RR: What got you into boxing?
CH: I always wanted to box. I can remember when I
was very young looking at tapes of Ali saying to myself, "I can do that!"
But at that time there was not female boxing. So when did learn of female
boxing, about 10 years later, I jumped right on it. I trained for just 6
months before turning pro.
RR: Why did you turn pro, without fighting
amateurs first?
CH: I could not get any fights at the amateur level.
That is why I turned pro so quickly.
RR: Do you have any upcoming bouts?
CH: I am supposed to fight April 11 in California
against Chris Kruez.
RR: Where do you see yourself in a year, in three
years?
In a year, I see my career really taken off. I want
to put myself on the map as one of the "pound for pound" best woman
fighter out there. In three years, I want to be a household name. I want
to have a world champion belt in all three women sanction body. I want to
make history.
RR: Who is on your "hit list" to fight next?
CH: I really want to fight Melissa Salamone! I have
heard rumors of her saying I cannot fight and she will beat me anytime.
So I am calling her out. But she will not fight me! I will fight her
anytime! I want to fight her in her hometown! That is how bad I want to
fight her. I also want a rematch against Lucia Rijker. Other than that, I
want to fight the best fighters out there. I want to fight anyone that will
get in the ring with me.
RR: Do you know of any fighters that have been
ducking you?
CH: Yes! Female fighters have been ducking me! For
example, Melissa Salamone! Why? I really do not know! Some say they
will not fight me unless the money is right. Melissa camp is asking for
50,000 to fight me! Why! I am not the one with a world champion belt. I have
only 5 fights under my belt period! So why are the girls so afraid? Or
should I say why are the promoters and managers so afraid to put their girls
in front of me. I really do not blame them. If I had to fight me I would be
afraid too. smile) (Me too, double smile. T.L.Fox)
RR: What kind of preparation to you do to prepare
for a fight?
CH: I do not do anything special to prepare for a
fight. I train hard and fight the fight in my mind the night before the
fight. Yes, I am ready to go 10 rounds, but I do not want to fight for a
championship belt right now. I want to get some more fights under my belt
before I fight for a championship belt. I want to build up my name so when I
fight for a championship belt it will have a better chance to be seen on TV
and there will be a lot of viewers meaning more money.
RR: Do you study your opponents before a fight?
CH: I do not study my opponents. I train to fight
all type of fighters so it does not matter who I fight. I will be ready. I
am a natural at what I do and my body is like an animal and the weather. My
body adapts to how the fighter fights. I can box, I can fight inside, I can
fight dirty, whatever is brought to me in the ring, I have something for
it. So no, I do not study my opponent.
RR: What is going through your mind right before
you step into the ring to fight?
CH: Right before I get in the ring, I am so
nervous I feel like I have to go to the restroom! I am asking myself, "Do I
really want to box? Is boxing for me?" I hate that feeling. So what I
do is listen to music. I have to listen to music before a fight or I will
go crazy! But when I enter that ring, and we meet in the middle of the ring,
I am calm and ready to have some fun.
RR: Do you have a game plan when stepping into the
ring?
CH: Once inside the ring my boxing talent,
instincts, and my trainer advise determines how I fight.
RR: What are your strength, and weaknesses as a
fighter?
CH: My strength is my defense skills. I am very
hard to hit. I also hit very hard as well. I guess that is also a strength.
(smile) I would like to improve on my left hook and going to the body.
RR: Who was your toughest opponent?
CH: My toughest opponent was to Lucia Rijker. I
fought her my second fight. I did not know how to use my boxing skills and
I was not in shape when I fought her. I did not know who she was until the
day before the fight when I saw a special on her on HBO. I learned a lot
from that. First, do not take a fight unless you are ready and stay in
shape. If I had half of the knowledge I have now when I fought that fight,
the outcome would have been much different. So I have no shame for losing
that fight because with no boxing experience, I gave one of the world's best
female fighters a lot of trouble when I fought her. The next time around
for Lucia will be trouble, trouble, trouble!
RR: How do you think that you can promote yourself
as a boxer?
CH: My trainer wants me to talk bad about other
female fighters to make them want to fight me. I know the men do that to
promote a fight but it is not my character to do that. I think by doing
interviews like this and fighting more will promote me. I love doing
interviews. I wish I can do more. I do not have a manager but my trainer is
always going around telling people what a great fighter I am and that no one
will step in the ring with me. I guess that is promoting me.
RR: What is your take on what women boxing is
doing right now?
CH: There are good changes and bad changes that is
currently happening with female boxing. The good thing is the few fights
that are shown on TV. It is not that many still but more then what it was
in the past. The bad is politics! Plain and simple. Let the girls fight
and stop babysitting them. That is really putting a damper on female boxing.
RR: How do you handle your boxing career along
with other responsibilities in your life?
CH: It is very hard to balance life with my boxing
career. I have a full-time job because bills have to be paid. To be the
best you have to train hard! After training and work all you want to do is
sleep. I find time to be with my family on the weekend. During the week
forget it.
RR: What do you do in your free time?
CH: In my free time I like to sleep! (smile) I also
like to get fan mail and read it!
RR: What would you like to say to other women
fighters?
CH: Be dedicated to your goal, train hard, and run,
run, run, and run!
RR: What would you like to say to your boxing
fans?
CH: To all my boxing fans and anyone else, I would
like to hear from you so please email me and I will email you back.