(JULY 7) They say love
matches are made in heaven, and fight matches are made by one’s
manager, and boxer Eileen Olszewski may have both, married to
her trainer/husband, and inking a three year contract with her
longtime manager David Selwyn. Olszewski hopes to reach the big
“Hawaii 50”, eclipsing the mark of the "Old Mongoose", Archie
Moore, (who actually fought till age 47) but I would not dare to
ask a woman her age.
Born Eileen Miyoko Kuwaye in
Honolulu Hawaii in 1968, Olszewski went into boxing after years
of ballet, New York Knicks dancer and studying the martial arts,
then at age 32 teaming up with trainer and future husband
Matthew Olszewski, winning three national Golden Gloves and
three NYC Golden Gloves before turning professional in 2006.
The team was completed when Selwyn agreed to take over her
career. “I saw her first fight and was impressed” says Selwyn,
who had never managed a fighter at the time. Since then Selwyn
has managed eight fighters but remains with his first, a bond
that has never been broken.
“David has been the best thing that has happened to us” says
Matthew, adding that with a good manager, the stress of being a
boxer is limited to just the battle that lies ahead, not the
finances and worries that can stress a boxer out. I asked her
why her longtime bond with her manager is intact and she replied
with one word -- “honesty.” It’s a key to any relationship and
it has kept the team together for almost a decade now – and
still grows stronger to this day. Matthew describes boxing as
“an exact science” meaning everyone plays their part. “I train
and prepare her according to what Dave gives us as an
opportunity, and Dave has given us great opportunities” said
Matthew “whether it is a four or six rounder or a major
international title bout.”
History/Culture/Longevity
Eileen, along with contemporary Alicia Ashley are the veterans
of a woman’s fight culture that has been around, should I say,
almost as long as they have. Don’t call them the deans of female
boxing, since both are still active and very well seeing the
ongoing evolutionary step of the female gender, its fistic
footprint engineered to another level from the early days of
Jackie Tonawanda and Cathy “Cat” Davis, and Eileen still has a
burning desire to box competitively in her mid -forties. She can
fool you, like she did skeptics, into believing she is in her
early thirties. Then again, the bond and team created have kept
the pilot light lit after all these years.
Three time world champion.
During most of her career, she has been a flyweight champion --
WIBA champion 2008-2011, GBU champion 2010-2013, and since last
September, she is the reigning IFBA champion, in fact, she
became the oldest flyweight champion ever, male or female, in
the history of boxing.
"When it comes to details and contracts, David is a savant”
added Eileen, "that what makes him a good manager - good for me
at least, but not for the promoter trying to get over,
especially overseas."
Hoping to stay in the gym and box till the great "Hawaii 50"
this ageless champ is still competing, and winning, at an elite
level. At this time she is scheduled to fight an eight-rounder
on Ronson Frank's Uprising Promotions on Sept 6th.
Although Eileen has been fighting on the local circuit, this
doesn’t rule out a challenge overseas. Selwyn still hopes to get
a bout in Europe, places they have fought before.
Despite having a modest 9-5-2 record, a closer look at the
record of Manager and fighter and what they have accomplished
--two PPV events and two Main Events in Italy, also a co-feature
on a Felix Sturm bout held in Germany. In 2008, Eileen fought
four world champion fighters with combined record of 52-4 -- and
gained a championship belt in the process. The “Old Mongoose”
Archie may be gone, but his spirit must be with the “Hawaiian
Mongoose” - still is going strong in 2014.
Any Inquiries send to
boxingkid@aol.com
