It's a bout time

By SHARON ROBB

South Florida Sun-Sentinel

July 07, 2008

On June 13, history was made when an all-women's pro boxing card was held on pay-per-view television for the first time.

The main event, viewed by more than a million, featured Holly Holm battling Mary Jo Sanders for the International Female Boxing Association junior middleweight title at the Isleta Casino and Resort in Albuquerque, N.M.

The undercard featured Carina Moreno against Eileen Olszewski for the vacant IFBA light flyweight title.

It was the Moreno-Olszewski bout that caught the eye of locals who saw them compete at the amateur level during a 2003 national tournament hosted by four-time world boxing and kickboxing champion Bonnie Canino, of Hollywood.

And, it's why Canino and pro boxer Yvonne Reis have hosted the Women's National Golden Gloves Championship Tournament since 2006 in Hollywood. It is one of four major national tournaments held annually for women. The others are USA Boxing, PAL and Armed Forces.

'We wanted to give women boxers the opportunity to get the experience at the amateur level and to help the sport's national exposure,' Canino said. 'I didn't have tournaments like this when I was coming up. I do wish I was growing up in this era. I look and say 'wow, look at these girls with the same dreams and same wants that I had.''

Since the tournament was moved from Chicago, where the 2005 event had only 38 boxers register, it has grown in numbers and stature.

More than 150 boxers are expected to compete this year when the four-day tournament begins Wednesday in the grand ballroom of the Hollywood Marriott Beach Resort Hotel.

The sport was expected to gain in popularity after Million Dollar Baby with Hilary Swank and Clint Eastwood and Laila Ali's exposure on Dancing With The Stars and American Gladiator . But there have been few opportunities and even fewer sponsors. Athletes and trainers must pay their own travel, hotel and food expenses to compete in the Golden Gloves.

'I think the door is open more for women's boxing then ever before and I am pleased about that,' Canino said. 'I always say go after your dreams. If you want it, it's there. The opportunity is finally there for a lot of these girls.

'But for a girl to get started, like in any sport, it takes money. A lot of these girls don't have the money to travel and stay in hotels to compete in tournaments that are going to get them the experience and national exposure they need.'

Canino and Reis would like to see boxing introduced at the middle school and high school level.

'The kids that are getting into trouble should have a sport like boxing to get their frustrations out even if they don't want to compete,' said Reis, who fought amateur before turning pro. 'There is a lot of stress out there. The same thing that keeps the boys off the streets will keep the girls off the streets. They come in here and hit the bags and feel great.

'Amateur boxing has a right and should be growing more than it is,' Reis said. 'I believe if amateur boxing is run the correct way, it could grow. We need the support of the pro women. But there is no money in women's boxing right now like there is men's boxing. That's not a chauvinist thing. I just think we don't sell tickets and promoters want boxers who are going to sell tickets. It's that simple.'

Several pro women fighters are registered as trainers for this year's Golden Gloves tournament. Alyssa Ashley, Melissa Hernandez, Terry Moss and former Miami sensation Belinda Laracuente all have boxers entered in this week's tournament.

Florida, New York and California are the states with the most boxers entered.

Before today's registration, Florida has 12 boxers entered including six from South Florida.

Sharon Robb can be reached at srobb@sun-sentinel.com .

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