WOMEN’S BOXING CHAMPION KALIESHA WEST DEFENDS HER TITLE ON APRIL 14
West will defend her WBO title against Argentina’s Claudia Andrea Lopez in Rosarito B.C. Mexico, live on Televisa
Rosarito, Baja California (B.C.) Mexico – World Boxing Organization (WBO) Bantamweight Champion, Kaliesha “Wild Wild” West (Moreno Valley, California, 14-1-3, 4 KOs) will defend her title against Claudia Andrea “La Chica 10” Lopez (Trelew, Chubut, Argentina, 18-5-0, 4 KOs) at the Ernesto Ruffo Appel Municipal Gymnasium, located in Rosarito B.C. Mexico. West’s 10-round, WBO title defense will be featured on the Mexican television network, Televisa, as part of their weekly boxing series “Sabados de Corona.” The fight card is presented by Box Latino, led by Mexican boxing legend and seven-time world champion, Erik “El Terrible” Morales.
Kaliesha West began her pro career in 2006, when she was just eighteen years old. On September 18, 2010, at age twenty-two, she won the vacant Women’s WBO Bantamweight title on the under card of the Mosley-Mora Golden Boy Promotions PPV by defeating Angel Gladney via a seventh-round knockout. The fight took place at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, and was held during the Mexican Bicentennial Celebration.
West, now twenty-four, makes her third WBO title defense on the April 14 Box Latino fight card. West last fought on August 20, 2011, when she defeated Jessica Villafranca by unanimous decision in Manzanillo, Colima, Mexico.
“Thank you to Box Latino for offering me such a great, televised, title defense opportunity,” West said. “I’m honored and looking forward to being showcased as the main event. Mexico has some of the best fans. It’s a great feeling to box in front of people that enjoy watching women’s boxing. Lopez is a credible veteran who has fought mostly in Argentina. I’m sure she will come with a good game plan, but I’m prepared for whatever she might bring to the fight.”
Coach Juan West, Kaliesha’s trainer, manager and father shared his thoughts. “I want to thank the Morales brothers for the warm welcome to fight on their card. We are very excited to be the main event and fight on Televisa. We have fought a few times in Mexico and we feel at home there. Claudia Andrea Lopez is on a four-fight win streak and has won six of her last seven bouts. She’s also the current WBC Latino Super Bantamweight Champion, but her title won’t be on the line.”
Coach West also mentioned, “I’ve done my research and Lopez is the type of fighter that managers avoid. She’s strong, left-handed, has a solid chin and she’s a champion. She’s had some close losses to highly rated fighters. This is an opportunity for Kaliesha to make a statement and take her game to another level. She is on a mission to gain the respect of the boxing community and to build a broader fan base by grabbing the attention of casual sports fans.”
Team West is grateful for all the support they have received from boxing fans all over the world. Kaliesha said, “I don’t fight for just my team and myself. I fight for all the supporters of women participating in sports, especially those who have been supportive of me and have remained advocates of women’s boxing. I’m looking forward to doing my best on April 14.”
Juan West added, “I want to thank all the people who make me and my daughter feel that we have made them proud and that we are doing something great. There are a lot people out there that are encouraged by all the hard work we have put into our sport. We want to continue to make our supporters proud. I also want to give a very special thanks to the other coaches who are a big part of Team West, Sam Jackson and Ulysses West.”
Similarly to her father, Kaliesha West was born in South Haven, Michigan. Her family relocated to Moreno Valley, California, where she began boxing at the age of ten. In Southern California, she was a decorated amateur boxing star. She competed as a member of the USA Boxing Program, winning 98 amateur bouts, and several championships, including the 2003 National Golden Gloves. West opted to turn pro when she received the news that women’s boxing was not going to be showcased during the 2008 Olympic Games.
This year, women’s boxing made a major breakthrough, as three weight classes of boxers will be showcased during the 2012 Olympic Games in London, England.
Tickets for Kaliesha’s fight on April 14 will be available at the Ernesto Ruffo Appel Municipal Gymnasium box office in Mexico. Tickets can also be purchased by calling the offices of Bobby D. Presents at +1 (619) 420 8866. On fight night, the doors will open at 5pm, with the first fight starting at 6pm.
For the latest updates on Kaliesha West, “like” her official fan page on Facebook, http://www.facebook.com/OfficialKalieshaWest.
Follow Kaliesha West on twitter @kwildwildwest or http://www.twitter.com/kwildwildwest.
For media inquiries or any further information, contact Lorin Chvotkin of Team West by e-mail at Lbchoyas@yahoo.com or by phone at +1 (240) 498 1478.
As in September, I once again ran out of gas in the 10th & 11th championship rounds of October & November with this column, but I recovered to complete them and will unleash a few more flurries to close out the 12th and final round.
In the first week of October, Hassan N’Dam won a UD over Curtis Stevens in an eliminator for the right to challenge Jermaine Taylor who defeated aging Sam Soliman to regain the IBF Middleweight title. How Taylor even earned this title shot is another story altogether, but it is all irrelevant as he is now the champion. However he will not have too much time to savor his victory as he has assault and battery charges pending against him and an upcoming court fight that may turn out to be the toughest fight of his life, just when things started to look up for him in boxing, we wish him luck.
