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Patricia "Tricia" Turton from Seattle, Washington was born on March 21, 1971.
She was a standout on a women's national rugby team that placed second in the
world. She left a position as a supervisor at United Parcel Service to begin a
boxing program by which trainer George Credit would take her from an initial
185-lb frame to a trim 150-lb professional fighter.
Tricia began to compete as an amateur boxer in 2002. On August 1, 2002 in the
178-lb semifinal at the 2002 USA Boxing National Championships
in Scranton, PA, eventual division winner Faye Jacobs Hollins of Winnabow, NC
defeated her
by a 7-5 margin.
On July 12, 2003 in the 176-lb final of the USA Boxing National Championships in
Fort Lauderdale, FL,
Bose Ijaola of Chicago defeated Tricia Turton by a 6-3 margin. Tricia had won
her semifinal
the day before by a 14-6 margin over Bianca Acosta of Longmont, CO.
On July 31, 2004 in the 176-lb final of the 2004 USA Boxing National Championships in Spokane, WA,
Tricia Turton decisioned Sonya Lamonakis of Turners Falls, MA, by a 21-11 margin.
She finished her amateur career with a 16-2 record and turned pro in 2005.
Tricia made her pro debut on May 21, 2005 at the Silver Reef Casino
in Ferndale, Washington. She weighed in at 150 lbs and won by a TKO at 0:52 in the
first round over 23-year-old Rosanna Euell (149 lbs) of Aurora, Colorado who was also making her pro debut.
On June 18, 2005 at the Win-River Casino, in Redding, California
Tricia (149 lbs) won a four-round
unanimous (40-36) decision over Tanya Gallegos (5'6", 150 lbs) of
Denver, Colorado who fell to 2-2 (1 KO).
On July 22, 2005 at the Northern Lights Casino in Anacortes, Washington
Tricia (155 lbs) won by a TKO at 1:18 in the second round over Chris King (156
lbs) of Greenwood,
Colorado. King was making her pro debut and her lack of ring experience showed.
Though King was taller, she was unable to keep Turton from fighting inside.
Turton also threw effective combinations, and in the end, they took
their toll. The referee stopped the fight at 1:18 of the 2nd round when Turton
had King against the ropes, landing shots to the head and body, and King was
unable to defend herself.
On August 26, 2005 at Harrah’s Rincon Casino and Resort in Valley Center,
California, Tricia (146½ lbs) won a four-round unainimous (40-36) decision over Martha Orozco Deitchman
(148 lbs) of Thornton, Colorado who fell to 2-7-1.
On October 8, 2005,
at the Silver Reef Casino, Ferndale, Washington
Tricia (148 lbs) won an eight-round majority
(74-78,75-77,76-76) decision over veteran Lisa Holweyne
(150 lbs) of Austin, Texas for the Pacific
Northwest Boxing Federation Women’s Junior Middleweight Title. An
insider covering the bout said that the fight was close but Turton landed the harder and more accurate shots.
On November 19, 2005 at the Northern Lights Casino in Anacortes, Washington,
Tricia (148 lbs) cruised to an eight round unanimous (79-73, 79-73,80-72) decision
in a rematch with Lisa Holweyne (155 lbs) of Austin,
Texas. Turton, in only her sixth professional fight is still rough around
the edges. She left herself open up the middle, but Holewyne simply
could not let her hands go to take advantage of that flaw. Turton
was the aggressor through the fight, easily controlling the action.
Turton's big punch was a right hook, those that landed knocked Holewyne back a bit, but Turton was probably most effective simply
sticking a jab in Holewyne's face, keeping her from getting too
close. Holewyne still has some power in her punches, and she threw
some wicked uppercuts that just missed Turton's chin. Holewyne fell
to 21-6-2 (4 KO's) with the loss.
On January 20, 2006 at the Pechanga Resort and Casino in Temecula, California, Tricia
(152 lbs) won a four-round unanimous
decision over Tanya Gallegos (155½ lbs) who fell to 3-5-0.
On April 1, 2006 at the Northern Lights Casino in Anacortes, Washington Tricia
(152 lbs) won by a TKO at 1:27 in the fourth over Janae Archuleta of Denver,
Colorado.
According to a ringside report, this scheduled six-rounder was a one-sided
contest in which Turton struck at will while Archuleta
was unable to penetrate her defense effectively. Archuleta fell to 5-14-1.
On June 3, 2006 at The Palace in Auburn Hills, Michigan, Tricia (151 lbs) lost a
clear ten-round unanimous
(100-90 x 3) decision to local favorite Mary Jo Sanders
(151½ lbs) of Detroit for the vacant WIBA Junior Middleweight title.
Sanders used punishing body shots and superior speed to overpower Turton in this
bout. Sanders improved her record to 21-0-0 with the win. "I am very proud of her, more proud of her tonight than all of
her wins," said co-manager Sam
DiTusa. "She's going to get a short
rest, then she'll fight again in July. She came out of it unscathed."
In December 1, 2006 at Isleta Casino in Albuquerque,
New Mexico Holly Holm (151 lbs) of Albuquerque became a three time World
Champion as she captured the IFBA Junior Middleweight title with a
ten-round unanimous (100-90,100-90,99-91) decision over Tricia (147¾
lbs). Holm improved to 16-1-2 (5 KOs) with
the win while Turton fell to 8-2-0 (3 KOs).
On March 10, 2007 at Little Creek Casino in Shelton,
Washington, Dakota Stone of Seattle won a unanimous (80-72,77-75,78-74)
eight-round decision over Tricia for the Washington State Boxing Council
middleweight championship. Dakota Stone out-boxed Tricia Turton through the
middle rounds of an eight-round middleweight bout to claim the Washington State
Boxing Council (WSBC) Championship.
Stone, though pursued throughout the first round, was able to gain the slight
edge by landing the more accurate punches. That would continue to be the story
in the next five rounds as well. In her pursuit of Stone, Turton too often lowered
her head and bulled forward, swinging a bit too wide. That left Turton open for
Stone's straight right or left, and Stone's reach advantage made the difference
in those middle rounds. Stone appeared to tire a bit in rounds seven and eight,
while Turton increased the pressure. In round seven, while Turton did catch
Stone, she could not pile on enough shots to break Stone down, though she did
enough to take the round. Deciding who won round 8 may have depended on where a
person was sitting. Some saw Turton finally go to the body and pile up points.
Others saw Stone covering up, blocking shots and throwing the straight right
accurately enough to win the round. Stone improved to 8-4-5 (1 KOs)
while Turton fell to 8-3-0 (3 KOs).
Tricia is a boxing
instructor at Cappy's Gym near Garfield High School and tutors children from age
3 to 16 who want to learn how to box. "Boxing saved my behind," she says
of her interest in the sport. "My dad took me out of a bad scene with my mother when I was 3. You
wonder what I can teach young kids about boxing? I can teach them focus and awareness of body. I can talk to them about
choices. It's not babysitting."
Page last updated:
Monday, 12 February 2024 |
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