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5'7" junior welterweight Hannah Fox was born in Las Vegas, Nevada
on 29 September 1969. She grew
up in a family of eleven children, so had to work hard for everything in
life. Her first job ... as a counter helper at a Subway® sandwich shop
when she was 14 ... eventually turned into ownership of two of its
locations.
With a martial arts (judo and karate) and kickboxing
background, she began
training as a boxer in July, 1997 and made her pro debut six months later.
Trained by 30-year
veteran Allie Krueger, Hannah showed all the fundamentals of a well trained boxer ... a
potent and accurate jab, good movement and defense, and power in both
fists.
Her boxing style was simple and classic, and executed well.
Hannah Fox at a weigh-in
© Copyrighted photograph taken by Mary Ann
Owen
Hannah made her pro debut with a hard-fought unanimous (39-37, 39-37, 39-37)
four-round decision
over Heidi Tibe on December 26, 1997 at the Orleans in Las Vegas.
The bout took place in front of
about 200 of Fox's supporters, who had purchased tickets from one of her Subway®
shops.
She next TKO'd Teara Anne Sanders at 1:35 in the first round at the Orleans
on January 23, 1998.
Fox (139 lbs) got her first major exposure outside Nevada with a four-round unanimous
(40-36) decision over California's Julie Birdsell (135 lbs) on February 15, 1998 in
an IFBA card in Biloxi, Mississippi that was shown live on ESPN2. Birdsell,
former Tough Woman contestant with a martial arts background , had no answer
for Hannah's jab and ate leather for the entire fight.
Just six days later, Hannah notched her fourth win when she weighed in at
141½ lbs and stopped San Diego's
Rhonda Hutcherson (145 lbs) at 0:14 in the first round at Las Vegas's Tropicana Hotel
& Casino on February 21, 1998.
She won her fifth straight on March 28, 1998 in a Forum Boxing card at the
Tropicana, with a TKO of Sarah Schmedding (143½ lbs) at 1:38 in the third
round. Referee Carlos Padilla stopped the contest with Fox (143 lbs) pummeling the
bloody-nosed Schmedding with powerful combinations.
On June 26, 1998 at Bally's Casino, Hannah (142 lbs) took another unanimous four-round decision
over her crosstown rival Heidi Tibe (144 lbs).
On August 22, 1998 at the Tropicana, she weighed in at 139½ lbs and won a six-round unanimous
decision over former WIBF welterweight world champion
Diana Dutra (138½ lbs) of Vancouver, Canada.
On September 23, 1998 at the Coeur d'Alene Tribal Bingo and Casino in Worley, Idaho
Hannah pounded out a six-round unanimous decision over a determined
Dawne George of Lowell, Massachusetts. Fox sent George to the canvas
with a left hook in the sixth and was never in danger as she moved her record
to a solid 8-0. George fell to 2-2.
On November 27, 1998 at the Orleans in Las Vegas, Hannah weighed in at 144½ lbs
and took a six-round unanimous decision over Glenda Watkins (152 lbs) of Lima,
Ohio and move her record to 9-0. Fox was bloodied in this tough fight against a
heavier-than usual opponent, but she used her trademark jab well to earn the
decision and preserve her perfect record.
On January 15, 1999 at the Orleans in Las Vegas, Nevada, Hannah (139 lbs) lost a
six-round unanimous (57-56, 58-55, 59-54) to veteran Fredia Gibbs
(139½ lbs).
Fredia used her reach advantage, speed and punching power to keep Fox rattled
and negate her trademark jab throughout the fight. Fredia knocked Hannah
down for a six count in the final round to put it beyond reach. The win, shown
live on ESPN2, moved Gibbs's pro record to 6-1 with 2 KO's as it dropped Fox's
to 9-1.
On March 19, 1999, back at the Orleans in Las Vegas,
Hannah (139 lbs) rebounded from the loss to Fredia Gibbs
with a six-round unanimous decision over
Diana Dutra (139 lbs) of Vancouver, BC. This was Fox's second six-rounder with the former WIBF
world Welterweight champion, and produced the same result.
On April 16, 1999, again at the Orleans in Las Vegas,
Hannah (140 lbs) took a six-round unanimous decision over Glenda Watkins (145 lbs) of
Lima, Ohio who fell to 6-5. This was a rematch of their fight on November
27, 1998, with the same result.
On June 11, 1999 at the Horseshoe Casino in Bossier City, Louisiana,
she took a convincing (99-91, 100-90, 98-92) ten-round unanimous decision over
Leah Mellinger
of Lancaster, Pennsylvania to win the IFBA Junior Welterweight Title. Mellinger lacked spark on this night and her counterpunching style could not
hold off the aggressive and busy Fox, who moved her own pro record to 12-1.
Mellinger appeared to tire early and was cut and swollen-faced in the late
rounds as she went down to her second straight title loss (and to a 9-5-1 record
overall.)
In January of 2000, Hannah was
offered a fight with Denise Moraetes. She did not
take the fight because she said that she needed a "tune up" fight after having
an eight month layoff.
Hannah announced her retirement from boxing
competition on March 6, 2000, saying in
a press release: "I set a goal to become
a World Champion and achieved that goal. In the next chapter of my life, my husband,
son and our two Subway franchises will be my primary concern. I have been hosting a
Women's Boxing television show in Las Vegas and hope to pursue color commentary
positions in televised boxing events in the future". Hannah will continue her
support of women's boxing and passes the torch to the upcoming generation of
fighters. She has been in the corner of rising star
Melinda Cooper at several of Melinda's Vegas fights.
Page last updated:
Sunday, 18 June 2023 |
