Fight:822443
Ersi Arvizu 133 lbs beat Caroline Svendsen 134 lbs by TKO at 1:26 in round 2 of 4
- Date: 1976-05-05
- Location: Hyatt Tahoe, Incline Village, Nevada, USA
- Referee: Mills Lane
Caroline Svendsen walked through the casino of the Hyatt Lake Tahoe Hotel almost unnoticed. It was a different experience for the Virginia City, Nevada lightweight who became the first licensed women professional boxer in July 1975. “Things felt different,” she said. “It was just a feeling. Everyone isn’t cheerful as they were. I guess everyone likes to be involved with a winner.” Her loss by a second round knockout to Ersi Arvizo of Los Angeles Wednesday night shocked most knowledgeable fight fans. The “First Lady of Boxing” had won her first three fights and Miss Arvizo was making her pro debut. The loss was a painful one because she had been flustered most of the bout by her opponent’s crouching style. She had been knocked down seconds before referee Mills Lane stopped the fight at the 1:26 mark of the second round. But the loss didn’t change her feelings about boxing. “It’ll make me train harder. I know what it’s like to lose and to get halfway knocked out. If you don’t get knocked out you just don’t know.” The fight had many lessons for her. Facial punches unnerved her. “I can feel the face punches, let’s face it. That’s something I’m going to talk to Ted about because I’ve never run into it,” she said, referring to her manager Ted Walker. Miss Svendsen said she just didn’t adjust to her opponent’s crouching style. “I couldn’t get to her, That’s what frustrated me. She was so low. I had never seen anyone fight so low. She was so low I have makeup and lipstick all over my trunks…that’s got to be low.” But the 27-year-old Miss Arvizo, who lists her occupation as a professional singer, occasionally lunged out of her crouch. It was a right hand lead that sent Miss Svendsen, 133 5/8, to the canvas early in the second round. She had dropped her guard to fix her bra and Miss Arvizo, 133, took advantage of the chance. Miss Arvizo, the daughter of pro manager Art Zrvizo, didn’t show any signs of nervousness. “I grew up with boxing. I knew what to expect.” Why does she fight? “I’m boxing because I love it. I love the art of boxing.”[Steve Sneddon, Reno Gazette, May 6, 1976]