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2007 Special
Tribute - R.I.P.
Lilly Rodriguez
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Amanda
Lyons
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Asia Mays
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Fighter of the
Year
Holly Holm
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Holly Holm, who made her
own history when she fought for six world title bouts, to exceed
Giselle Salandy's five belt fight in 2006. She fought an
impressive and hard-fought fight against highly respected Ann
Marie Saccurato for the IFBA, WIBA, GBU, WBC, IBA, and WBC
welterweight world title bouts. Holm is ranked #1 in the
WBAN independent ratings with the highest score of 16008.
She also defeated Chevelle Hallback, and high-ranked Angel
Martinez for a third time. Runner up: Carina
Moreno |
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WBAN "Top Honors"
of the
Year
Ann Marie Saccurato
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It was astounding to see through the voting from boxing fans
this year, the notice that
Ann Marie Saccurato,
of Plains, New York, has received through her pure no-nonsense ferocity that she
displayed in 2007. She took on some very tough fights,
not in her hometown-but others hometowns. Saccurato did
not play it safe---she went to Japan, and fought Emiko Raika;
she went to New Mexico and fought Holly Holm--and she last
fought in Lemoore, CA, and KO'd Jessica Rakoczy in
the 10th round for the WBC lightweight title. If this
sport had more "Saccuratos" in it---there would be no stopping
the sport moving up to another level.
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Most
Inspirational Boxer
of the Year
Susianna Kentikian
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Susianna "Susi" Kentikian,
currently 19-0-0 (14 KO) is a true "spitfire" in the ring.
She has been selected for a second year for "Most Inspirational" with WBAN. Kentikian has one of
the most compelling stories to tell about her personal life, and
about her venture into boxing, and where it has taken her. On
December 7, 2007, Kentikian won the WIBF Flyweight title, a
title that Regina Halmich held for years before recently
retiring. |
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Top European Fighter
Natascha Ragosina
Honorable
mentioned: Sophie Mathis, Regina Halmich, Susi
Kentikian, Ina Menzer |
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Highest
Achievements
of the year
Regina Halmich
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| Regina Halmich has been chosen
for the second year with WBAN as obtaining the highest achievements
that a female boxer has accomplished in 2007, in the
sport. It is almost a two-edged sword with this award,
because WBAN would be tempted to list Regina as one of the biggest
disappointments for 2007 because she has retired from the sport
and we obviously do not want her to retire! Regina has displayed grace, and
pristine sportsmanship throughout her career---and she has been
a good business woman who has been able to financially achieve
something from the sport--it is with almost surety that she will
succeed at anything she does in the future outside the ring and
with a very successful cosmetics line already established,
perhaps an online MBA
is something that she is considering. |
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Top Amateur of the Year
Katie Taylor
Taylor of Ireland,
is truly a role model for any woman boxer in this sport whether
she is an amateur or a pro. |
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Top Rookie of the Year 2007
Anabel Ortiz
Anabel Ortiz of
Mexico, 3-0, has had three pro fights this year, and had an
impressive win in her third bout with a 10-round decision over
Delia Lopez. Ortiz moved up to being
ranked #5
with WBAN
in the junior flyweight division---NOT BAD for a rookie! |
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Biggest KO of the Year
Ann Marie Saccurato
vs. Jessica Rakoczy
On September 27, 2007, at the Tachi
Casino, in Lemoore, California, Ann Marie Saccurato,
became the new WBC Lightweight
world champion when she stopped
Jessica Rakoczy,
134, Las Vegas, Nevada, 1:58 seconds of the 10th round.
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Biggest Upsets of
the Year!
Dominga Olivo vs. Jelena
Mrdjenovich
December 7, 2007
Who would have "Thunk"?!
