(SEPT 3) On Thursday, October 15, 2009, in Incheon City, South Korea, Jolene Blackshear (5-2-0, 2KOs) will take on Dan-Bi Kim (5-1-0) for the vacant IFBA Mini Flyweight (105 pounds) World Title. The 10-round bout will mark Blackshear’s championship return to the ring after a long layoff.

The diminutive fighter, who packs a punch which women twice her size would envy, stopped fighting officially in 2000 after a loss by decision in a nationally televised fight. But she stayed in the sport, training boxers, teaching techniques to other female fighters and pushing women into the sport.

Earlier this year, Blackshear was thrust back into the ring under unusual circumstances. When one of the fighters she was training was unable to fight against regional Golden Gloves champion Melissa McMorrow at the last minute, Blackshear took her trainee’s place. Without real preparation or training, Blackshear knocked McMorrow down three times in the second round, going on to win a majority draw in the four-round bout.

That fight reminded Blackshear how much she missed being in the ring and fighting for herself, not just training others. She got herself back into tip-top shape and has her eyes set on beating Dan-Bi Kim and winning a long-awaited title.

In the second 10-round bout, veteran Lisa Brown (16-3-3, 5KOs) climbs into the ring against rising prospect Hyo-Min Kim (2-0-1, 1KO), with the vacant IFBA Featherweight (126 pounds) World Title on the line. Brown, previously the IFBA Super Bantamweight champion is moving up in weight class to take on a bigger challenge.

Coming off of a four fight win streak, Brown is full of confidence. Her promising opponent is going to have an uphill battle on her hands if she wants to win her first belt.