only)
HBO
HBO has worn out their old and tired
excuses as to why they do not feature women's boxing on their
televised segment of their shows. It is quite obvious that at
this point and time that they (HBO) could feature women boxers and create an
interest on their shows for women in the sport.
SHOWTIME
Refer to HBO for same comments, other
than additional comments from WBAN about Showtime's show -
ShoBox - The New Generation.
"Sho-Box" is FAR from being the "New Generation", because if it
WAS the "NEW GENERATION" as they advertise----They would include women
boxers.
The Dumbest
Dark-age Remarks in 2003
(In regards to Women's
Boxing Only)
Russell Peltz
(EXCERPT) Peltz was interviewed in 2003 on another boxing website
(fightnews.com), who asked Peltz what he thought of women's boxing.
Peltz said in that interview:
"I
hate it. I think it's repulsive,
I think it's disgusting, I think I'm a
male chauvinist. I met Laila Ali, and she's a wonderful person, and
I've met Jamie Clampitt and so many of them and they know my feelings and
they know when I was in my early days at ESPN if it would have been up to
me, we would never have seen women boxing, because I can't imagine, if I had
a daughter or my wife, how can you send them out there? I had a woman's
fight at the Blue Horizon, I had to put it on in order to get the USA show.
Brad Jacobs said, 'if you want the date, you have to have this fight on the
undercard,' so I did it, I don't know if I've done it again, I might have
but if my father were alive and he'd seen me promote a woman's fight, he
would have said, 'is this what it's come to? Is this what I raised you to
do?' It's just the way I am."
Peltz went on to explain in this interview
that some of the women's fights are terrific, and he re-enforces that
comment with "They Really are." BUT he adds "But, wrestling's
entertaining, too, I just don't like to see women get hit and some people in
women's boxing really hold a grudge against me for that reason." Peltz
also goes on to say that he hasn't made "those decisions (with ESPN)"
in years, so what is the difference whether he likes it and says,
"I don't like it. I think it's awful."
Peltz states, "I've
seen some bad ones, girls with no skill, getting beat up by girls who have
some skills, and I don't use the word 'girls' derogatorily, women, and I
look in the corner to see the guy who sending her out there for the next
round, I said, 'what are you doing? This is your daughter, your wife, look
at her she's getting pummeled around the face, how could you do this?'
I just don't like it and I'm not
afraid to share my feelings."
WBAN's Comments: WBAN would like to
thank Peltz for "Sharing." WBAN feels that Peltz was able to make his
point "over and over...and ah...over again!" Peltz was asked a "simple
question" by Fightnews and he managed to ramble on, repeating himself
several times about his dislike for women's boxing. WBAN
congratulations Peltz for being chosen for making the "Dumbest
Dark-Age Remarks in 2003". He earned it.
Biggest "Hype" of
the Year
The Laila Ali vs. Ann Wolfe Fight
that didn't happen
It was on again, it was off again, and now it is going into 2004 and has
ALREADY become an "On again" Off again" hyped up fight.
TOP HOT COMMENTS PICKED BY
WBAN FROM BOXING FANS WHO WROTE IN TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE WBAN AWARDS 2003
Best Televised Fight - Wolfe vs.
Mahfood was an excellent fight. It doesn't get any better than that. Both
fighters showed unbelievable skill and power. They both exhausted each other
by the end of the fight. They made the Ali/Martin fight look amateur.
Congrats to Wolfe and Mahfood for showing what women's boxing is really all
about.
Biggest Mismatch of the year:
Laila was way too big for Christy Martin.
Rookie of the year: Valanna McGee’s fight with Kelsey Jeffries was
maybe not fight of the year, but clearly one of the biggest "almost upsets"
and a true display of this woman's talent! Watch out for her in the near
future.
Biggest Mismatch: Ali-Martin: waste of pay per view time!
Top TV Fight: Ann Wolfe wins but Mahfood does serious damage.
Biggest Mismatch: Martin gives over a 20 pound weight advantage to a
younger, faster, stronger Ali.
Biggest Mismatch: Martin-Ali: This was one-sided and brutal. But it
had to happen. We knew how this would turn out but perhaps we didn't know it
would have been so lop-sided.
Fighter of the year: Valerie Mahfood put up a great fight against Ann
Wolfe. She showed a lot of heart and never gave up. She is a true fighter.
