'Finally's' final presser

Story by Chris Cozzone & Natasha Chornesky
Photos by Chris Cozzone

A gentleman’s bet between two trainers might’ve stolen the show at today’s final press conference for the “Finally!” card, held at Isleta Casino outside Albuquerque, but it did little to detract from the anticipation shown by eight of the continent’s top female fighters, in regard to their respective showdowns Friday night.

If anything, the $3,000 wager, between Mike Winkeljohn, trainer of Holly Holm, and Jimmy Mallo, Mary Jo Sanders’ coach, while adding drama to a presser in need of it, might also have upped the anxiety level felt by their two fighters.

If Sanders was worried, however, she did not show it.

Holm was another matter.

“I’m nervous as all heck,” she admitted. “But that’s normal. It means I’m focused. I can’t for Friday to be over with.”

On Friday, Holm, 21-1-2, 11 KOs, the undisputed welterweight queen of women’s boxing, will move up to 154 to defend one of her IFBA belts against the undefeated, 25-0 Sanders, of Auburn Hills, Mich.

The fight headlines a four-title, nearly-all-female fight card at Isleta, the women’s bulk of the show to be televised on Pay-Per-View.

“I can’t even describe my training for this,” said Sanders. “I’ve been doing crazy things—jumping over fences and running hills, using a breathing apparatus to restrict breathing, and sparring 30, 40 rounds a week with southpaw Damian Fuller.

“I’ve been training for this fight like I’ve never trained for anything else.”

Three more ten-round fights will precede Holm-Sanders.

Making a defense of her IFBA lightweight title, Chevelle Hallback, 26-5-2, 11 KOs, of Tampa, Fla., will take on undefeated Jeannine Garside, 7-0-1, 3 KOs, of Ontario, Canada.

“This is history in the making,” said Hallback. “I’m overwhelmed to be part of this.”

Garside, a rising star in the sport, had nothing but words of respect for her opponent.

“I’m quite honored to fight Chevelle,” she said. “‘Finally’ has a lot of meaning for me. The day has come for me, finally.”

In the second televised fight, Los Angeles' Wendy Rodriguez, 18-4, 3 KOs, and Hollie Dunaway, 21-6, 10 KOs, of Van Buren, Arkansas, will battle for the IFBA strawweight belt.

The fight is also a rematch from 2007, in which Dunaway won an eight-round decision.

“Thank you, Hollie, for giving me a second chance to fight you,” said Rodriguez.

“We’re going to steal the show.”

Dunaway agreed, saying the two would steal the show because they were well-acquainted with one another.

“There’ll be no feeling out rounds,” she said. “We’ll pick up where we left off.”

Dunaway’s camp pledged an extra $1,000 if either fighter won by knockout.

In the first televised bout, a ten-round flyweight bout, WIBA champ Eileen Olszewski, 5-0-1, of Honolulu and New York City, will fight WBC minimumweight champ Marina Coreno, 16-1, 5 KOs, of Watsonville, Calif.

“I’ve trained really hard, but I’m ready to get the belt,” said Olszewski.

Moreno said this bout was all about business—“But on Friday, I’m going to take care of business.”

. . . . .

A six-round men’s lightweight bout has been added to the card. In a rematch from a disputed win earlier in the year, Willie Villanueva, 9-0, will take on Las Cruces’ Lorenzo Estrada, 2-13-1.

The four-round pro debut of local super flyweight Angelica Chavez has been scratched. An opponent could not be found.

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