The Road Warrior will return to the ring June 12 in what will be
her first fight since her Dec. 23 title defense in South Korea
Hollister
Kelsey Jeffries never seems to take a day off.
When you’re the IFBA Featherweight champion of the world, though, and your competition is looking for a weakness, you simply can’t.
“I train too hard,” Jeffries said. “It’s that drive, that fire that I have that I just cannot put out.”
While the Hollister boxer has not technically fought since Dec. 23, when she defeated Yun-Jung Jun in South Korea by unanimous decision, her training regimen keeps her in fighting shape throughout the offseason, and perhaps in even better shape than when she’s actually training for a fight.
When another title defense rolls around, “I don’t have to stress,” she said.
The Road Warrior will defend her belt on June 12 at the Seven Feathers Casino and Hotel Resort in Canyonville, Ore., according to her manager, Bruce Anderson.
Jeffries (40-9-1) was originally slated to fight on Fox Sports Net on May 15, but that bout was postponed to June 12 – the same date as Seven Feathers.
“That’s six months. That’s a long layoff,” Anderson said. “But she’d fight every week if you let her. The countdown is ready to start now. It’s been a long winter.”
Jeffries, who attends Gavilan College, will take her last final on May 22 and then fly out two days later to Vero Beach, Fla., where she’ll begin her fight training with Buddy McGirt.
Needless to say, she won’t be stressed.
“I think I’m more excited for that then the fight,” Jeffries said. “Training with Buddy and being with him, it’s really an awesome feeling. I feel privileged to be there.”
Although she already runs everyday, and spars and hits the bag once or twice a week, Jeffries will be under a similar schedule in Florida, but with an added heat index and the guidance of McGirt.
Training toward a particular style – or for that matter, a particular fighter – is still on hold, however. Jeffries knows she’s fighting on June 12, although an opponent has not yet been announced.
The Featherweight champ has experienced the unknown before. In her last bout in South Korea, Jeffries knew nothing but her opponent, as video or any additional information was unavailable.
But Jeffries feels that it’s probably better that she doesn’t know.
“I don’t think it really matters if I know anyway,” she said. “There are so many girls out there that can be my opponent … Sometimes if you train for a particular fighter or style, that could change, so it’s better to be prepared for everything.”
With June 12 as her next scheduled bout, Jeffries is also slated to fight Nov. 6 at Seven Feathers as well. The 126-pound boxer is also considering to move down to her natural weight of 122 pounds, and perhaps compete at the Junior Featherweight level.
“I’d like to fight my natural weight or at least fight people my size,” Jeffries said. “I want to go down and take all the belts down there.”
Never seeming to take a day off, Jeffries will be ready June 12 for whatever hits her.
