(MAY 26) As WBAN celebrates the continued journey of women's boxing and the recognition of its pioneers, it's important to take a moment to reflect on the trailblazer female boxers who paved the way for others and are no longer with us.

Marking 27 years that WBAN has been live on the net, we have covered countless stories of women in the ring, yet we never forget those who came before us – the courageous female boxers who have since passed but whose legacies live on.  This article pays tribute to some extraordinary female boxers who are no longer with us.

Ana Victoria Polo  - A True Warrior

Remembering Ana Victoria Polo: A True Warrior

Ana Victoria Polo, an inspiring fighter from Mexico City, touched many lives both inside and outside the boxing ring. With a professional record of 8-7-0 (2 KOs), Ana fought from 2013 until her retirement in 2021. Her relentless spirit and determination quickly earned her the respect of her peers, and she was affectionately known as a “True Warrior.” Tragically, Ana succumbed to cancer at the young age of 37 on October 10, 2022.

Kugler's family accepted Phyllis Kugler's IWBHF Award

Honoring Phyllis Kugler: A Hall of Fame Legacy

Phyllis Kugler, born on June 30, 1936, left a lasting legacy in women’s boxing before her passing at the age of 77 on March 6, 2014. She was inducted into the International Women’s Boxing Hall of Fame in 2015. Having spoken with Phyllis in her later years while she resided in Surprise, Arizona, it was an honor to be able to speak to her in her later years. When she was inducted (posthumous), her family came to the IWBHF Event, and accepted her award.

Donna Pepper

Australian Boxing champion Donna Pepper, 30 years old, born in North Haven, died in holiday tragedy in Cambodia while on vacation. She died in a motorcycle accident in February of 2012. In boxing she was a state boxing champion in 2006. Her father talked about his daughter stating that Donna was an outstanding boxer who was as talented out of the ring as in it. Donna had planned to do volunteer work with orphans and at an animal refuge during her trip in Cambodia before spending a month in kickboxing.

Pat Emerick

Pat Emerick passed away in August of 2024, at the age of 93 years old. In 2019, I had the pleasure of meeting Pat and her family at our 2019 International Women's Boxing Hall of Fame that was held in Brisbane, California, where Pat was inducted into the class of 2019. More

Clare de la Torres

Clare de la Torres, known for her hard work and tenacity, tragically passed away at the age of 48 on June 12, 2021, following a motorcycle accident in New Mexico. Starting her fighting career later in life at 30, Clare's dedication saw her participate in a 21 bouts in just her first two years as an amateur. A fighter who accepted matches with little notice,

Amanda Lyons

Amanda Lyons, just 20 years old, of Conway, Arkansas, was killed in a tragic vehicle accident on Sunday, August 26, 2007. Although she only had been fighting less than a year, she would always call Stacy Goodman, asking when the next time she could fight. She had four professional bouts in 2007 before tragically being killed in the accident.

Elina Sabatova

Russian amateur boxing champion Elena Sabítova, 28 years old, passed away on in 2008, after lying in a coma for three days. There were no details as to why Sabitova was in a coma. She was married to world kick-boxing champion Anatoli Nósirev with whom she had a daughter, the couple's only child.

Shelby Walker

Shelby ""Shelby Girl" Walker, was born February 27, 1975, and passed away September 24, 2006 at the age of 31 years old. Walker was a professional boxer, fighting from 2002-2006, with a 7-6-1 (6KO) record. She was also a mixed martial artist. After five years in active duty and in the reserve of the US Army, Walker began her career as a mixed martial artist...More

Becky Zerlentes

Becky Zerlentes, was a college teacher and former regional boxing champion who died from a head injury she sustained in a Golden Gloves competition over the weekend in Denver in 2005. Becky was 34 years old. Zerlentes, a regional Golden Glove champion in 2002, was hit by a punch from Heather Schmitz, and despite wearing protective headgear fell unconscious during the third round of the bout.

Olya Golumbovskaja

Female heavyweight amateur Russian and World Boxing champion Olga Domuladzhanova, who won the female amateur heavyweight gold medal world boxing championship at Saint-Amand-les-Eaux, France, in April 2001, died on May 14, 2021, in Tashkent, Russian Federation, of Covid-19 Novel Coronavirus at age 52.

Elizabeth Sherman

Super featherweight Elizabeth Sherman, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, passed away on October 27, 2015. She was 35 years old. Sherman was a professional boxer, fighting from June of 2009 to April of 2013. She had a boxing record of 4-3-0 (2KO). Sherman was known for being an all-action fighter, that was a tough as nails boxer. After not boxing professionally in 2013, she was working as a personal trainer in Charleston, South Carolina at the Title Boxing Club.

