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5'8" Jessica
"Ragin'" Rakoczy (b. April 14, 1977) is from Hamilton,
Ontario, Canada.
Rakoczy's mother died when
Jessica was fifteen, leaving her to fend for herself in life
as her father "wasn't in the picture." She says the
experience has made her a
stronger person. As a high school athlete she competed in hockey,
baseball,
football, soccer, track and swimming. She was twice voted her school's
athlete of the year.
She says that her high school friends and opponents aren't surprised
that she took up
boxing, as she was "always aggressive"!
She began boxing at age 20 and
competed for two years as an amateur at the local and provincial level
in Canada.
At the 1998 Ontario
championships in St. Catharines, Jessica
won her first two fights with first- and second-round
knockouts, then went on to take the provincial bantamweight title with
a
unanimous decision over a more-experienced opponent.
Rakoczy was considered for the
Canadian national
boxing team but a multi-car accident that injured her neck, shoulder,
back and knee
prevented her from competing. A planned second run at making the
Canadian national team ended when she broke her wrist on a sparring
partner's head!
She then met and sparred with
pro hockey enforcer Marty McSorley at
Hamilton's Regency Boxing Club.
McSorley was so impressed that he offered her the financial support
needed to kick-start her pro boxing career.
"He's a wonderful guy and he's helped me a lot,"
says Rakoczy.
Jessica made her pro debut on
October 21, 2000 in Philadelphia, Mississippi,
with a
first round knockout of the busy, many-named but winless
Pamela Sepulvado (a.k.a. Kris Vado, Federal ID# LA050112) of
Shreveport,
Louisiana, who fell to 0-8-1.
 On
December 3, 2000 at Miccosukee Indian Gaming in Miami, Florida, Jessica
weighed in at 139½ lbs and moved to 2-0 with a first-round
TKO over Josephine Bracamontes (136 lbs) of Orlando, Florida, who
dropped to 0-2. This bout was stopped when Bracamontes was unable to
defend against
a series of rights to her head. (The picture of Jessica shown at the
left was taken at this fight by Sandy Goldberg.)
On January 21, 2001 at Sunset
Station in San Antonio, Texas, Rakoczy
weighed in at 135¾ lbs and won a
four-round unanimous decision over previously unbeaten local fighter
Mary Wells (140 lbs),
dropping her to 3-1. The last two rounds were shown on Fox Sports, who
appear to
have taken special note of Rakoczy as a prospect. Women's
Boxing Page
correspondent Kevin Cockle wrote that in this fight "Rakoczy
looks like a decent, rudimentary
prospect with good, if deliberate movement, and accurate hands. She
should be
given credit for executing a fight plan and actually causing Wells to
lose; she
read Wells accurately, and utilized appropriate measures to beat her.
Rakoczy
used no combination punching to speak of, no body punching, but
Jessica's jab could
be special ... she steps in and spears it with tremendous commitment,
and with her
lanky locomotion and long reach, it seems the logical punch to build
on. She has a
straight right as well ... as long as she's able to control pace and
score up the
middle, she'll be effective."
 Rakoczy
then moved to Las Vegas to train. Her next pro
bout pitted her against another up-and-coming prospect, Mikee Stafford
of Northridge, California, in her first six-rounder. Their bout at the
Hard Rock Hotel and Casino on April 1, 2001
saw Jessica recover from an early knockdown and battle back to
win a six-round unanimous (58-55) decision.
Stafford fell to 2-2 (2 KO's)
On May 20, 2001 at Belterra
Casino Resort in Belterra, Indiana
she weighed in at 134 lbs and won a six-round shutout decision (60-54
on all cards) over
Vikki Clardy (5'0", 131 lbs) of
Cincinnati, Ohio, who fell to 2-1. Rakoczy used her height advantage
to control Clardy from long range throughout the fight.
According to a ringside correspondent, Rakoczy had Clardy in trouble
against the ropes
near the end of the fourth round but couldn't get the KO.
