6 July 2008
WEBA Roundup with Devon Ling and Val
Henning
'She'll need some time', says Mike Corrigan
'We are still learning', says Balio
'I had to destroy her', says Carolina
'We are AKO', says Marisol
'It's starting to become a dream', says Sandra
Val and Devon are enjoying the sunshine on the beach in Pattaya, sipping cold drinks and relaxing in their swimsuits after watching the hot and heavy grudge match action at the Fighting Tigers Club the night before.
Val: This is the life! I could take a lot more of this, hon! It was nice of Mister Wu to give us the extra weekend at the hotel!
Devon (grinning): Yeah, considering we're not blondes, I'm honored!
Val (laughs): So ... what about those title fights on the last WEBA card? Heather Corrigan took a gamble, and lost, huh?
Devon: Yeah,
Heather
Corrigan had KO'd Rose Mora for the world title but it looked
like nobody
wanted to fight her for it this time! So she called out Russia's Natalya
"Bomber" Borozdina, who'd stopped her the last two times they
fought. Corrigan had done some training since those losses
to Borozdina, but the changes she'd made to her fight strategy
weren't enough as Borozdina knocked her down in the first and fourth
rounds, bloodied her mouth badly, and then knocked her out in the sixth!.
Heather tried to work her usual body attack with Natalya against the ropes,
and won a couple of rounds that way. but the Hellcat's defense has never
been the best in the WEBA and Borozdina had the firepower and the raw
aggression to get in Heather's face and take advantage of that.
Val: Styles matter in WEBA boxing, and it's rare for any boxer to build a fight style that's equally good against all opponents. Corrigan had a great run as champion in her heyday but we've now seen three straight fights where Borozdina's taken her down hard with a hard-charging headhunting style. Heather's been able to hang on against some of the other WEBA welterweights, but now we have a Russian world champion again for the first time since Nina Dmitrieva. This was a convincing win for the Russian as Heather took a savage beating in the sixth round before she was knocked out. This was no lucky punch ending, either, Corrigan got whupped as plain as day, hon! .
Devon: Yeah, then the Hellcat came straight to Pattaya and got clobbered again in a grudge match with trash-talking Swedish fighter Carolina Kusmagk. It's been a week from hell for the Corrigans so I wonder what'll be going on in their gym over the summer break.
Val: It's a tough sport that finally takes its toll on its veterans, as their endurance goes away. Corrigan, Freeman, and Mora aren't the same fighters they were at their peaks, but the temptation to hang on after a top career in WEBA is hard to resist. Telisha Cooper and Melody Washington quit while they were ahead, but more of the girls have waited until they start losing big! So we'll have to see how the veterans who are left in this feel when they come back from the summer. How about the featherweights, the new world champ from Chile held on there, huh?
Devon:
World
champion Mónica Rodriguez gave up some early rounds to the reigning
WEBA champion Raquel Rivera from Arizona, but then the former gang girl
from Santiago settled herself down and reeled off a
string of winning rounds later to build up a points lead.
Raquel didn't go quietly, though, she's a battler who wants that
world title belt every bit as much as Mónica does, and in the late going she
started to take advantage of bad swelling around Mónica's eyes
and started to knock Rodriguez around again. Mónica went to
the canvas from a body shot in the twelfth and took a standing eight in the
thirteenth as Raquel slugged her way back into the fight.
Mónica may have been lucky to survive the fifteenth round, as Raquel went all
out and tried to knock her out. The Chilean went to the canvas three
times in the final frame, and barely beat the ten count the last couple
of times, so Raquel came within a second or so of taking Mónica's
world
title away. Nobody was more relieved than Rodriguez when the
final bell sounded with her still on her feet! She was dazed
and bleeding but the scorecards were still her way for a unanimous
decision.
The Rivera team have to be thinking their girl could have won
this fight if she'd started her comeback a round or two earlier, or if she'd
hit Mónica Rodriguez just once more in the final round! This looks
like a rivalry that could go on for a while, Val, though Mónica may
have an edge because she's the world champ already and she has a
little more training she can do, Raquel is obviously gonna be able to give the
champ a tough fight any time they meet.
Val: The WEBA middleweight title fight didn't end up that close, though.