Cashmere Jackson

Police had arrested a 23-year-old woman after a fender-bender in a gas station parking lot ended with a former national champion boxer Cashmere Jacdson was killed. A Pontiac Grand Am lightly rear-ended a Chevrolet Impala in the Shell station parking lot at East 55th Street and Woodland Avenue.   Jackson, a 135-pound former Team USA lightweight boxer, jumped on the hood of the Grand Am, and the car continued through the parking and out onto East 55th Street, with Jackson still clutching to the hood, police said. The Pontiac veered across the yellow line and threw Jackson off the hood into the street, before it struck another Chevrolet Impala stopped in a turn lane on East 55th Street head-on, police said. Jackson rolled across the bustling street and was run over by a 62-year-old man in a 2013 Honda Accord.  Paramedics rushed Jackson to MetroHealth Medical Center where she later died.Officers arrested the driver of Pontiac Grand Am, a 23-year-old woman. She has not been formally charged.

Eun Young Kim

Eun Young Kim of Korea died in an accidental fall that occurred about March 23 or 24, 2016.  South Korea--News sources in Korea have reported that former IFBA Bantamweight Champion Eun Young Kim had died from injuries incurred after an accidental misstep down a flight of stairs.  Eun Young first fought for the IFBA title in the Bantamweight division in a challenge against countryman Ji- Hyun Kim. She was unsuccessful but this did not deter her from continuing her boxing career. Eun Young Kim's second attempt was against Terri Lynn Cruz of Colorado for the then vacate Bantam belt, with Kim once again coming short of the prize. 2007 would be her success story. After a couple non title fights she challenged the champion Terri Cruz and fulfilled her ambition of becoming the IFBA world champion.

Caroline Svendsen

 Pioneer female boxer, Caroline Svendsen who for years was said to be the first female in the USA (later this was not accurate with research) to receive a boxing license, passed away this morning. RIP Caroline, a true pioneer from the 1970's, you will be missed.

Freeda Foreman in one of her fights in the past

Freeda Foreman

In March of 2019, Freeda Foreman, at the age of 42 years, old,  was discovered in her home near Houston, Texas, A Texas medical examiner confirmed that Freeda George Foreman, the daughter of former heavyweight champion George Foreman, died by suicide.
She followed in her father’s footsteps and spent a brief time as a boxer. Her father says when she told him she wanted to box, he told her to get a degree first, and she did. Freeda Foreman was 5-1 in her boxing career, which spanned 17 months. 

Angelique Duchemin

Angelique Duchemin of France, just 26 years old, a French world featherweight champion, undefeated with 14 pro fights,  died after suffering a heart problem (pulmonary embolism-documented on safebeat.org) in training for an upcoming defense of her title.  Duchemin, who held the World Boxing Federation (WBF) female featherweight title, suffered a cardiac arrest during a training session at her hometown gym in Thuir, southern France. She was rushed to hospital in Perpignan, where she passed away.

Jasmine Marzo

Jasmine Marzo, from Argentina, at the age of  23 years old, was on the Argentine National Team and set to travel to Brazil to train before heading to Bulgaria. Early reports state Jasmine Marzo suffered a Cardiac Arrest shortly after being taken to the Emergency room by her parents in Cordoba, Argentina.

Phindile Mwelase

Phindile Mwelase, 31 years old, a South African female boxer, who died after failing to emerge from a two-week coma. She was knocked out by Liz Butler in a fight on October 10, 2014 in Pretoria.  The light welterweight boxer was taken first to Kalafong Hospital, but was later transferred to Steve Biko Hospital where she underwent surgery to stem bleeding on the brain. She was taken off life support and moved out of intensive care last week.

JoAnn Hagen

Joann Hagen, a fighter in the fifties, died in (about) 2006.  She was the only female to defeat Barbara Buttrick. She was inducted into the Women's boxing International Hall of Fame in July of 2014. Some interesting tidbits on Hagan (from The Police Gazette-June 1950), Hagen had appeared on the Steve Allen Show in November 1956. According to Barry N., who sent in this information and had viewed the tape, said that the tape was "Pretty Wild." and that Hagen appeared with Phyllis Kugler, and they were billed as "Champion Women Boxers".

Natalie Corona

Natalie Corona, just 22 years old was a fairly new police officer on the Davis Police Department in Davis, California, and was also a former amateur boxer/   Officer Corona was ambushed during a response to a three-vehicle crash, Davis Police Chief Darren Pytel said. In addition to Natalie fulfilling her dream of being a police officer, and following in her father's [Merced Corona---a retired Colusa County sheriff's sergeant], and she was a former amateur boxer. The IWBHF honored Natalie Corona (posthumous) with a special award at our 2019 IWBHF event that took place in Brisbane, California. Her parents accepted the award.

Maria Jesus Rosa

Maria Jesus Rosa of Spain and a history-making professional boxer who was the first female boxers to become a world champion in Spain, passed away at 44 years old after a Battle with Cancer.  At our IWBHF Event that took place in 2023, she was inducted our hall of fame (posthumously)  A Spain news team traveled from Spain and shot a documentary at our event on Rosa, and Rosa's husband traveled from Spain to accept her award at our Induction ceremony.

Geboria Mayfield

Geboria Mayfield, born on August 28, 1984, and boxed from 2006-2010. She passed away at the age of 27 years old on August 23, 2011.  She was a featherweight, who boxed out of Columbus, Mississippi. As one close friend told WBAN, "Gerboria was a very special young lady who loved life and lived it well. She left twin girls who would ultimately carry on her legacy."