 On July 8, 2001 at Texas Station in Las Vegas,
Nevada,
Rakoczy weighed in at 134 lbs and won a four-round unanimous (40-36)
decision over a game Imelda Arias (136½ lbs) of Mexico, who fell to
8-12 (copyrighted photo at left by Mary Ann Owen)
On August 18, 2001 at Cox
Pavilion in Las Vegas, Nevada. Jessica
weighed in at 136 lbs and won a six-round unanimous (58-56,58-56,59-55)
decision
in a rematch with Mikee Stafford (135 lbs).
Stafford was cut by an accidental head butt in the fourth round and
appeared
to fade after this in an otherwise competitive bout.
Stafford fell to 2-4, 2 KO's.
On November 9, 2001 at Spa
Resort and Casino in Palm Springs, California,
Jessica won a six-round unanimous decision over
Michelle Linden
of Florida who fell to
6-3 (6 KOs). Linden was coming off a year-long layoff after being KO'd
by Britt Van Buskirk and she didn't pick an easy
comeback opponent. Linden tried to outmuscle Rakoczy at close quarters
and in the
clinches, but Rakoczy's boxing skills, jabs and combinations won the
day.
 On
February 17, 2002 at the Stardust Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada,
Jessica pounded out a clear six-round unanimous decision over the IFBA
Featherweight champion
Layla McCarter,
also of Las Vegas, in a 135-lb bout.
There were many fast-paced exchanges and both landed solidly at times,
but Rakoczy looked sharper and controlled the action better on her
way to a 59-55,59-55,60-54 decision. McCarter slipped to 9-6-3 (2 KO's)
with the
loss.
On April 30, 2002 at Santa Ana
Casino Star in Bernalillo, New Mexico,
Jessica (135½ lbs) had little problem winning
a six-round unanimous (59-55) decision over veteran Gloria Ramirez
(135½ lbs) of Sunland Park, New Mexico, who fell to 8-11-3 (2 KO).
Rakoczy elected to stay on the outside and work her jab. Ramirez seemed
unwilling
to mix it up with her until the final round, drawing some boos from the
1000-strong crowd.
On July 9, 2002 at Playboy
Mansion in Beverly Hills, California,
Jessica won by a TKO at 1:00 in the first round over Gail Muzzey of
Newhall, California in
a lightweight bout. Muzzey failed to answer several hard right hands
from Rakoczy, bringing
the referee in to stop the one-sided punishment. Unranked Muzzey fell
to 2-2 (2 KO).
The ``fight" was carried on ESPN2's Friday Night Fights.
On November 22, 2002 at Palace
Indian Gaming Center in Lemoore, California,
a live crowd estimated at 1750 saw
Jessica (135 lbs) win by TKO over Cheryl Nance (5'5½", 135 lbs) of
Greensboro, South Carolina
at 0:51 in the fourth round. Nance, who looked out of shape and was at
a significant reach
disadvantage, had been backed into the ropes and wasn't fighting back
when it was stopped by referee Pat Russell. Nance had pressed the
action in round one and tried to engage Rakoczy in a
slugfest. Rakoczy complied for about half of the opening round but then
began to work at longer range where she had a clear advantage. The
second round began with Rakoczy
more willing to press the action, and she dropped Nance with a straight
left that opened a cut
under her left eye. The cut wasn't a factor but Rakoczy controlled the
rest of the fight from
longer range. She got the upper hand in the fourth and earned the
stoppage with Nance
covering up against the ropes.
"I'm fighting people with [good] records and
beating them," Rakoczy told reporters.
"I have a great trainer. We've been working
together for two fights now, and we're getting better and better."
Nance fell to 6-9-0 (6 KO).
 On
January 17, 2003, she returned to the Palace to take on undefeated
local favorite Jenifer Alcorn (5'7", 133½ lbs) of
Fresno,
California over ten rounds for the vacant IWBF Lightweight title.
Rakoczy (134¼ lbs) came out
on the short end of a controversial split (96-94,92-98,98-92) decision.
Jenifer Alcorn had carried
the fight to her aggressively, but Rakoczy moved well and threw great
combinations
throughout a hard-fought bout that had a standing-room-only crowd on
its feet. Alcorn was cut on her forehead
by an accidental clash of heads in the third round and suffered a
broken nose.
