(DEC 18) The year was 1983, the venue was at the Civic Auditorium, in Albuquerque, New Mexico.    Women's Boxing was a struggle in the late 1970s and 1980s, with the difficulty of finding opponents to fight and at that time women's boxing was looked at more in the light of being a special feature on a card, and the media was not very kind many times when they wrote about females who wanted to fight in the sport.

This did not stop one promoter, Vern Stevenson who set up a 15-round bout, with the rules that males were also fighting---three minute rounds; eight-ounce gloves; and it was optional to wear Chest and abdomen protectors at this time.

So on October 21, 1983,  Darlina Valdez, of Santa Fe, New Mexico and Holly McDaniel made history fighting the first 15 round bout for a world title.   The bout went the distance with a 15-round unanimous decision for Valdez.  She not only won the fight, but she won the  boxing fans who repeatedly shouted out her name over and over.  The judges scored the bout with 149-141; 137-133; and 149-143.

Cora and Dora Webber were twins

The following year, on August 24, 1984 in Pensacola, Florida, Jackie Holley, was defending her International Women’s Boxing Assn., world title belt, against Dora Webber.  Holley successfully defended her title with a 15-round unanimous decision.

Lastly, the last 15 round bout [at two-minute rounds] to ever take place in women's boxing took place on October 24, 1986, featuring Cora Webber vs. Laurie Holt.  WBAN was able to view this fight on video.It was highly entertaining with Holt winning the bout by a unanimous decision. 

These were the only 15 round bouts to ever take place in the sport. In the first 15 rounds bout---Darlina Valdez and Holly McDaniel were not only the first to fight 15 rounds for a world title---but the only that fought 15 rounds at three minutes per round.

#historyofwomensboxing  #womenboxing  #wban  #darlinavaldez #hollymcdaniel  #corawebber  #dorawebber #laurieholt #jackieholley

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