Tuesday, July 10, 2007 She-boxing and the whole shebang shakeup By Rommel C. Manlosa Sun.Star Staff Reporter
WATCHING for the first time a live women’s professional boxing match was a sight full of excitement for the boxing fans inside the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino Grand Ballroom, who gave all whoops and cheers to the two ladies exchanging punches on top of the canvas for a good four-round event.
Bantamweight Kim Bo Young, 22, who won her first two fights in South Korea met her match against the debuting Judith Subingsubing, 23, a former member of Team Cebu City Women’s boxing and currently a full time fitness boxing trainer at the Fight Club gym at the Banilad Town Center.
Subingsubing did get a split decision win with 39-37 from Noel Flores and Edward Ligas while Jonathan Davis gave Kim a 39-37 win.
Both fighters, who may as well pass as beauty titlists, boxed fiercely amid the mad cheers.
Promoter Sammy Gello-ani said that among the three remaining members of the Cebu City’s women boxing team, only Subingsubing nodded to his call.
“It was only Judith who agreed to fight as pro among the remaining members of the team. So we have to train her for one month at the ALA gym, and sparred with the male amateurs,” Gello-ani said.
Korea has four International Female Boxers Association world champions—straw-weight (up to 102lbs) Ji Hyun Park, junior flyweight (up to 108lbs) Juhee Kim, junior bantamweight (up to 115lbs) Gi Young Kim and Jr. lightweight Ji Hye Woo.
Training ground
The Philippines, meantime, started having professional women’s fight late last year, with the undefeated Gretchen Abaniel, a minimum-weight campaigner who shows lots of promise.
Women boxing has its most popular fighter, too, in the name of stunner Leila Ali, daughter of the great Muhammad Ali and the WBC Female and Women’s International Boxing association super-middleweight champion. She is undefeated in 24 fights, including 21 by knockout.
Like most stunning women’s boxing champion, Ali has her own website where fans could take a peak at her profiles, galleries in and out the ring.
Interest
Gello-ani admitted that seeing Kim and Subingsubing fight made him interested in women’s boxing.
“I think I could set up a stable of female boxers that I could book for a fight abroad. Since women’s boxing, especially in the US is now getting popular,” added Gello-ani.
Kim and her promoter Lee Dong-Gyu of BP Entertainment wanted a rematch with Subingsubing and it is now being arranged because according to Gello-ani “I saw it was an even match. The best result for me was a draw. But I could arrange a rematch.
I promised Kim a rematch. And probably it will take place soon.” (RCM)