Rakoczy, who had boxed effectively in what may have been her best ring
performance yet,
immediately asked for a rematch after the wildly discrepant split
decision. Alcorn, who also held
the WIBF Lightweight title, advanced to 15-0-0 (10 KO).
[Fight Report/Photos
by Steve Cummings, who took the photo above; see also the MPEGs in
MPEG/Photo Gallery #87 on the WBAN Records
Member Site.]
Jessica Rakoczy in action vs.
Lisa Lewis
© copyrighted photo taken by Jessica Trevino
On February 19, 2004, again at
the Palace Indian Gaming Center in Lemoore,
Jessica won the IBA Lightweight title with a clear
(99-90,100-89,100-89) unanimous
10-round decision over Lisa Lewis of Fresno, California. This bout was
the main event of the Hard Road To Glory show promoted by George
Chung's American Champion Sports and the Palace. Rakoczy was returning
to the ring for the first time since another
injury in an auto accident. She began the fight aggressively
and decked Lewis with a hard right early in the opening round. Jessica
never
looked back as she continued to dominate Lewis with her reach advantage
and superior boxing skills. As the fight
progressed, Lewis began to work her way inside more consistently
despite taking a steady barrage from the nimble and quick-handed
Rakoczy,
but she was unable to turn the tide of the fight and lost by a virtual
shutout decision. Lewis fell to
6-8-0 (2 KO). (Fight photos available in Photo
Gallery #146 on the WBAN Records
Member Site).
Rakoczy dominated Mia St. John
in April 2004
© copyrighted photo taken by Jessica Trevino
On April 15, 2004 at the
Palace Indian Gaming Center in Lemoore, California, Jessica (132½ lbs)
won an
eight-round unanimous decision over Mia
St. John (138½ lbs) in a non-title fight that was the
co-main event on the card. Rakoczy dominated the bout with her speed
and power, occasionally pinning St. John
against the ropes with a barrage of overhand rights. For her part, St.
John tried
to stay out of trouble and look for opportunities to counter the
hard-charging
Canadian. Rakoczy improved to 14-1-0 (4 KO) with the win while dropping
the outgunned St. John
to 31-4-2 (13 KO). (Fight photos available in Photo
Gallery #162 on the WBAN Records
Member Site).
“She is fast, she is
strong, but I bobbed and weaved and dodged,” said St. John
about her loss. "I had to
have really good defense because I knew she was a strong fighter. She
really is the fastest fighter I ever fought ... I’d say she is the best
fighter I ever fought.”
St. John also said she had told her own trainer Robert Garcia about
Rakoczy’s skills but that he had shrugged them off, only to be
impressed once the fight started! “Robert told me she fights
like a dude,” said St. John, who then tried not to let
Rakoczy get set for her power punches.
After the decision over St.
John, Rakoczy took the microphone and announced that she wants local
favorite Jenifer Alcorn
of Fresno to come out of retirement for a rematch of their hotly
contested battle for the IWBF lightweight title.
"Give me a rematch," Rakoczy pleaded,
adding "I'm sure everybody wants to see Alcorn in the ring
again."
On May 22, 2004 at Warnor's Theater in Fresno,
California, about 1200 fans saw Jessica win an eight-round unanimous
(79-73,79-73,80-72) decision over Gloria
Ramirez of El Paso, Texas. According to Steve Cummings
of InTheCorner.Net, "Rakoczy's win over Ramirez saw the IBA
champ win seven of eight rounds against a southpaw who employed a lot
of movement. The lefty stance and side-to-side work of Ramirez appeared
to keep Rakoczy from getting off to her customary fast start, though
Jessica pressed forward constantly. Over the first two rounds, Ramirez
landed her left often but it didn't have the steam on it like the shots
she got back. Meanwhile, Gloria's punches were mostly one at a time
while Jessica would move into position and throw combinations when the
time was right. Rounds three and four saw Rakoczy get in her
best power shots and Ramirez' face started to show some swelling. The
pattern continued through the sixth round, Rakoczy coming forward,
Ramirez using lateral movement looking to counter. In each frame
Jessica would let loose with both hands when in range, and then
continue stalking until another opportunity arose. The last
two rounds were Ramirez' best, as she finished off the seventh with her
best exchange to that point. She answered a Rakoczy attack with her
customary left hand shot and when the two battled on the inside, Gloria
let loose with an uppercut that found the mark. As the round wound
down, Ramirez gave as good as she got, though she didn't win the
round. Ramirez did win the eighth, however, as she came out
more aggressively and landed clean shots with consistency."
