(JAN 20) Maybe some of the newer
boxers in the sport may not know Deborah "Knockout" Nichols, a
5'7", featherweight, from Dalton, Georgia----but I will tell you
that when she boxed from 1997 - 1999, keeping a pristine
professional boxing record of 8-0-2 (4KO), and earning two world
title championships with the IFBA and IBA, she was a hot boxing
star in the time she was fighting!
Throughout the many years that WBAN
has been in existence we continue to follow many of the female
boxers---whether they are still fighting, inactive, retired, and
even things they are doing "outside" the ring----that can even
include life's events, i.e., as we even did a story at one time
of Nichols getting married inside a "Boxing Ring"!
So since that time,
we have not had an update in quite awhile on Nichols, so we
connected with her this week to see what she has been up to.
Nichols told WBAN the following:
"50 and Blessed! That be me……I have two granddaughters and five
generations of family living so I am very blessed. Family is
what life is all about."
"I have recently gone back to my roots. I am currently the owner
and operator of my own Beauty & Tanning Salon. My mother is a
retired cosmetologist and I have been licensed for 25 years. I
am also a Fitness Coach and Personal Trainer. This has help fill
the void that all athletic competitors must feel. I love
motivating and helping others fulfill goals for themselves."
"Becoming a boxing
champion was a goal that I had for myself and you cannot do it
alone. You have to have a team. I have never been happy about
the way my boxing career came to an end. My retirement was not
by choice at the time."
I am currently writing my side of the story titled, “My corner of the
Ring”. Explaining my version of a permanent black eye from
punches thrown at me from out of the ring. This is my way of
dealing with it years later.
"I follow womens' boxing as much as possible and I am so proud
of them all. I am honored to have been a part of it.
God’s blessings to all."
WBAN's Comment: And yes
folks...Nichols is STILL a "Knockout!"