Kel-C Jeffries is named IFBA’s Female Fighter of the Year
She’s been a world champion since 2002
– a six-year reign that represents the longest span for any
female boxer in history. During that time she defended her title
eight times, another record.
Kel-C Jeffries is named IFBA’s Female Fighter of the Year
She’s been a world champion since 2002 – a six-year reign that represents the longest span for any female boxer in history. During that time she defended her title eight times, another record.
Last week Kel-C “The Road Warrior” Jeffries, who may be pound-for-pound the greatest female boxer in history, was recognized for her achievements in the sport when she was named the International Female Boxing Associations’ Female Fighter of the Year.
“It was really pretty cool,” said Jeffries, who flew down last week to the Pachanga Casino in Temecula to accept the prestigious award. “What’s so cool is that I got the award on Fox Sports Net in front of my peers. To get that kind of recognition in front of my peers was really special.”
In that last year alone Jeffries successfully defended her title IFBA featherweight title three times – a number that is almost unheard of in a calendar year.
Her first successful defense came last March against Rhonda Luna. That victory was followed by wins over Donna Biggers in July and Yun-Jung Jun in December. The latter win marked the 50th time that Jeffries has stepped into the ring as a professional. After that 10-round unanimous decision Jeffries upped her record to 40-9-1.
And don’t be surprised if she fights 50 more.
“I’d definitely like to fight 50 more,” the 32-year-old Hollister prizefighter said. “I continue to want to be the best and fight the best fighters. I’m a world champion but I don’t rest on that. Instead, I feel like I just started boxing, and that way, the hunger never goes away.”
Jeffries is slated to fight next on Fox Sports in April or May. After that, she expects to fight again in June in Oregon.
Despite all of her accomplishments in the sport Jeffries was still shocked to learn that she had won such a major award.
“There are a lot of great female boxers now,” She said. “To win this award was a big surprise. In my mind the IFBA is the best organization in women’s boxing. This was really quite an honor. I’ve worked very hard for everything that I’ve done, but I never would have thought that it would have turned out to be this great.”
Although she’s had a lot of support along the way, Jeffries credits much of her success to her trainer and two-time world welterweight champion Buddy McGirt Sr. (73-6).
“I just love having him as a trainer,” Jeffries said. “I’m humbled just to speak to him.”
Although Jeffries is at the apex of her career and isn’t entertaining thoughts of retirement, when that day does come she would like nothing more than to open a facility in Hollister where local youth could train to become fighters.
“I love Hollister. I love this place. The best fans are here,” Jeffries said. “I’d like to open a gym someday to help get kids off the street and give them an outlet where they could take their aggressions out and train towards something. That is what I’d like to do.”