Ramirez fell to 9-13-5 (1 KO).
Jessica Rakoczy vs Olivia in July 2004
© Copyrighted photo taken by Jessica Trevino
On July 1, 2004 at
the Palace Indian Gaming Center in Lemoore, California, Jessica (134
lbs) won an eight-round unanimous (80-72,80-72,79-73) decision over Olivia Gerula (133½ lbs) of
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Rakoczy was
"too fast and too accurate" for Pereira according to a
ringside correspondent. Pereira, whose past fights include battles with
Kathy Collins,
Melissa Del Valle
and Fredia Gibbs, fell to
5-7-2 (1 KO). For more photos and video clips of this bout see MPEG/Photo Gallery #185
on the WBAN Records
Member Site.
On December 16, 2004 at the
Palace Indian Gaming Center in Lemoore, California, Jessica (135 lbs)
TKO'd Dana Kendrick (128 lbs) of Hattiesburg, Mississippi
just 34 seconds into the first round of their scheduled eight-rounder.
Rakoczy landed a jab and a right cross to drop Kendrick.
Kendrick fell to 7-3 (5 KO).
Rematch with Mia St. John, February 2005
© copyrighted photo taken by Jessica Trevino
On February 10, 2005 at the
Palace Indian Gaming Center in Lemoore, California, Jessica (135¼ lbs)
won by a TKO at the end of the second round of a scheduled six-rounder
with Mia St. John (137
lbs). St. John, who took the bout at short notice, had been
cut over her eye in the second round and did not come out for round
three on the
advice
of her corner. St. John fell to 40-5-2 (17 KO) with the loss
For more photos of this bout see Photo
Gallery #240 on the WBAN Records
Member Site.
Jessica in action vs. Belinda Laracuente
© copyrighted photo taken by Jessica Trevino
On April 1, 2005 at the Palace
Indian Gaming Center in Lemoore, California, Jessica (134¼ lbs) won a
unanimous (99-91, 98-92, 98-92) ten-round decision over Miami-based Belinda Laracuente (131½
lbs) of Puerto Rico for the vacant NABA women's lightweight title and
defending her IBA Lightweight title. Although Jessica lost
only two rounds on any judge's scorecard, she was critical of her own
performance. "I should have been a lot busier," she
said, "she was really awkward. I've never fought anyone who
fought like that before. … It's something we have to work on in the
gym." Laracuente fell to 21-7-2 (9 KO).
For more photos of this bout by Jessica Trevino see Photo Gallery #250
on the WBAN Records
Member Site.
Jessica looking confident vs.
Jane Couch in July 2005
© copyrighted photo taken by Jessica Trevino
On July 21, 2005 at the Palace
Indian Gaming Center, in Lemoore, California, Jessica
(133 lbs)
retained her IBA World Lightweight title and won the vacant WBC
Lightweight title when she stopped Jane
Couch (133½ lbs) of Fleetwood, U.K. in the
sixth round. The first round was close but Rakoczy outboxed Couch the
rest of the way and Couch was soon red-faced from the combination of
Jessica's punches and the intense heat ... the fight was the first on a
card held outdoors while the temperature was reportedly 104
degrees! WBAN's insider said that when the bout was stopped
with Couch taking punishment in a corner in the sixth, some
people were upset and thought that it was stopped too soon. For
more photos of this bout by Jessica Trevino see
Photo Gallery #273 on the WBAN Records
Member Site. Jane Couch fell to 25-7-0
(8 KOs) while Jessica improved to 20-1 (7 KO's)
Jessica during her title loss to Eliza Olson
© Copyrighted photo by Jessica
Trevino
On September 17, 2005 at the Palace Indian
Gaming Center in Lemoore, California, Jessica ( lbs) lost by a 10-round
unanimous (97-92,97-92,98-91)
decision to
Eliza Olson
(135 lbs) for the IBA and WBC lightweight titles, Olson knocked Rakoczy
to the canvas in the ninth round in what observers tell WBAN was an
excellent fight. For more of
Jessica Trevino's photos of this fight see MPEG/Photo
Gallery #289
on the WBAN Records
Member Site).
