Q) Much has been said and written about your fight with Seniesa Estrada…But not from you. Has the reportage been correct? What would you add or look to correct, of what has been put out there?
A) Thank you for the opportunity to have a voice to the public! Much appreciation! There has been a lot out there on social media! There are a few things I would like to correct. One: To my knowledge my past opponents were not “strippers” and I’m not quite sure where that came from? I didn’t know any of them before I fought them, with an exception of one opponent that I fought twice. Those opponents were matched by my promoter. They came to the bouts prepared to fight, and wearing all of their gear- with an exception of an occasional forgotten mouthpiece, which my promoter and I made sure they had before the bout. It was very apparent that those opponents were also very prepared to bring all their fight to the ring!
I have a primary professional career that I have worked extremely hard for, and enjoy very much! I began martial arts, kickboxing, and boxing journey back in 2016 when I lost my mom to ovarian cancer and I fought my own medical battle the same year she lost her battle and passed away. It was a therapeutic journey and a promise kept to my mom: to do things I’ve always wanted to because life is far too short not to! I didn’t just wake up one day at age 42 and say,”Hey, I think I will be a professional boxer today!” That would be very egotistical, unsafe and unintelligent. And anyone who authentically knows me knows that I am anything but those descriptions.
It is true that I only began professional boxing a couple years ago. However, previous to boxing, my amateur career was diversified with several matches in kickboxing and few years prior to that several matches in MMA. I trained both intensively at a local, competitive gym here in Topeka. I soon discovered I was more comfortable on my feet as a kickboxer and boxer versus MMA. All of my professional boxing and amateur kickboxing matches were competitive, challenging, with most going the distance. I also had a pro boxing match that was three minute rounds with a tough opponent who came in much larger than I. Thankfully I was able to put on enough weight in under an hour to salvage the match. That happens a lot in woman’s boxing, especially when you are in a smaller division.
Q) Mr Carden did respond to me…He said you wanted this fight, wanted this challenge, etc…but it’s better to hear from the person themself. I’ve seen him referred to as your husband, an article by Thomas Hauser speculated he is now an ex partner. That may be neither here nor there, but if so, at least for accuracy’s sake, please feel free to in your own words tell readers if he is husband/manager, or was boyfriend/advisor, etc.
A) My promoter John Carden is not my husband or significant other any longer. Our dissolution of marriage was in reality finalized around two weeks before he showed up at my door with the Golden Boy fight offer. This offer was presented (by him) to me as my promoter. In all honestly, it took me a few days to think it over before I made the decision to accept the offer. At that point my promoter Mr. Carden and I made a verbal agreement that I take the fight with clear boundaries that he would be my promoter with an agreed upon flat fee to him when I signed the contract.
Yes, I was aware that Estrada was way out of my league (click here for Estrada record), and with several more years of experience. However, I made the decision to move forward based on a few factors. One, I knew I would be able to raise awareness for ovarian cancer in honor of my late mother, which is why my boxing trunks say “Mom” and on the back of them in teal “Fight Cancer.”
I did waver on backing out of the fight a few times, in which my promoter assisted me to see it through till the end. He spoke very often to me about how tough I am and insisted that I not back out. That gave me all the motivation and drive that I needed to think, ‘I know I won’t win, but I do think I may go a few rounds, and honestly what do I have to lose?’
I didn’t have much time to train due to last minute notice on the fight. It was around three weeks notice, but I was training 3-4 hours every day before and after work while working a full time career in the ER. (EDITOR NOTE: She does work with veterans.) I know my strength and determination and when I set my mind to something I see it all the way through, unless I hit a brick wall that won’t move.
In regards to Mr.Carden’s comments: I wanted more challenging opponents indeed and actually years before this bout…but the opponents in this area in my weight division are very limited. I was told there is no one else, if you want to fight, this is all we have as an option. So I trusted in that and gave it all I had in each match. I lost weight, gained weight with-in hours. I fought much larger opponents, had injuries, a broken nose, and one match had an eye contact (lens) knocked out in first round so I fought half blind (but won by) KO in the second round. My promoter has always been a bit all or nothing in his thought process. Although, that’s not always a bad trait. When it comes to what he wants that is what happens! If you’re offered a bout- its the final decision as solidified, a take it or leave it. And most likely not ever get another option, if you don’t take the offer. It is unfortunate that in “women’s boxing” I feel this is most likely still the norm, rather than the exception.
Full Q and A's here
https://nyfights.com/worldwide/checking ... a-estrada/