Kelsey Jeffries needs to get more on her plate. The Hollister
resident is training to be an EMT and has strong desires to one day
work for the Hollister Fire Department. Those would be considered
long-term goals.
Her real short term goal is to knock out Rolanda Andrews of
Atlanta, Georgia this Thursday at about 8:30 p.m.
Kelsey Jeffries needs to get more on her plate. The Hollister resident is training to be an EMT and has strong desires to one day work for the Hollister Fire Department. Those would be considered long-term goals.
Her real short term goal is to knock out Rolanda Andrews of Atlanta, Georgia this Thursday at about 8:30 p.m.
The pair meet as part of the Miller Lite Fight Night at the Tank at HP Pavilion in San Jose. Jeffries (18-7, 1ko) and Andrews (7-6, 3ko) are the Semi Main Event and will fight for the International Female Boxing Association’s Womens Featherweight World Title belt, owned by Jeffries after her win over Layla McCarter in Bakersfield last Nov. 7. The bout is scheduled for 10 rounds.
“I’m in great shape,” said Jeffries, who was recently laid off from her job with Apple Computer. “I’m in such good shape that I had to stop training. I can easily go 10 rounds.”
Jeffries has a lot of respect for Andrews, who will be sixth southpaw Jeffries has fought in her career.
“I have to box smart when I fight a southpaw,” said Jeffries. “When you fight a lefty, you can’t be as fluent. If I go after her hard, I might open myself up.”
Andrews admits to “not knowing much about Jeffries”.
“I don’t know much about her at all,” said Andrews. “She’s right-handed and aggressive. It’s good not to have any preconceived notion about my opponent. Then I just adapt. I’m a boxer-puncher. I don’t prefer to go inside that much, but I can if I have to control the fight.”
Andrews has some power. She KO’d nationally-known fighter Mia St. John in Nov. of 2001. St. John was 21-0 at the time.
“She was shocked,” said Andrews.
“She has skills,” said Jeffries of Andrews. “She has power. I’m expecting a tough fight.”
Andrews grew up in Washington, DC, not far from where Sugar Ray Leonard trained in Palmer Park, Maryland.
“My brother and I used to travel to see Sugar Ray train,” said Andrews. “That’s when I was first turned on to boxing. Then when I saw Christy Martin fight, I was really inspired. I knew that’s what I wanted to do.”
Andrews has a trainer, but not a manager.
“My first manager used me as an opponent, not a prospectus,” said Andrews, who has been boxing for six years. “It took me awhile to realize that. Most of my losses were early in my career.”
Andrews is 4-1 in her last five bouts.
“This is my first time fighting in San Jose,” she said. “I’m really looking forward to it.”
Andrews, however, will be the prohibitive underdog and will be fighting on Jeffries’ home turf. This is the third time Jeffries, who already owns four belts, will fight at The Tank.
“There will probably be 100 or so people I know from Gilroy and Hollister,” said Jeffries, who trains in Gilroy. “I’m sure there will be people rooting for me at the fight who I don’t know. I’m excited.”
Jeffries will be paid $3,500 for the fight. She gets at least $1,500 for every fight.
“To pay my bills, I have to fight once a month,” said Jeffries. “The last fight my opponent made double of what I make because no one will fight me. That’s when I really make them earn it. I don’t like to knock them out early.”
Jeffries last fight was on Feb. 13 in Bakersfield against Perry Draine where Jeffries won a unanimous six-round decision. She fights next on April 21 in Yakima, Washington. She’s already contracted for another fight in San Jose, this time at the San Jose Civic Auditorium on June 21.
She has to keep fighting to keep that plate full.
The rest of the card:
Main Event: NABO Welterweight Title (12 rounds) – Nelson Manchego (11-1-1, 8 ko) (Salinas) vs. Jose Celaya (17-1, 6 ko) (Columbia).
Super Middleweights (six rounds) – Victor Branson (4-4-1, 2 ko) (Williams, Oregon) vs. Ricardo Cortes (8-0-1, 6 ko) (San Jose).
Jr. Welterweights (six rounds) – Justo Almazan (8-30-3) (Mexico City, Mexico) vs. Alvaro Padilla (7-0-2, 3 ko) (Culiacan, Mexico).
Heavyweights (four rounds) – Cecil McKenzie (9-5, 6 ko) (San Jose) vs. Battallia Balamoundo (debut) (Westminster).
Welterweights (four rounds) – Raul Torres (1-3, ko) (Los Angeles) vs. Luis Perez (4-0, 3 ko) (Salinas).
