Ali’i Warrior of the South Bay goes toe-to-toe with bigger
opponent in Oregon
Back and forth the boxers went. Punch after punch. Neither giving any ground. For round after round.
And it took the final bell to finally bring an end to this fight for the ages.
By the time the judges’ cards were announced, Kelsey Jeffries could breathe a sigh of relief. After a thrilling, 10-round bout at Seven Feathers Casino in Canyonville, Oreg. on Thursday, the ‘Ali’i Warrior of the South Bay’ emerged with her International Female Boxers Association (IFBA) featherweight title intact. But she needed to survive first a talented newcomer and then the three-judge panel to complete her record sixth defense.
Staying with the bigger Melissa Hernandez throughout, Jeffries retained her belt against the talented newcomer by virtue of a split draw from the judges – the first such ruling of her career.
“I feel great because it was a good fight. I thought it could’ve gone my way, but everyone feels that way,” Jeffries said. “I was happy with the (draw) because I’m still the champion.”
One judge ruled 95-93 in favor of Jeffries, another carded 96-94 for Hernandez and the third listed a draw at 95-95.
Bruce Anderson, Jeffries’ manager, said the fight was a vintage performance by two gritty boxers.
“It went beyond the sport,” Anderson said. “It was two tremendously-skilled, well-conditioned athletes, who happened to be women, who would not give an inch. They didn’t rest. There was no clinching. It was pure fight.”
Hernandez, a veteran of just three professional bouts coming in, presented a great unknown for Jeffries, but the ‘Road Warrior’ did expect her opponent to significantly out-weigh her at the opening bell. And, despite her professional inexperience, Hernandez (3-0-1) drew on a unparalleled training regimen at Gleasons Gym in Brooklyn, N.Y., in addition to her decorated amateur career.
“I took a big chance fighting her because it would’ve been devastating to lose,” Jeffries said. “Considering that, I’m very proud of myself because I fought a big girl and it was a good fight.”
Neither boxer was able to gain a significant advantage through the early rounds as the two landed plenty of blows but remained upright. Jeffries (33-9-1) broke through in the sixth round with a right hand that sent Hernandez reeling. But the referee ruled that Hernandez had slipped, denying the ‘Ali’i Warrior of the South Bay’ a knockdown.
Two rounds later, Jeffries finally put her opponent on the mat to the roars of the crowd, delivering a left hook that scored the knockdown. Afterwards, she said Hernandez benefited because both sequences happened near the end of the rounds.
“She was saved by both of them,” Jeffries said, “because the bell rang and she had a minute to recover.”
After staving off an opponent that she thought might have out-weighed her by 10 pounds, Jeffries suffered a sequence in the 10th round that may have cost her the decision. Backed into Hernandez’ corner, Jeffries fell backwards after her opponent swung. Though Jeffries said she slipped on some water and went down, the referee awarded Hernandez a crucial knockdown.
Reflecting on the result, Jeffries said everyone, especially the boxing community, came out a winner.
“We both went to war,” the ‘Road Warrior’ said. “It was just a great fight. It should’ve been on TV. You learn so much from a fight like that. It makes it all worth it.”
For her part, Hernandez told Women Boxing Archive Network she was glad she went toe-to-toe with the world champion and garnered a split decision.
“I learned a lot and I’m happy with the draw,” Hernandez related, “because I believe that I got a chance to show that I’m up there with top-ten and women’s’ boxing is moving in a better direction than before.”
Anderson, Jeffries’ manager, was pleased his fighter gave Hernandez all she could handle.
“(Hernandez) was bigger, she was heavier, she had longer arms, she was very skilled,” Anderson said. “I was not disappointed at all to get out of there with a draw.”
Jeffries returns to action when she takes aim at the North American Boxing Federation (NABF) 122-pound title in Yakima, Wash. on July 15.
