Vonda Ward

Vonda Ward
Statistics
Real name Vonda Ward
Nickname(s) All-American Girl
Rated at Heavyweight
Height 6 ft 6 in (198 cm)
Nationality American
Born (1973-03-16) March 16, 1973
Macedonia, Ohio, United States
Stance Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights 24
Wins 23
Wins by KO 17
Losses 1
Draws 0
No contests 0
Vonda Ward
Medal record
Representing  United States
Jones Cup
1993 Jones Cup Taipei, Taiwan Team Competition

Vonda Ward (born March 16, 1973, Macedonia, Ohio, United States) is an American female boxer who was also a well known NCAA basketball player.

Before boxing

Ward grew up in a sports-oriented family, as her father, Larry Ward, is a famous harness racer.

Ward played basketball at Trinity High School in Garfield Heights and was twice named Ohio's "Ms. Basketball."[1] She made "Parade All American" teams twice. She was recruited by Division I universities across the United States.

In 1991, Ward accepted a basketball scholarship at the University of Tennessee. While a member of Pat Summitt's Lady Vols, Ward played in one NCAA basketball championship game (1995) during her college career at Tennessee, losing to the University of Connecticut. She competed with USA Basketball as a member of the 1993 Jones Cup Team that won the Bronze in Taipei.[2] After her college career ended in 1995, Ward played for a professional basketball club in Germany. She later played for the American Basketball League's Colorado Xplosion.

Boxing career

After a broken leg cut her professional basketball career short, Ward turned her attention to boxing.

Ward's boxing debut occurred on January 15, 2000, when she knocked out Faye Steffen in round one at LaPorte, Indiana. Her first four fights all ended in first round knockout wins for Ward.

On April 27, 2000, she met Genevia Buckwalter in New York. Buckwalter became the first fighter to make it out of the first round against Ward, but Ward still won on a second round knockout.

Ward's next five rivals did not make it past the second round, with two first round knockouts and three second round wins. At this point of her career, she had a streak of twelve knockout wins in a row.

On February 2, 2001, she met prospect Kisha Snow as part of the state fair celebrations in Columbus, Ohio. Snow came into the fight undefeated after six bouts, and she and Ward engaged in a four round war, but Ward made Snow her thirteenth straight knockout victim. Then came Carley Pesente, on June 16, at Kansas City, Missouri. Pesente lasted two rounds.

After one more win, Ward challenged for the IBA's world's Heavyweight title on August 16, 2002. Ward became the champion, but saw her knockout win streak gone when she outpointed Monica McGowan in ten rounds at Canton, Ohio.

Ward defended her title successfully with an eighth round knockout over Kathy Rivers on December 6 at the Gund Arena in Cleveland. On March 1, 2003, she and Martha Salazar made their Las Vegas debut, with Ward taking a four round split decision win in a non-title bout.

After one more win, Ward unified her IBA world Heavyweight title with the WIBA's by defeating Salazar in a rematch, held on July 11 in Canton. Ward won by decision.

On May 8, 2004, Ward fought a nationally televised championship bout with Ann Wolfe in Biloxi, Mississippi. At one minute and eight seconds of the first round, Wolfe knocked out Ward with a devastating right to the chin, which was even more devastating by the fact that Ward inadvertently jumped forward into the impact of the punch, leaving Ward unresponsive on the mat for a matter of minutes. This first-round knockout defeat caused her to lose her title and her undefeated status. Ward had a neck concussion because she hit the canvas with her neck when she fell, and she was hospitalized after this bout.[3][4]

On December 12, 2004, Ward returned to the boxing ring, knocking out Marsha Valley in four rounds in Cleveland.

Ward's boxing record stands at 23 wins and 1 loss, with 17 wins by knockout.[5]

