Kelsey "The Road Warrior" Jeffries will look to make it eight in '08.
After successfully dispatching Jessica "Goodnite" Mohs in June, with a knockout left hook in the fourth round at the Seven Feathers Casino and Hotel Resort in Canyonville, Ore., the Hollister boxer will return to the ring later this year with her eye on yet another belt.
Jeffries (41-9-1) was announced earlier this week as one of the fighters who will compete for the vacant Women's International Boxing Association's Super Bantamweight title at the Casino Battle Royale event in Atlantic City, N.J.
The bout will be a part of a proposed 10-fight card at the 12,000-seat Boardwalk Hall, and is expected to be held on either January 10 or 24, according to publicity consultant Rio Di Caro.
As a fighter who is usually underweight when it comes to her opponents, Jeffries is considered to be an ideal Super Bantamweight fighter, a class that is limited up to 122 pounds.
After recently fighting in a string of bouts at the Featherweight division, which is up to 126 pounds, including her last fight against Mohs where she gave up nearly four pounds, Jeffries will return for the time being to her preferred weight division.
"That's the weight class we're hoping to get (a fight) at," Jeffries said. "It doesn't guarantee (a fight with a true Super Bantamweight opponent), but it makes it a little harder for some bigger girls to come down.
"And it's another belt. I'm looking forward to making it eight in '08."
Through her last six fights, Jeffries has given up, on average, 3.25 pounds to her opponents, while in her 51 career fights, Jeffries has either been equal to or outweighed her opponent just 11 times.
Jeffries is hoping to be fighting on more Super Bantamweight cards in the future, but that's if it were up to her, of course. Jeffries says she isn't giving up any of her Featherweight titles just yet, realizing how difficult it is to find an opponent at the Super Bantamweight class.
"The problem is that we can't always find fighters at the Super Bantamweight level and we have to fight up," Jeffries said. "I don't want to put all my cards in one basket. I don't want to throw out anything just yet."
Jeffries currently holds seven belts, including both the NABF and the IBA Super Bantamweight titles, as well as one Super Featherweight (up to 130 pounds) belt and four Featherweight titles.
Manager Bruce Anderson expresses a similar sentiment.
"I've always felt that 22 was her weight, but we couldn't get a fight at 22, so we fought up," he said. "That's not how it should be, but that's how it's always been."
Jeffries' opponent is expected to be announced in the upcoming weeks, and Di Caro said organizers are looking at three possible fighters for the January title bout.
"We'd prefer a natural Super Bantamweight bout," Di Caro said. "We believe in matching people properly."
Other fighters currently signed to the event include Mark "Oak Tree" Brown (Heavyweight, 13-1), Willie "For Real" Williams (Light Heavyweight, 11-2), Jamaal "Da Truth" Davis (Middleweight, 7-4) and possibly "USS" Steve Cunningham, the current IBF Cruiserweight champion.
One fight already slated will pit Super Bantamweight Marianne "Golden Girl" Marston against Valerie De Frietas.
The 10-fight card will conclude a week-long series of events at the Casino Battle Royale, and organizers are expecting approximately 40,000 visitors during the week. The headlining bout has not been announced.
After routinely fighting opponents larger in size, though, Jeffries and Anderson aren't expecting an easier fight by any means. They may be able avoid the power punches a bigger fighter would bring, but speed will certainly not be in short order at the Super Bantamweight level.
Said Anderson, "What they lack in size they make up for with speed, and speed kills."
"I think it'll be harder because smaller girls are quicker, but smaller girls can punch, too," Jeffries said. "It's a false security and I wouldn't let that affect me. I take them all seriously. They're all a threat."
Andrew Matheson Got a question or a comment? Send us an email.
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