Devon: Sharon
"Smashmouth" Brown's really come together as a fighter this year and she's settled herself
in as the WEBA champion but Maria "The Huntress" Lozada won their last
bout so this was expected to be a good test for the USMC boxer. They
traded rounds pretty evenly for a while but Sharon began to take charge
in the fifth when she started to land heavily to Maria's face. Sharon
opened a bad cut under the Bolivian's right eye then zeroed in
on that like a laser beam and put Maria down on the canvas
twice. It was clear that Balio Frez's fighter had a big
problem and the ring doctor was called to the Bolivian corner, but Maria
wanted to go on and Balio agreed so the fight
continued. Maria used her boxing skills to stay out of trouble in the
sixth but Sharon was able to turn up the heat again in the seventh and
Maria was in big trouble against the ropes. I wondered if Balio
would let her boxer go on after Maria took a vicious pounding to her face,
but once again Maria pleaded with the ring doctor not to stop the fight
and let her continue. It was a valiant effort by the Huntress, but the eighth was all
Sharon Brown who showed no mercy as she worked Maria over, dropping her
twice more before she finally put her away with a ferocious uppercut.
Devon: Yeah, the other lightweight contenders were lining up to
challenge the new young champ from Brazil, who'd barely squeaked past
Billy-Jo Fulton in her first defense! Carmen chose to rematch
with former champion
Frida Svensson from Sweden, who she'd upset by a split decision in
their first fight and then knocked out in a seventeen-round
grudge rematch at Wu's. This was another nail-biter like their first
WEBA match as they traded
rounds for a while. Santos got the upper hand in the fifth and dropped
the Swede for a short count with a nice combination, then kept the
pressure on her for a standing eight. Frida was clearly in trouble at
that point, but she showed her determination by digging in and making a fight
of it for the next several
rounds, then she put Carmen on the canvas for a short count in the
eighth.
Frida looked confident after that knockdown but Carmen recovered and
was able to keep the fight on a more even keel until the eleventh
round, when she clobbered Frida with a great hook to her nose that
dropped the Swedish boxer for a six count. After that Carmen kept
the heat on and she had Frida on
her back foot for the rest of the fight. It went to the scorecards where
Carmen had hung on the WEBA title with a narrow win on points.
Val: It was another close win for the Brazilian newbie, who's showing a lot of ring savvy for a fighter who hasn't been in the WEBA very long. Carmen isn't blowing anyone at the middle level of our game away, but she's fighting steady and she seems to be using her gym time well. Of course, she came straight to Wu's after the title defense and survived what for her was an unusually bloody brawl with Billy-Jo Fulton, eventually knocking the Kentucky girl out in the seventh round. So Santos will be heading into the summer break on a thirteen-fight unbeaten streak with a nice training kitty for her to draw on for her gym time.
Devon: How 'bout the undercard, Val. Any highlights for you there?
Val: Yeah,
Another battle of Canadian middleweights went to the junior champ
Karen "Kickass" Kelly, who's another fast improving fighter. A while
back she was getting knocked out when she fought big Jenny Johnson,
the Brandon Bomber, but this rematch was a different story as Karen
Kelly lived up to her nickname and kicked ass this time. Jenny was
badly cut over her right eye by the end of the second round as
Karen had little trouble getting through the bigger girl's defense,
and it went downhill from there as Jenny took several trips to the
canvas. By the end of the seventh round, Jenny Johnson's face was
a mess, she was covered in her own blood and the doctor was in her
corner saying the fight should be stopped. Jenny's pride was too
much for that and she pleaded to be allowed to go one more round,
a wish that's gotten a lot of boxers in trouble ... and against a
finisher like Karen Kelly, this was a really bad idea! Karen pounded
Jenny to a devastating KO in the eighth, and Jenny went straight to
the hospital to be patched up ... a heckuva way to start the summer
break for the big girl from Manitoba, and but perhaps a big
statement about next season for the girl from Thunder Bay! The other
big KO was Chicago's Dangerous Diedre Dornan taking care of business
against the feisty Swede Carolina Kusmagk, in a welterweight bout that
started out fairly even but began to get out of hand when Carolina
opened up a bad cut under Diedre's right eye in the fifth. Because
the cut was under her eye it didn't do much to impair Diedre's
performance, but it did get her mad as hell and she beat the tar
out of Carolina the rest of the way, finally scoring a brutal three-knockdown
KO in the eighth. Carolina Kusmagk got outhit and outworked later in
this fight but she went on to get big time revenge by devastating Heather
Corrigan here in Pattaya. The welterweight title scene is more and more
up for grabs than ever, it seems, with Corrigan unable to hang on to
the title and some rip-roaring power punchers also making progress in
the game!