Professional boxing record

23 Wins (17 knockouts, 6 decisions), 1 Losses, 0 Draws,

0 No Contests[6]

Res. Record Opponent Type Rd., Time Date Location Notes
Win 23–1 United States Carlette Ewell UD 10 2008-02-23 United States Chapparells Community Center, Akron, Ohio
Win 22-1 United States Martha Salazar UD (10) 2007-02-10 United States Wolstein Center, Cleveland, Ohio Won inaugural WBC World female Heavyweight, Retained WIBA World Heavyweight, & IBA Female Heavyweight titles.
Win 21-1 United States Cassandra Giger UD (10) 2005-07-15 United States Gund Arena, Cleveland, Ohio
Win 20-1 United States Elizabeth Kerin KO 2 (10), 1:33 2005-04-29 United States Wolstein Center, Cleveland, Ohio Won WIBA World Heavyweight, & IBA Female Heavyweight titles.
Win 19–1 United States Marsha Valley TKO 4 (10), 1:47 2004-12-10 United States Gund Arena, Cleveland, Ohio
Loss 18–1 United States Ann Wolfe KO 1 (10), 1:08 2004-05-08 United States Mississippi Coast Coliseum, Biloxi, Mississippi Lost WIBA World Light Heavyweight title & For vacant IBA Female Light Heavyweight title.
Win 18–0 United States Martha Salazar UD (10) 2003-07-11 United States Civic Center, Canton, Ohio Retained WIBA World Light Heavyweight & For vacant IBA Female Light Heavyweight titles.
Win 17–0 United States Jeanine Tracy TKO 8 (10), 1:40 2003-03-14 United States Avalon Events Center, Cleveland, Ohio
Win 16–0 United States Martha Salazar SD (4) 2003-03-01 United States Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas, Nevada
Win 15–0 United States Kathy Rivers TKO 8 (10), 1:40 2002-12-06 United States Gund Arena, Cleveland, Ohio Retained WIBA World Light Heavyweight & IBA Female Light Heavyweight titless.
Win 14–0 United States Monica McGowan UD 10 2002-07-16 United States Civic Center, Canton, Ohio Won WIBA World Light Heavyweight & vacant IBA Female Light Heavyweight titles.
Win 13–0 United States GiGi Jackson TKO 4 (4), 1:48 2002-02-22 United States Schottenstein Center, Columbus, Ohio
Win 12–0 United States Carley Pesente TKO 2 (4), 1:28 2001-05-16 United States Ameristar Casino, Kansas City, Missouri
Win 11–0 United States Kisha Snow TKO 4 (4), 1:05 2001-02-02 United States Celeste Center, Columbus, Ohio
Win 10–0 United States Katie Courtney TKO 1 (4) 2000-12-28 United States Willoughby, Ohio
Win 9–0 United States Marjorie Jones KO 1 (4), 1;02 2000-10-19 United States The Cosmopolitan, Wickliffe, Ohio
Win 8–0 United States Sharon Thomas TKO 1 (4), 1:24 2000-09-23 United States Packard Music Hall, Warren, Ohio
Win 7–0 United States Jeanine Tracy TKO 2 (4) 2000-08-24 United States Columbus, Ohio
Win 6–0 United States Lisa Redding TKO 1 (4), 0:31 2000-07-17 United States Station Casino, Saint Charles, Missouri
Win 5–0 United States Genevia Buckhalter TKO 2 (4), 1:22 2000-04-27 United States Hammerstein Ballroom, New York, New York
Win 4–0 United States Lana Jock KO 1 (4), 0:52 2000-03-24 United States UAW Hall, Parma, Ohio
Win 3–0 United States Nicolyn Armstrong KO 1 (4), 0:59 2000-03-11 United States National Guard Armory, Findlay, Ohio
Win 2–0 United States Mattie Brumley TKO 1 (4), 1:20 2000-02-29 United States Pepsi Coliseum, Indianapolis, Indiana
Win 1–0 United States Faye Steffen KO 1 (4), 1:45 2000-01-15 United States Civic Center, La Porte, Indiana Professional debut.

References

  1. "OHSBC MS. BASKETBALL". Retrieved 2009-06-21.
  2. "1993 WOMEN'S R. WILLIAM JONES CUP". Retrieved 3 August 2014.
  3. Maik Grossekathöfer (2005-10-21). "Ann versus the Man: Boxing's Battle of the Sexes - SPIEGEL ONLINE". Spiegel.de. Retrieved 2014-02-03.
  4. "Ann Wolfe scares the crap out of us · Interview · The A.V. Club". Avclub.com. Retrieved 2014-02-03.
  5. "Vonda Ward, Women's Heavyweight Champ, Retires - Yahoo Voices". voices.yahoo.com. 2004-05-08. Retrieved 2014-02-03.
  6. "Mike Tyson Professional boxing record". BoxRec.com.
Preceded by
Inaugural champion
WBC Female Heavyweight Champion
2007-02-10 present
Succeeded by
Current
Preceded by
Flor Maria Delgado (Vacated)
WIBA Heavyweight Champion
2007-02-10 present
Succeeded by
Current
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