Olson improved to 9-5-3 (2 KOs) with this win.
On December 2, 2005 at the
Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino in Lemoore, California, Jessica (135½
lbs) won a six-round unanimous (60-54, 59-55,59-55) decision
over WBAN #7 ranked junior lightweight
Angel
McNamara (132½ lbs) of Cambridge, Maryland who fell to 5-4-1 (2 KO's).
Jessica vs. Terri Blair,
February 2006
© Copyrighted
photo by Jessica Trevino
On February 24, 2006 at the
Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino in Lemoore, California, Jessica (134 lbs)
won an eight-round unanimous (79-71,80-72,80-72) decision over tough Terri Blair (5'6", 132½ lbs) of Louisville, Kentucky.
According to FightNews Canada correspondent David Robinett:
"Rakoczy outboxed the plucky
Blair via unanimous decision, though the fight seemed closer than the
official scores. While Blair had her moments when engaging Rakoczy in
close quarters, she had no answer for Rakoczy’s punishing right hand
and superior boxing skills from the outside."
Blair
fell to a deceptive 6-10-2 (3 KOs) with the loss and went on to
score a stunning upset TKO of
Sumya Anani in her next fight! For photo and
video coverage of this fight by Jessica Trevino see MPEG/Photo
Gallery #339
on the WBAN Records
Member Site).
On April 12, 2006 at the Tachi
Palace in Lemoore, California, Jessica (136 lbs) TKO'd Angel McNamara
(133 lbs) of Cambridge, Maryland at 1:42 of the fifth round to win the
WIBA Intercontinental Lightweight title. Jessica controlled
the action for the first four rounds then opened up when she had
McNamara in trouble against the ropes in the fifth. Rakoczy
improved her record to 23-2-0 (8 KO's) while McNamara
fell to 6-5-1 (2 KO's).
On
September 2, 2006 at the
Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, Jessica
Rakoczy (132 lbs) and Belinda
Laracuente
(131½
lbs) of Miami, Florida fought to a no contest when their scheduled
six-rounder was stopped at 0:47 in the third round after an
accidental head-butt cut Rakoczy.
Jessica TKO'd Tawnyah Freeman
in the first
© Copyrighted photo by Alan Messick
On December 14, 2006 at the
Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino in Lemoore, California, Jessica (132 lbs)
won a TKO at 1:17 in the first round over unranked Tawnyah Freeman (138
lbs) of Fort Smith, Arkansas for the vacant NABF Lightweight title.
Freeman fell to 8-4 (3 KO's) with this loss.
(For
more photo coverage of this fight by Alan Messick see Photo
Gallery #401
on the WBAN Records
Member Site).
On January 5, 2007 at the DeSoto Civic Center in
Southaven, Mississippi, Jessica (131 lbs) won by a TKO over Jessica
Mohs (129¾ lbs) in the second round of a scheduled eight-rounder. Mohs,
then ranked #11 at junior featherweight by WBAN, fell to
6-14-1 (1 KOs).
Jessica vs. Kelli Cofer
© Copyrighted photo by Alan Messick
On February 22, 2007 at the
Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino in Lemoore, California, Jessica (132 lbs)
won by a technical decision at 1:12 in the fifth round over Kelli Cofer (133½ lbs) of
Willard, Ohio for the WBC Lightweight title. Midway through
the round, Rakoczy got in close and landed a vicious left hook to
Cofer's head. As the right-handed Rakoczy was weaving away from the
southpaw Cofer, an accidental head butt caused a severe cut above
Cofer's eye and the bout was stopped. The decision went to the
scorecards, where it was 50-45, 50-45 and 49-45 in favor of
Rakoczy.