Val:
Yup ... it always is!
Mike Corrigan blocks the
reporters as they try to get into Heather's dressing room in Pattaya after her
loss to Carolina Kusmagk.
Reporter: Is Heather going to be ok, Mike? Mike: I think so, she's a tough kid. Reporter: Can we talk to her?
Mike: No way, her jaw's busted. Look, (Mike shakes his head) this was bad, Give her some space, fellas.
Reporter: Bad enough for her to think about leaving the ring?
Mike: Bad enough that I don't want to see her get hurt like this again. Reporter: Will you be calling the shots about her decision? Mike: No,
Heather will, but she'll need some time. This was a bad
loss, but she's a fighter, always has been. If she wants to go on,
I'll be with her, but if she doesn't, I think she's given this sport
her best and I'm proud of her. I'll stand by her decision
whatever it is. Reporter: Any message for Carolina Kusmagk? Mike: Yes.
She won this fight but she's still a scumbag. She
called Heather a "second rate whore". Heather's always behaved like a
champion. The one thing nobody can call my girl with any
credibility is "second rate". Heather's coming up to two hundred fights
in the WEBA, two hundred! She's lost almost as many fights as Kusmagk
ever fought, but for ten years she's only fought the best! And
she has more wins than anyone in history against the best.
She's taken bad defeats and learned from them, she's
come back and found ways to win and she always behaved like the
champion you know she is. I am very proud of her. That
scumbag Kusmagk is the one who's second rate for talking that
way about someone with Heather's record and achievements.
What titles has Kusmagk won? She's so full of herself before
even doing anything, she's no champion, not like Heather's been Reporter:
But she just beat Heather badly, Mike!
Mike: Heather
fought a good fight for the first four rounds. I thought she was
winning it, but she got very unlucky. Kusmagk threw a couple of good
rights in the fifth, and one broke her jaw.
Without the jawbreaker, who knows what might have happened?
How many girls would have fought on after being hurt like that
by a much bigger fighter? She could have taken a knee,
let Kusmagk have the win, gone home and started healing.
But she didn't. She's not a quitter, fellas, she's a
Corrigan. We fight. Heather fought on with her jaw broken,
she made Kusmagk win it.
Devon:
She got the
daylights beaten out of her, Mike. It was brutal!
Mike: I
was wondering when you'd show up to gloat, Devon. You've been
talking Heather down for so long. I don't know why you do
this because Heather's twice the woman you are. Heather came to Wu's to
fight Wu's rules so she knew what that means. You go back for more
even if you're hurt. You don't give up. You
hang tough and take punishment if that's how the rounds go.
That's what Heather did. Devon: Do you want a
rematch with Kusmagk?
Mike: We
just want to get Heather home now and get her well. We'll think about
what she wants when she's whole and healthy again.
Devon Ling can smell the summer salt air. Devon Ling can feel the salt
water trickling down her back. But as she rumbles awake from her deep
sleep, she is only covered in a large pool of sweat.
Devon: Hello Balio.
Balio: Hello, Miss Devon. May the warmth of our new summer caress your
powerful ex-boxer's body.
Devon: Thank you Frez. I wish you a great summer break also.
But a mixed bag for your gym at our last WEBA card. Minez did enough to
get out of jail on the ref's cards. Against a battered Mindy Li.
And Lozada tried her heart out against the classy Sharon Brown in her failed
Title shot.
Balio: Thank you, Miss Devon. We were pleased with our performances
against the odds. Miss Tulia's ongoing battles with Miss Mindy are
fascinating. And still not a split hair between them, it seems.
Devon (laughing): But plenty of split eyebrows. Sort of how I liked to
see my fights going. A bit of damage never hurt anybody.
