Kelsey Jeffries, who will fight Ana Julaton this weekend, is
also enrolled in the nursing program at Gavilan
With more than 50 fights on her professional resume, Hollister
boxer Kelsey
”
The Road Warrior
”
Jeffries says her preparation for an upcoming bout is down to
a
”
science.
”
Kelsey Jeffries, who will fight Ana Julaton this weekend, is also enrolled in the nursing program at Gavilan
With more than 50 fights on her professional resume, Hollister boxer Kelsey “The Road Warrior” Jeffries says her preparation for an upcoming bout is down to a “science.”
“I do everything the same way,” she said. “I look back to how I prepare and it’s all the same. I’m just hoping everything happens the same way when I get in the ring that night.”
While her scheduled main event with Daly City’s Ana “The Hurricane” Julaton is slated for Saturday night at HP Pavilion in San Jose – where the vacated IBA Junior Featherweight (122 pounds) title will be on the line – Jeffries’ preparation may be on par for what she’s done in the past, but her hectic schedule is anything but.
Looking to add an unprecedented eighth championship belt to her collection this weekend, Jeffries is also currently seeking high marks at Gavilan College, where she is enrolled in the nursing program.
“The first year of the nursing program, and the first year is the toughest year,” she said. “It’s unbelievable – the homework and the reading. There are only so many hours in a day.”
Of course, it’s perhaps a safe bet that many of the program’s students aren’t involved in a championship bout this weekend, supplying Jeffries with a heavier workload than most.
The prize fighter, at 33, began the nursing program on Sept. 1, and has taken classes at the local junior college in the past. In fact, prior to her bout against Yun-Jung Jun in December 2007, Jeffries was busy taking finals at Gavilan College.
The same week, she hopped on a flight to South Korea, where she delivered a unanimous decision against Jun, and on her home turf, no less.
“For me, when it gets up, when the pressure gets up, I do well,” Jeffries said. “I’m into that.”
Manager Bruce Anderson held a similar sentiment. Like Jeffries, he said he thrives under stressful situations.
“Some people function better under stress, and if there isn’t any, they’ll create it,” he said. “But I don’t think she’s creating any with this nursing program.”
Waking up at 4 a.m. to go to the gym, Jeffries returns home at 5:30 to walk her dog before heading to class at 6:30. On Mondays and Wednesdays, at least, Jeffries doesn’t return home until 3 p.m., at which point she trains, walks her dog and eats, and is in bed at around 8 p.m.
And somewhere in between all of that, Jeffries jokes, she finds some time to study.
“I’ll be doing homework on the day of the fight,” Jeffries said. “It will get my mind off the fight.
“But don’t get me wrong, with all this stuff going on with school, I’m very focused and I know what do.”
Again, she has it down to a science.
But while a life as a nurse could very well be in her future, Jeffries is just as passionate about her life as a boxer right now. At 41-9-1, she has earned seven belts, including both the NABF and IBA super bantamweight titles, as well as one super featherweight belt and four featherweight titles.
Her fight on Saturday will mark her 52nd bout as a professional boxer, and end an all-too-long 15-month layoff; her last fight was held in June of last year, when she delivered a fourth-round knockout of Jessica “Goodnite” Mohs.
“And I’ll be ready for whatever,” she said.
With renowned trainer Buddy McGirt in her corner, Jeffries has never stopped training during her lengthy layoff. And while she enters the ring with an idea of what her opponent’s strengths are, she doesn’t necessarily prepare for anything specific.
“I would rather be ready for everything than to train for a particular style and to just be ready for that style,” she said. “I’m a very good adapter.”
With Julaton, whose professional career is limited at 4-1-1 but is said to have an amateur career of more than 30 fights, Jeffries will most likely need to adapt to speed. Ranked as a top contender by the WBC and IBA at 122 pounds, the 5-foot-5 Julaton had a scheduled late-July bout with Melissa Hernandez fall through at the last minute.
With a similar lengthy layoff like Jeffries, Julaton’s last bout was a split-decision loss to Dominga Olivo in August of 2008. She will be searching for her first championship title as a pro boxer.
“I know she’s really focused and she’s gonna bring everything she’s got,” Jeffries said. “For me, it’s all about what I need to do in the ring.
“I fight every fight like it’s a championship fight. There’s no difference and she’s no different than any other girl I’ve fought. I’ve trained as hard as I’ve always trained. I’m fired up.”
Even with her clinical orientation at Hazel Hawkins scheduled for Monday, Jeffries has the sweet science down to a science.
Fight Night at The Tank will be held at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $26, $47 and $77, and can be purchased at the HP Pavilion box office. For more information, log on to: www.fightnightatthetank.com.