Mericia Quinones

Mericia Quinones was a bright star in the amateur boxing circuit, Born with a desire to compete, she expressed to WBAN her dream of representing either the USA or Mexico in the Olympics, aiming to honor her family roots from Durango, Mexico. Tragically, her journey ended too soon when she passed away on June 13, 2019, at just 27 years old.

Vicki Wood

Another remarkable figure in the realm of women's boxing is Vicki Woods from Chattanooga, Tennessee. Born on February 21, 1963, Vicki fought professionally from 1997 to 2001 and faced some of the toughest competitors in the super lightweight division. With a record of 9 wins, 11 losses, and 3 draws—6 of those victories by knockout—she was ranked as high as #5 in the world by the WIBF. Vicki was known for her relentless spirit in the ring, earning the nickname “tough as nails.”

Amina Bulakh

Amina Bulakh, a female boxing champion, 18, lost her life on November 14, 2019, when she was killed by train as she crossed the railway using her smartphone and wearing headphones. She was walking towards her home in the village of Tarasivka outside Kyiv, Ukraine when she was struck and fatally wounded.

Leighandre "Baby Lee" Jegels

Leighandre Jegels, a rising star with an impressive record of 9-0-0 (7KO), was murdered at just 25 years old by her boyfriend, a police officer, in September 2019. This devastating loss shocked the boxing world and highlighted the urgent need for conversations about domestic violence and safety for women in sports.

Giselle Salandy

Giselle Salandy, at the age of 21 years old, and a very talented Multi-World Champion, who's life was cut short when she died in a vehicular accident on the morning of January 4, 2009, when she crashed into a concrete pillar while driving west into Port of Spain on the Beetham Highway.  Salandy (posthumous) was inducted into the International Women's Boxing Hall of Fame in 2016.

Olga Vitalyevna [Domuladzhanova]

Russia’s ex-World and European female boxing champ Domuladzhanova dies at 52.  She had been recently working as the director of the Ozero Krugloye training center for Russia’s national teams in the Moscow Region.  Olga passed away following health complications caused by COVID-19. 

Jeanette Zacarias Zapata

Jeanette Zacarias Zapata, just 18-year-old years old, a boxer out of Mexico, died five days after she was knocked out and injured in a Montreal ring. Groupe Yvon Michel, the organizer of the boxing event. She died from injuries sustained in a bout with Marie-Pier Houle at IGA stadium.

Rosi Reed (Rosetta Naddine Reed)

Rosi Reed, who passed away in October 2021 at the age of 71, carved her name in history as a pioneer of women’s boxing in the 1970s and 1980s. Beyond her boxing accolades, which included winning the World Flyweight Title Championship, Rosi achieved academic excellence—holding multiple degrees and building a successful career as an attorney.

Carmen “La Guapa” Montiel

Carmen "La Guapa" Montiel, passed away at the age of 57 years old, when in the early morning of this Sunday, August 21, 2022, she suffered a fire in her house, where she was at the time of the incident. She was a great boxer and woman who gave her all for boxing even after hanging up the gloves. Carmen left a legacy of being the second female boxer to be issued a professional boxing license by the Argentine Boxing Federation.  During her  boxing career that went from 2002- 2009, accumulating 23 pro bouts. Her boxing record does not reflect the fact that she fought many of the best, which included fighting Marcela Acuna three times, Alejandra Marina Oliveras two times, Betina Garino, two times, and many others. Her first fight as a pro she fought 10 rounds against Acuna.
Prior to turning pro at the age of 31 years old, she had a reported 22 amateur fights.

Karen Bennett

Karen Bennett who passed away although we did not have the exact date.  Bennett was  a 21-dealer in Las Vegas, Nevada when she was boxing professionally.  Bennett fought in the 1970's and 1980's. She lived and trained in Las Vegas, Nevada, and  had many fights as a Bantamweight, and was the Women's World Boxing Champion WWBA in the 80's.  One of her most surprising accomplishments came when she fought Bonnie Prestwood in 1979. 

Alesia Graf

Alesia Graf Passed Away at the age of 43 years old  unexpectedly. Graf was born in Gomel, Belarus on October 14, 1980. Her birth name was Alesia Klimovich. She moved to Germany in 1999. She was one of the pioneering WIBF/GBU champions that came out of Europe in the early days of women’s boxing.  She was a true champion and a warrior.

Georgia O'Connor

Georgia O'Connor, at the age of 25 after a short battle with Cancer.  She had been diagnosed with cancer in January of 2025, and it was reported that the cancer was a rare incurable and aggressive form of the disease. Full Story

As we honor their memories, let us strive to promote awareness, advocate for change, and support the next generation of female fighters. They may no longer be with us, but their legacies endure, reminding us that the ring is not just a place of competition—it’s a stage where dreams are born and history is made. Our trailblazer sisters may be gone, but they will never be forgotten.

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