Dominga Olivo
travels to Edmonton, Canada, with a 4-2 record, and she fights
Jelena
Mrdjenovich, 21-2, in Jelena's home turf in a 10-round title
bout and has a draw with Mrdjenovich. |
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Melissa Hernandez vs. Layla
McCarter
Apri 27, 2007 (Rematch)
WBAN thought that
Melissa "The Huracan" Hernandez had made a
career error when
she agreed with short notice to fight
Layla McCarter in a rematch. In
their first fight McCarter stopped Hernandez. But, Hernandez did not let that
stop her from avenging her loss, and she took the fight and won by
an eight-round (3-minute rounds) majority decision! |
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Brooke Dierdorff vs. Mia St. John
April 20, 2007
In Merrillville, Indiana,
Brooke Dierdorff
pulled an upset when she beat seasoned
veteran
Mia St. John. Dierdorff
won by a six-round split decision. Dierdorff took the fight
as a late replacement for Rita Figueroa who received an injury during
training and could not fight St. John. |
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Viktoria Oleynik vs. Zhang Xi Yan
December 14, 2007
In
another big upset, 1-9-1 boxer, Viktoria Oleynik, defeated
world champion Zhang Xi Yan by a six-round unanimous
decision! Oleynik [Olenik], has fought some of the top women
boxers that have included Jane Couch, Ina Menzer, Frida Wallberg.
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Top Fights of the
Year
(not in any
particular order)
Chevelle Hallback vs.
Terri Blair
July 2, 2007
Kelsey Jeffries vs. Rhonda
Luna
March 22, 2007
Ann Marie Saccurato vs.
Jessica Rakoczy
September 27, 2007
Susi Kentikian vs. Nadia
Hockmi
May 25, 2007
(first fight in 2007)
Jessica Rakoczy vs. Terri
Blair
May 17, 2007 |
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The "Road Warriors" of 2007
Ann Marie Saccurato
Terri Blair |
| It is amazing that some of
the most interesting and top boxers in the sport--actually
do not have pristine, unblemished records. In reality, some of
the less impressive boxing records of some of the women
boxers, are the fighters who actually take risks to take fights that
are not home-brewed, or on short notice. |
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Biggest
"Comeback" Boxer
of the Year
Ada "The Ace" Velez |
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Ada "The Ace" Velez
last pro bout took place in January of 2004, after she had a
controversial loss against Anita Christensen in Denmark. Velez
returned to the ring August 10, 2007, where she took a tough
fight against Jeri Sitzes. She then fought Jackie Chavez
in a six-rounder defeating Chavez in her home turn. Velez,
then went on to fight Kasha Chamblin for the IBA World jr.
featherweight title, winning that bout and becoming a world
champion in her "come back". |
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Most Improved
Boxers
of the Year 2007
Carina Moreno
Holly
Holm
Eileen Olszewski
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Hottest Rising Stars in
the Sport 2007
(Barber - Julaton tied for this award)
Jenifer "The Razor" Barber
Ana "The Hurricane" Julaton
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Best-Kept Secret in
Women's Boxing
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Dominga Olivo |
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Folks...Be on this lookout! |
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This "Best-Kept Secret" in women's boxing
this year goes to Dominga Olivo, of New York. Olivo's current record is
4-2-1 (0KO). Olivo appears to be afraid of no one in the sport so far.
She took an eight-round bout against Layla McCarter in Colorado, who is
a world champion and veteran boxer with over 40 pro bouts on her record.
She lost to McCarter by a close majority decision. Olivo did not
opt to fight an inferior opponent in her next pro bout---She took on
a title bout against Jelena Mrdjenovich, 21-2-0 (11KO). The fight
was in Mrdgenovich's hometown. The fight ended in a draw. Olivo fought five times in 2007 with competent
opponents.
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Boxer who took on "ALL" tough opponents in the year 2007
Ann Marie Saccurato
Belinda Laracuente
Dominga Olivo
Honorable
Mention: Kelli Cofer, Jane Couch, Chevelle Hallback, Galina
(Koleva) Ivanova, Dakota Stone |
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The "Coolest"
Award
Received by a Boxer in 2007!
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Jane Couch, a history-making boxer and
multiple world champion, was presented with the MBE award at the
Buckingham Palace. Check out the video featuring Jane at the
Buckingham Palace with her award.