On May 17, 2007 at the Tachi Palace Hotel and
Casino, in Lemoore, California, a sold-out crowd of 1,450 saw Jessica
(136 lbs) win an eight-round unanimous (80-72,80-72,80-71)
decision over Terri Blair
(133½ lbs) of Louisville, Kentucky in what was described to WBAN as "a
very entertaining fight". Rakoczy improved to 27-2-0
(11 KOs) while Blair fell to 9-12-2 (5 KOs).
Rakoczy said after the fight "I
felt like I was in control from the beginning. My coach told me not to
rush it, just be smart. We don't think about fighting for knockouts.
This means the world to me, I lost this belt and now I have it back. I
feel the strongest I've ever felt in my life."
Rakoczy improved to
26-2-0 (10 KOs) with the win while Cofer fell
to
13-5-4 (3 KO's).
Jessica battles Ann Marie Saccurato
©
Copyrighted photo by Alan Messick
On September
27, 2007 at the Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino, in Lemoore, California, Ann Marie Saccurato of
White Plains, New York won the WBC Lightweight title by knocking out
Jessica Rakoczy at 1:58 in the tenth round. Rakoczy had controlled the
early rounds but was in trouble from a later-round rally by the
hard-charging Saccurato although she was reportedly ahead on two of the
three scorecards. Saccurato
dropped Rakoczy with a
stunning straight right to her face, and the referee stopped the bout. Saccurato
improved to 13-2-2 (5 KOs).
(For
more fight photos and weighin coverage by Alan Messick, see Photo Galleries #444 and #446 on
the WBAN
Member Site).
"I got caught with a big punch in the
seventh round and from that point on, I had trouble seeing,"
Jessica
told
WBAN contributor Bernie McCoy. "It was my hardest loss. I
hate to lose, but this was the hardest."
On
February 29, 2008 at the Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino in
Lemoore, California, Jessica (134½ kbs) won a 10-round unanimous
decision over Belinda Laracuente
(135 lbs) for the NABF Lightweight title.
Rakoczy advanced to 28-3-0
(11 KOs) as Laracuente dropped to 23-21-3
(9 KO's).
Cindy Serrano vs. Jessica Rakoczy
© Copyrighted photo taken by Bob Silverman
On April 17, 2008
at the Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino, in Lemoore, California,
Jessica
(132
lbs)
won a unanimous 80-72 eight-round decision over Cindy Serrano
(132½
lbs)
of New York. According to David Robinett of
FightNews.com, "Early in
the first round it was Serrano who got off to the quick start, getting
inside and landing several impressive shots to the body. Rakoczy, a
skilled boxer-puncher who is at her best when working from the outside,
was unable to keep Serrano at the end of her jab and official scores
notwithstanding, did little to blunt Serrano’s early aggression. In
round two, Serrano started to mix in some combinations from the outside
with her body work, but this seemed to provide the opening Rakoczy
needed to establish some space between the two to work her jab. The
second round was close as well but the less Serrano tried to get
inside, the more effective Rakoczy was becoming working in the center
of the ring. The fighters started round three trading jabs, which was
the beginning of the end for Serrano. Serrano was landing her jab
followed by the occasional hook to the head, but Rakoczy’s jab and
counterpunching from the outside is her bread and butter, and she was
simply landing the same punches as Serrano but more of them and
heavier. As Rakoczy started to find her rhythm, it also become harder
for Serrano to get inside past Rakoczy’s jab, all but eliminating any
chance of Serrano stealing back the momentum. The remaining rounds
followed the same pattern of Rakoczy boxing tactically from the
outside, keeping Serrano at bay and piling up points. At her best,
Rakoczy resembles the tactical version of Juan Manual Marquez or Vernon
Forrest, tall, rangy and effective, and one of the best in the women’s
game, if not terribly exciting. However the hometown crowd appreciated
Rakoczy’s professional effort, and applauded warmly as the scores were
announced." (For
more fight photos by Bob Silverman, see Photo
Gallery #476 on the WBAN
Member Site).