Most Achievement: Kelsey Jeffries - Kelsey has been on a roll this
year. She has fought anybody and everybody. She is determined and
competitive. I'm not sure but I think she's fought more fights than anyone
other fighter this year.
Most Inspirational: Sumya Anani - Sumya is not only a tremendous
fighter, but she has a tremendous spirit. She always speaks so positive
about other fighters, and she always speaks the truth. Keep it up Sumya. You
are an inspiration to us all.
Best Televised fight of the year: Undercard of that horrid mismatch
Ali-Martin. That was a real fight with Valerie Mahfood vs. Ann Wolfe. Even
hardcore fellaz at the bar, were amazed at this specimen called Ann Wolfe,
and the sturdy chin of Valerie.
Top Amateur of the year: Naquana Smalls - She has the potential of
becoming women's boxing's equivalent of Michael Vick. She has the "Jordan
Factor," that thing that Michael Jordan, Serena Williams, Michael Vick, Mike
Tyson, and Oscar De La Hoya have. You want to watch her fight. If Anani or
Sjauw is still fighting in a few years, I'd love to see Smalls fight them.
Top Fighter of the Year: It's a toss up between Isra Girgrah and
Kelsey Jeffries because they fought many times, against good competition,
proving their skills over and over. I would have to chose Jeffries though.
She came back from a loss, took on solid competition and proved herself.
This doesn't take away from Girgrah, just highlights Jeffries' activity THIS
year. The other two may have skill and notoriety, but not nearly as
deserving of recognition this year, as Girgrah and Jeffries.
Biggest Mismatch: Ali – Martin: It is a shame to see fights like this
made all for the sake of making the big bucks. Come on... let's build the
true fighters up so they can get the exposure they need. After all, it's
about the sport not about certain fighters only.
Most Inspirational: Stephanie Dobbs - In spite of a 4-6-1 record, she
was willing to fight any and all, even when she was hopelessly outclassed.
Biggest Mismatches: Hallback 19-3-1 (8) TKOing Michelle Ewing 0-4,
Marcello Acuna 13-4 (7) decisioning Carman Montiel 0-3, Kristina Folmar 9-1
(7) beating Ileana Serrano 0-2, Bridget Riley 15-3 (7) TKOing Nichole
Gallegos 0-3, are just some of the obvious mismatches.
Fighter of the year: My vote goes to
Ann Wolfe. I cannot say about the ethic and talent of this woman. She truly
is amazing. She erased the memory of her only pro loss and also took on a
very tough and game Sunshine Fettkether. I say kudos to Ann.
Fighter of the Year: KELSEY JEFFRIES IS THE OBVIOUS CHOICE FOR
FIGHTER OF THE YEAR: " MOST ACTIVE FIGHTER ( EIGHT FIGHTS ); BEAT THE
TOUGHEST OPPOSITION WITHOUT QUESTION - WYMAN, DEL VALLE, COFER, ANDREWS; WON
IN MULTIPLE VENUES; FOUGHT MUCH BIGGER OPPONENTS IN EVERY FIGHT BUT ONE;
DUCKED NOBODY; REPRESENTS THE VERY BEST IN WOMEN"S BOXING.
Fighter of the year: I vote for Kelsey Jeffries. I think she has an
edge over the other three fighters because of her technique. Overall, they
are all great fighters, but
if I have to pick one, I pick her.
Fighter of the Year: I would like to vote for Kelsey Jeffries
for Fighter of the Year......To fight 8 times in one year and win seven of
them takes some real ____ (or "guts" in her case LOL)...
Fighter of the Year: Kelsey Jeffries all the way! As for rookie of
the year "Hotstuff" Hollie Dunaway!
Fighter of the Year: My vote is for Ann Wolfe….not her fault that she
cannot get more fights. She is the “Real Deal”.
Fighter of the Year: Kel-C..without a doubt is the fighter of the
year. Ann didn't fight enough to be considered. Isra's win against Serrano
was bogus. Ali/Martin was a huge mismatch and should not have went down. Ali
did not beat Almager into submission...Almager quit.
Fighter of the Year: A joint award to Jeffries & Girgrah ------Based
upon the # of fights & the quality of their opposition.
Fighter of the Year: I vote for Kelsey Jefferies out of the four.
Everyone of the four are excellent boxers. But I have to go with her because
she has a world title and defends it. I guess I am just old school when it
comes to that. One does not collect titles one defends titles. I never see
her fight on TV as far as I know but I hope that I do. |
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