Balio (roaring): It was your trademark, Miss Devon. But we weren't so
pleased with our damage taken. Lucky for the break so our gym can get
themselves cleaned up. And prepared again.
Devon: Tulia looked in big trouble by round four. When she took a
standing count. It could have gone downhill from there. But she
rallied back fine.
Balio: That has been part of our training, Miss Devon. There is no
real worry in taking some punishment. If you can rally after. The
result could have gone either way late in the fight. The judge's like
something about our style.
Devon: And your big girl Lozada bit off a more than she could chew.
With a fired up Brown.
Balio: Our gym has great respect for both the fighters we went in with.
And Miss Sharon has put it all on the line with her own Title defenses
recently. We have a points victory over her once. And thought why
not have our crack at the big time.
Devon: Well hopefully Lozada's injuries will heal in time. She
should lead with her left, and not her face.
Balio: Sometimes the best defense is the attack, Miss Devon. Of all
people, you should remember that. But we didn't have the full skills.
To make best use of that method. We are still learning.
Devon (laughing): A tough education then, Frez. But well done for
trying.
Balio: Yes, it's very important, Miss Devon. Gran'mama says the
"voracious education of infant leopards ripens their fruits of wisdom for
their species evolution."
Devon (musing, but totally lost): Fruits. Various revolutions.
It's all too much for me, Frez. Can we pick it up ... where we left it
off ... after our summer break.
Balio (roaring): Of course, Miss Devon. Of course we can.
Carolina Kusmagk works the crowd again and again as she destroyed Heather Corrigan after six brutal rounds, and
shows her lack of respect for her foe by posing over the body of the still unconscious American fighter!.
She grins as the Mister Wu raises her blue glove in victory, and her smile gets bigger as he gives her a big
extra check. The smaller Wu gets dyed with Kusmagk's sweat and blood when he kisses and hugs the big blonde,
who finally leaves the ring ... not without shadowboxing to the beated American boxer.
The former model spent so much time showboating that she had to go to the press conference almost right from
the ring just a little time in infirmary to check her injuries, no time for shower or change her wear, so she
met the press with her sweaty and blood dyed boxing wear. She poses for all the pictures and just then she get
her gloves off.
Reporter 1: Congratulations for your victory, Miss Kusmagk. How do you feel?
Carolina:
It's wonderful, not that because I beated Corrigan, something that I
never doubted, but for the way that I fought and above all the support of
my fans. I'm in love with Thai people since a long time, and I wanted
to give a them an awesome fight.
Reporter 2: We saw what you did with Heather when she still was on the canvas.
Why that kind of disrespect?
Carolina:
Well we met for a draw some time ago, and before and after that fight
she insulted me without reason. So I called for rematch her with strong
words (laughs) and I promised myself that she will pay for it! So this
second rate club fighter destroyed her and put her boot over her pussy.
If it was too much humiliation, yeah but it was liberating. And I will
never be sorry for that.
Reporter 3:
It was a brutal fight, so you never felt fear to be hurt and get KO'd? The
fourth round was pretty rough for you.
Carolina: I'm not Wonder Woman, but I never felt any kind of fear to get injured. I'm a boxer since many years
so I get used to be hurt. My only fear is to be beated, and honestly she really beated me badly in that round.
But that dazed as I was, I thought that I had to win, coz I'm better boxer than her so I had to destroy her
and I did it.
Reporter 4: As huge as it was your victory over Corrigan, she's a declining boxer while you had too many
problems with smaller boxers in your division like Dornan or Delgado and even lighter like Petrova.
You feel ready to get a title soon?
Carolina: Well thanks for the reminder of my worst defeats! (laughs) Seriously I know that I lack
some skills to meet some punchers, so I will spend this summer to improve my training
routine. After that I'm totally confident to get a title before Christmas.
Reporter 4: Even if you had to fight Delgado?
Carolina: Look, I'm the first to recognize that there a lot of newbies quite stronger in my division,
something Heather never saw coming by the way, and that Dornan and Delgado KO'd me but I think that
after the summer you will be a stronger Carolina Kusmagk.
Reporter 5: Final question. Do you think that Heather Corrigan will met you in a ring again?