Craziest
Headlines in 2007!
Joe Frazier files suit against daughter
Smokin’ Joe Frazier filed lawsuit against his daughter, Jacqui Frazier-Lyde,
female boxer. That
was some crazy headline to read about Jacqui, an attorney having a
lawsuit file against her by her own dad. We believe this case
was dropped by the father at a later date. |
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Jack LaLanne Offers up wife to fight 92 year old!
Truth is sometimes stranger than fiction, and in this story,
it could not be more true. 91-year-old Roland Fortin, a fitness guru in
Florida, challenged Jack LaLanne, 92 years old, to a four-round
(2 minute) round boxing exhibition. In a video interview Fortin said
that he was dead serious. LaLanne offered up his wife--needless to
say this match never took place--but it was definitely one of the
craziest Headlines we saw in 2007.
Some Website
actually ran a poll on this challenge from Fortin! |
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Thai woman boxer fights her way out of prison
Yep, that is one crazy headline! In Thailand they reported
that they would release female pugilist Siriporn Taweeksuk from prison reducing her 10-year
jail sentence by three years after she won the women's light-flyweight
belt for the kingdom. "We will
release her on June 13th [2007] because she has won glory for Thailand,' said Nathi Jitsawang, director general of the Corrections Department.
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Most "Worn
Out" Phrase for 2007
| "My Fighter Needs one or two more
'Tune-Up' fights." Boxing Managers and promoters seem to feel
the need to say that they need to get a "Tune-Up" fight for their
boxer. What response does WBAN have about "Tune-Up" fights?
---- Tell somebody who cares. Apparently
these people need to review WBAN's definition for "tune up" fights.
We call them "Tuna" fights---because there is almost ALWAYS something
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The "NOT SO HOT" In Women's
Boxing For the Year 2007!
B-O-R-I-N-G Matchups -
Second Year
This will be a second year
running for this "Not so Hot" in women's boxing. There were so many predictable boring matchups. No one needed a crystal ball to
have figured out who was going to win
in some of the fights that took place in 2006, and now 2007! We
are still continuing to see some very poor matches made in the sport.
When will that end? Probably never---but women boxers and their
teams do need to wake up and smell the roses that the popularity of
women's boxing will dwindle if those who continue to make these lame
tune-up fights keep putting them on their cards.
Excuses, Excuses, and
more Excuses
WBAN has heard more excuses in every variety that we could probably
write a book on the many excuses we hear why a fight does not take
place. We have seen way too many good matches go to the way side
because of excuses. There have been some excellent matches in
2007, but we need more for this sport to thrive.
Outrageous Rankings in
2007
We will spare the embarrassment
of who has these listed - boxing fans can find them with a little
surfing on the net. Savanna Payne – record: 0-1-0: Ranked #6
Cruiserweight: She makes her pro debut in 2007 as a cruiserweight.
She gets TKO’d in the second round, and she is ranked #6 as a
cruiserweight---only in the world of women’s boxing!; Sharmaine
Fletcher - record 0-1-0: #6 Light Heavyweight -Folks this girl has
ONE fight. She was stopped in the first round by KO, by another pro
debuter, and she rises to the ranking of #6 in the world;
Batroba Lihavi – record 0-2-0: # 7 Light heavyweight - "Ms.
Winless" has had two pro bouts in 2007 – losing both---but
wa---la, there she is ranked #7 in the world; Genevia
Buckhalter – record 2-12-1(2KO) #9 Light Heavyweight - Genevia
has not fought since March of 2005. She had not won a fight since
2001! And, Mona Nelson – record 1-3-0 (0KO) #10 Heavyweight -
She had a fight in 2006, 2004 and 2003. Her only win was a fight that
took place 10 YEARS AGO! Yep, on June 21, 1997, she won her only
fight when she made her pro debut in Syracuse, New York.
NOTE:
WBAN would like to thank the boxing fans and the WBAN writers and
contributors who all gave valuable input to the 2007 Yearly Awards!
We appreciate the time that everyone took to send in their picks and
their comments. |
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