West will contend for the vacant IFBA Super Bantamweight title in the main event of legendary Sugar Shane Mosley’s fight card in Pomona, California.
MORENO VALLEY, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A. – On Saturday night, October 6, 2012, the current World Boxing Organization (WBO) Bantamweight Champion, Kaliesha “Wild Wild” West (Moreno Valley, California, 15-1-3, 4 KOs), will move up in weight when she faces Christina Ruiz (San Antonio, Texas, 6-4-2, 4 KOs) at the Finish Line Sports Grill in Pomona, California. West-Ruiz will be a 10-round bout for the vacant International Female Boxing Association (IFBA) Super Bantamweight Title.
The contest will be featured as the main event of the boxing card entitled, “KO Cancer – Boxing For The Cure,” presented by Sugar Shane Mosley Promotions, in association with Diamond’s Love Foundation and The Susan G. Komen Foundation. The event was created to help the fight against cancer and to increase cancer awareness. West-Cruz will receive coverage from several outlets, including Verizon’s FOX International television channel, MundoFox, Ringside TV, and Fox Sports Radio. Some notable women’s boxing match-ups featured on the undercard include Holly “Lil Bear” Lawson vs. Tammie “The Tasmanian Devil” Johnson, and Katarina “Guantes” De La Cruz vs. Blanca Reymundo.
Kaliesha West is happy about getting an opportunity to fight so close to her hometown. She said, “I am going to have a lot of friends and family come out for my fight. My last few fights have been in Mexico, so it feels great to come home. I’m excited to make history, being the first world title fight to be featured on Sugar Shane Mosley’s professional card. Women do belong in the sport, fighting on the same cards with the men.”
Juan West, Kaliesha’s father, manager, and trainer, shared his thoughts. “This will be Kaliesha’s first main event in the United States on an all-boxing card. Kaliesha’s supporters will be able to attend the open workout at her hometown high school to see her practice, and then come to fight night on October 6th to see her perform.”
Kaliesha West discussed her progress in training camp. “Camp has been going well. I’m training hard, working on my endurance, and hope to put on a great performance.” Coach West added, “Kaliesha is right on schedule. I can see her drive and determination to make a statement in this fight.”
Kaliesha talked about her opponent and said, “Christina Ruiz is an aggressive fighter that fights with passion and determination. I have the utmost respect for her because of her accomplishments in the sport of boxing and I will not take this fight lightly.”
Juan West added, “I’ve followed Christina Ruiz for years and was really impressed when she knocked out Emily Klinefelter. We respect her punching power. Kaliesha has speed and Ruiz has power, and typically, speed vs. power battles are exciting for the fans. Kaliesha will have to box impressively on the inside, put together her combinations, and show professional poise. On October 6th, she who wants it most will take home the IFBA Title belt.”
Following the success of the women boxers in the 2012 Olympic games, Kaliesha West wants to carry on the legacy of great female fighters. She said, “Marlen Esparza, Claressa Shields, and Katy Taylor epitomized what women’s boxing is all about. The women’s boxing events in London sold out and were extremely exciting to watch. Claressa was able to dominate, even though she had to move up in weight in order to compete. She’s a great ambassador for the sport. I admired her will power to succeed and win the gold.”
Juan West thought that the 2012 Olympics demonstrated the high skill level now found in women’s boxing. “The skills displayed in the Olympics are the result of these women having solid amateur boxing backgrounds. In London, the women’s boxers captured hearts of the Olympic fans and their performance hopefully opened doors for other amateurs and current pros in the sport.”
On September 20, 2012, at 3:45pm, Kaliesha West will hold an open workout at Canyon Springs High School. The workout will take place in the school gymnasium and is open to the media and general public. Canyon Springs High School is located at 23100 Cougar Canyon Drive, Moreno Valley, CA, 92557. Kaliesha West would like to thank LaDonna Jempson and the MVHCC for helping coordinate the open workout. West would also like to thank her Adidas sponsorship for their support in helping Team West adequately prepare for this fight.
Weigh-ins for Kaliesha’s fight will take place on Friday night, October 5, 2012, at 5:30pm, during the intermission of the KO Cancer Amateur Show, located at the Finish Line Sports Grill. On Kaliesha’s fight night, Saturday night, October 6, 2012, the doors will open at the Finish Line Sports Grill for boxing festivities at 2pm, with the first fight starting at 6pm. Ticket prices are $100 (VIP) and $50. Tickets for Kaliesha’s fight will be available for purchase online by visiting http://knockingoutcancer.eventbrite.com or by calling Diamond’s Love Foundation at (909) 622 9092. The Finish Line Sports Grill is located at 2201 N. White Ave., Pomona, CA, 91767.
Similarly to her father, Kaliesha West was born in South Haven, Michigan. At the age of five, she relocated with her family to Moreno Valley, California, and she began boxing five years later. 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 in 2006 when she received the news that women’s boxing was not going to be showcased during the 2008 Olympic games.
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, last fought on April 14, 2012, when she defeated Claudia Lopez by unanimous decision, in Rosarito, Mexico.
For the latest updates on Kaliesha West, “Like” her official Facebook fan page at http://www.facebook.com/OfficialKalieshaWest
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.