Carolina:
Well if she's smart never! I'm pretty conscious that with this
demolition I retired her for good from boxing. I'm the first one to
recognize what she meant for WEBA in the past and how brilliant was her
career. But in the end she spent more time talking rather than boxing,
and she lives from her past not reality. I think that it was a mistake
not challenge her for title last week...
Devon: Instead going down to Diedre's punches! What YOU will get retired?
Carolina: I'm 30 you know ( Devon laughs - you are 32-33) young enough to fight at least ten
years more, plenty of time to rematch you dear miss Ling! But I will be the one who decides my
retirement, and hope not in such way like Heather.
Devon: So dear Miss Kusmagk ,,, you want another humiliation from me?
Carolina: Darling, now I have plenty of better things to do, but your hour is coming.
Thanks so much to all of the real press people here and thanks to Mr. Wu!
Devon:
Devon Ling here in Arizona at Apache Gym, with Marisol Kari,
lightweight contender Lilka Nowak, and junior featherweight champion
Stephanie Page. Both Nowak and Page have recently come off victories in
Pattaya. So both of you, tell me how do you feel after the match.
Page:
Well I'll tell you one thing. It's like Kulikova gets tougher every time
you face her. I had to wear shades again after the match! Every time I
get the upper hand she comes back for more.
Devon: She knocked you down twice early in the fight but you are the kind of fighter who can turn around a fight with one punch!
Page: Well I'm the kind of fighter that needs to get a bit pissed off to be even more effective. Kulikova's good but I'm better!
Devon: What about you, Lilka? You basically steamrolled Carlson in that fight!
Nowak: It's looks like that but it was tough getting her down. She fights hard, and I give her much respect in the fight.
Page: You don't have to be so Modest Lila!
Devon (surprised): Lila?
Page: Yeah,
my nickname for her. The name Lila sounded like a girl who is modest,
so it stuck. You beat Carlson down like she stole something from you!
Way to come in and do support AKO well.
Devon: AKO!?
Marisol: Now you know what they do on their time off.
Page:
Never heard of it? It's Apache KnockOuts! Since Lila's here to
stay in Arizona, we've become inseparable here in Arizona to the point
that we have double dates together! We've even bought a house together.
My boyfriend of 4 month's jealous that he doesn't live with me yet!
Nowak: It was one double date, and you've been in the ring with Carlson too and it was no picnic for you too.
Page: yeah yeah yeah
Devon: So, Marisol, after a year and half of being a trainer, how do you feel about the progress of your girls?
Marisol: Good, good. Stephanie's began her career off with a bang, and Lilka's on track to do some damage in the WEBA. Lilka
doesn't look very amazing at 14-14, but keep in mind that she
had to get used to different styles that weren't seen in Poland,
and I had to ease the transition as best as I could. I had Lilka
develop a more and more aggressive behavior, and she's still a rising
fighter. With the junior lightweight tournament coming up, expect her
to surprise many in the tourney. Stephanie I didn't have to worry about
as much, she had a very aggressive attitude from kickboxing and MMA.
The problem I had with Stephanie sometimes was her boxing skills
overall, and she's shown to have improved greatly in both of those,
most evident in her fights against Monica Rodriguez.. Plus she was
impatient too, as shown in her choice of fights early in her career,
which came out to a 5-6 start in the WEBA. But she's 10-1 since, after
I got her competition on her level, and then was finally beating boxers
she couldn't beat before.
Page: You had to mention her Marisol.
Devon: Still bitter over the what she said about you.
Page:
I'm gonna be bitter until I knock her head off again. That's all I'm
gonna say now. No insults, no immaturity. I just wanna prove her wrong
again and eventually I will. I knocked her out once and I can do it
again.
Devon: You were always the more quiet one, Lilka (laughs). You haven't said much during this interview. So what's you feeling about the junior lightweight tournament coming up.
Nowak:
Excitement. I can't wait for the tournament. I feel honored that I'm
going to be the #1 seed in the tournament. I haven't really tried to go
for the junior title, but this seems like to be perfect opportunity to
fight for the title. I'm ready to fight any of them. Carlson, Salazar,
Reynolds, Kennedy, I'm ready for them. I will fight my way past any of
them for the title.
Devon: So, Stephanie, other the Chilean, what's next for you?
