I am a new boxer or want to get into boxing and need to ask some questions about the sport, who do I ask?

WBAN has one of the TOP trainers - Tom Moraetes, who does a segment called "Ask the Trainer."  There is also a listing of questions that have been answered by Moraetes that you can use as a reference. Go to WBAN, to "Ask the Trainer"

Why is it you feature fighters that have obvious  mismatches?

If I were to eliminate fighters from WBAN just because they do something the public does not approve of, there would probably be no fighters to talk about, including myself. When my book is published you will read about some of my fights and some of the not-so-good experiences that I had as a fighter. I am not here to pass judgment on fighters, only to try and improve the sport in a positive way.

When I write to one of the WOMEN BOXERS on FANMAIL, do they all answer back by email?

Not all women have a computer or an email address, but most of them do.  What happens is the fighters who have an email address, I  forwarded it directly to the fighter and then she in turn answers your email directly from then on.   ALL FIGHTERS who are listed, know that being on FANMAIL means that they make an effort to respond to the person who writes in.  If a fighter does not respond within about six weeks, notify my site so that I can see what is going on. 

If they do not have a computer or access to their email, how do they get my email?

WBAN takes the responsibility to get your email to the fighter. WBAN will either mail the emails directly to her, or call the fighter by phone. Luckily, there are only a FEW fighters on the list that do not have access to computers.

Which fighter are the ones that do not respond back via by email?

Presently,  Lady Tyger Trimiar; Gwen Gemini; and Sumya Anani are getting their information via the postal service or I phone them.

What prompted you to have a health survey for women on your website?

I personally experienced two very serious independent health crises, that I was always suspicious of being connected with my participation in boxing and full-contact karate.   I am very interested in getting feedback from other women because of what I went through.   My health is back to 100% now.  It is important to network together so that we can keep track of possible health problems in the future. 

What kind of a breast protector did you use in the 70's, or did they even have that type of equipment?

It was a requirement that women wear a breast protector when fighting in a professional bout.    The breast protector looked like two salad bowls, that the woman  would sew on   the inside of the bra.   The breast protectors were uncomfortable and looked horrible.

Did you wear a breast protector when you trained in the gym?

NO.   I wish that I had.    I developed problems later in life, and now wonder if it was because the majority of the time I trained, I had no protection.    I have heard other comments on this subject by women who say that "you don't get hit in that area" and so why is there a concern.  I do not believe that.   Especially when a lot of times the woman's sparring partners are men.  Also, many of the female competitors came from a previous background of karate and kick-boxing.  They cannot say that no one ever kicked them in the breast at one time or another.

I never heard of any female boxers in the 70's and 80's. I thought women were only into kickboxing then?

In the 70's and 80's, we not only had to fight to get a bout, fight to get boxing licenses to get permission to fight, but in the 70's and 80's, it was not cool for a woman to want to box.   We were called a "novelty."  The media did not give us a lot of coverage.  Boxing promoters, boxing magazines, etc., were discouraged by featuring us.  When Cathy "Cat" Davis was featured on the cover of Ring magazine, you would have thought the world was coming to an end.   To my knowledge, Ring magazine never did any other feature stories on female boxers in that era.

I noticed that the women's boxing records vary greatly from one from another, why is that?

While doing the research for my website, to my surprise, it was very hard to verify any of the female boxers' records.   When I contacted various State Athletic Commissions to obtain information, they did not have records going back before 1978.  I am still working on this project.   Another thing that I noticed is that I believe that some of the records were either embellished, or that the women are counting countless unsanctioned bouts, from kick-boxing matches to whatever.    I would be more inclined to evaluate a female boxer in the past by who she fought, not by any of the records that they claim to possess.    

What type of physical examination did a woman have to go through before a scheduled sanctioned boxing bout?

This varied from state to state.   In Oregon, they were very thorough.  I went to a doctor's office and had a complete physical.  In Nevada, I had one doctor come up to me about an hour before my bout, he looked at my hands, checked my wraps, and said, "Your alive."  That was the extent of my examination.  That particular fight, I was running a 102 temperature and had the flu.  When I fought in Utah, I heard the physician talking to my opponent shortly before the fight, which he didn't sound like he was checking her out by judging by their conversation.  He then came into my room to examine me, and wanted to look at my breasts.  I told him that he did not request that from the other fighter in the adjoining room, and that if he insisted on examining my breasts, that I would not fight.  He backed down, and left the room.  

What were some of the disadvantages female boxers faced in the 70's and 80's that have changed since then?