On April 23, 2009 at the Tachi
Palace in Lemoore, California, Jessica returned to the ring at a trim
130½ lbs after giving birth to a baby boy and taking a one year layoff
from boxing. She won a six-round unanimous decision over
Belinda Laracuente
(133½ lbs) of New York in a bout that saw her shake off ring rust in
the early rounds to score a 58-56 decision on all three scorecards.
According
to Rich Bergeron in UnilimitedFightNews.com, "In the opening
round, Rakoczy started off slow while trying to find her timing. As the
fight continued, Rakoczy used her jab more effectively and found a home
for her left hook. Laracuente had some brief moments where she landed
some nice overhand rights that won her a couple of rounds. Entering the
final stages of the bout, it was clear Rakoczy had found her rhythm and
started to land at will." The loss while dropping
Laracuente to 23-25-3 (9 KOs).
"Life hit me with a
pregnancy and I enjoyed it," Rakoczy told
the Fresno Bee. "A year is not too long to be off, but it
took a while to get back into it. [Being a mother] is harder than
boxing. I love it though, it's the greatest joy I've had in my life."
Rakoczy said she wants to regain the women's title she last held in
September 2007, adding "It's like a new start."
On July 16, 2009 on the undercard at the Tachi
Palace Casino in Lemoore, California, Jessica (127½ lbs) won by a TKO at 1:13 of the
third round over Jessica Mohs (134½ lbs) of Oklahoma City in a non-title six round
bout. Rakoczy said after the fight, “I went in there and did
what I had to. I’m looking to get back in the ring as soon as possible.
I feel good and I’m ready to get back into title contention.”
Mohs fell to 7-21-2 (2
KO's).
Jessica
then switched her attention to MMA competition, compiling an 0-3 record
before a TKO win in 2010 that was declared a no contest after she
tested positive for banned painkillers. Rakoczy admitted
that she had taken a Percocet pill after a sleepless
night
before the fight but did not inform doctors at the arena. She
received a nine-month suspension of her MMA license for the infraction.
On
May 5, 2012, Jessica (124 lbs) returned to the boxing ring at
the
Hard Rock Casino and Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada and scored a convincing
fourth-round TKO over Brittany Cruz (125 lbs) of Thornton, Colorado who
fell to 8-6-1 (1 KO). Rakoczy dropped Cruz in the third and
fourth rounds before referee Vic Drakulich stopped
it at 1:27
in the fourth. [Video]
On January 24, 2013 at the
Coca-Cola Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Jessica (122 lbs)
won a ten-round unananimous (99-90x3) decision over Ada Velez (122 lbs)
of Hollywood, Florida for the vacant WIBA Junior Featherweight title.
According to Michele Emrick of the Nashville Boxing Examiner:
"Rakoczy dominated the fight from bell to bell,
scoring a knockdown in the first round. When the end came, all three
judges had the same score of 99-90. Dewey Cooper, who trains Jessica Rakoczy
was pleased with the performance (saying) 'Jessica controlled the entire fight.
She got headbutted with 1 second left in the 9th round and got a pretty severe
cut over her right eye, but the lopsided score was a direct indication
of the way the fight went.' The first round knockdown seemed to have an affect
on Velez as she fought passively for the remainder of the fight. This
allowed Rakoczy to control the action, leaving little room for any
other scores than those the judges gave." The win advanced Rakoczy's pro boxing record to
33-3 (12 KO's) while Velez fell to 20-5-3 (6 KO's). Jessica was named WBAN's Fighter of the Month for February 2013 in recognition of her win over Ada Velez.
 Jessica is managed by Audrey Hein and J. Prince and
her trainer is Dewey Cooper, also Almazbek "Kid Diamond" Raiymkulov helps with her corner.
For more information about Jessica, please visit her
own web
site
To check out fight reports,
complete up-to-date boxing records for women boxers, with huge digital
photos and video coverage of Jessica Rakoczy's fights you can go to
the WBAN Records
Member Site
Other Jessica Rakoczy links
Page last updated: Monday February 4 2013
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