Page:
I don't know actually. I figure I would want to give Cathy Simmons a
shot the junior featherweight title before her eligibility is up. I
always wanted to fight her again after that loss at Wu's last year. I
also want a rematch with a good friend of mine, Billy Jo Fulton, Wu's
or WEBA. (laughing) Her crazy ass still invites me to beach sometimes,
but she much fun. Also, Fiona Black is another fighter I always wanted
to fight. Maybe, down the road, far down the road, I'll fight Raquel
Rivera.
Devon: Any plans for the break?
Nowak:
Well both me and Stephanie are going spend time in Britain with
Marisol, then we are going to Poland, where Stephanie wants to learn
some Polish. Then we head off our separate ways before coming back to
train again. Maybe sometime while we're on vacation we will get info on
the tournament seeding.
Marisol:
I'm just going to rest, and scout the upcoming boxers in the junior
lightweight tournament. I hope these two stay in shape while they're
off traveling!
Page:
Yes we will. We'll train in your old gym in Britain. And go to train in
Lilka's old gym, Warsaw gym too. You actually caught us heading
for Britain now. That's why all our suitcases are in that corner over
there.
Devon: Oh, well I wouldn't wanna keep your flight waiting. Thanks for the interview.
Devon is still in
Pattaya enjoying the weather and interviewing fighters. She finds all
but one of the fighters, Sandra Perez. She finally finds Sandra,
bandages on her face and everything, in a restaurant in her Spanish
national soccer jersey.
Devon:
Sandra, I've finally found you! Thank God for your Spanish
national jersey for sticking out so clearly. You must be excited over
the Eurocup championship victory.
Sandra:
Haha, I wasn't missing to begin with Devon. And yes, I'm ecstatic over
the proving that Spain is most dominant in Europe. When we beaten
Germany I was speechless. Ahy dios mio! It was one of the most exciting
experiences to watch on TV. First stop Eurocup, next stop World Cup!
I'm glad that I am representing Spain well in the WEBA.
Devon:
Yes you are. You're going into the break on a ten fight winning streak,
beating all the junior contenders during that streak, and proving your
rising dominance in the WEBA. Plus you get a month to become even
better. How's life in victory lane?
Sandra:
It's amazing that around this time last year, I was struggling. It's
starting to become a dream to me. But I know I can't stop now. A few
days ago I beat Malenkova, a Russian who is tougher than the Krakova
girl I used to fight. I feel like this is a moral victory for me as
last year I struggled to beat Krakova, a mediocre Russian boxer, but I
gotten better and won at Wu's against a tougher Russian. The Perez of
last year, to be honest, would've lost. But, like proud Spanish
national soccer team, me and my trainer Deon held it together and won
against Russia haha. I had to include another reference to Eurocup!
Devon: Wow, such honest words from an honest woman. So what's next for you?
Sandra:
I don't know yet. I'm gonna rest some part of break and then train now
harder. Deon's been talking to me about another boxer coming into WEBA
after telling me Jodi's vision has gotten worse after the last few
fights. He told me Jodi's retiring as she would have to wear glasses
now that her vision's not as good and she's been hiding it for the last
year. She's might come on as an assistant trainer though.
Devon:
Really? That's bad for Jodi, but its good that Deon has her retiring now
before her vision gets worse. I wish her luck in the future. So any
specific fighters next?
Sandra:
No, not really anyone in specific next, though down the road I would
like to face Lucille Perkins. I seen her fight and have much
respect for Lucille so it would be great to face her eventually.
Devon: What do you think about Heather Corrigan getting KOed by Carolina Kusmagk? I saw you in attendance
Sandra:
I couldn't believe it. I was startled and surprised by it. I came back
after going to hospital to watch the fight, and I couldn't believe that
Kusmagk, a person I beat, was tearing apart Corrigan. It's definitely
time for Corrigan to retire. It still would be cool to be able to fight
her before she retires. But also congrats to Kusmagk on her victory and
I would like to fight her again too.
Devon: OK, thanks for the interview Sandra.
Sandra: You're welcome, much love. And once again congratulations to the Spanish national soccer team. I love you guys!
"She'll need some time",
says Mike Corrigan
"We are still learning", says Balio
"I had to destroy her",
says Carolina
"We are AKO"
says Marisol
"It's starting to become a dream",
says Sandra
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