::DEEP SOUTH BOXING::

Junot Talks About Victory Over Watkins

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From Staff Reports

HOUSTON- Tiffany Junot isn't hung up with championship belts and things of that nature. Titles are nice to have, but Junot just concerns herself with victory in the ring.

Junot said her rematch Thursday (April 29) with Camden, AR's Kita Watkins wasn't a thing of beauty, but she got the job done and that was all that mattered. A New Orleans native, Junot won an 8-round majority decision at he Houston Club on a Savarese Promotions card.

With the victory, Junot won her first championship belt, the Texas State Female Light Welterweight championship. Junot (8-2-1, 5 KOs) won 79-73 on two cards, but the third judge had it 6-76.

Dunaway Looking For Championship Fight After Defeating Cordova

From Staff Reports

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - Former female minimumweight world champion Hollie Dunaway won a 6-round split decision over previously-unbeaten Chantel Cordova Thursday (Jan. 28) at the Cola-Cola Center.

The match was contracted for flyweight, and both weighed 107 pounds.

Dunaway, who improved to 23-8-1, 10 KOs, won 58-56 and 60-54 on two cards. Cordova (7-1-1, 3 KOs), from Colorado, won 59-55 on the third card. There were no knockdowns.

"From talking to people at ringside, they told me they thought Hollie should have won a unanimous decision," said Ron Brand, Dunaway's manager who also worked her corner. "It was a rough and tough fight. Hollie was landing solid shots. Chantel hadn't been in the ring for a couple of years, bu she was still an undefeated fighter."

Dunaway is originally from Van Buren, AR. She currently lives in Las Vegas.

"It was a good, hard-fought fight," Brand said. "Hollie set up the jab and right crosses. In clinches, Hollie caught her on breaks. They put on quite a show."

Though Dunaway has no championship belt at the moment, Brand said she is ready to fight for one.

"We were glad to get a win," Brand said. "We'd definitely would like to fight for a belt pretty soon."

Taylor Boxes, Jabs Her Way Past Patton In Winning Decision

From Staff Reports

BAY ST. LOUIS, MS - Patience and throwing a lot of jabs were what New Orleans super featherweight Geni Taylor said carried her past Gulfport's Jasmine Patton (Saturday night (Jan. 23) at Hollywood Casino.

Taylor won a 4-round unanimous decision over Patton, who was making her professional debut on the Les Bonano card. Taylor (2-0, 1 KO) won 40-36 on all three official scorecards.

Taylor and Patton had a history before Saturday's bout. They fought once as amateurs, and Taylor was awarded a decision victory.

Taylor said she and Patton fought differently as professionals.

"(Patton) was a lot different than when we fought as amateurs. The first time, she did a lot of backing up and her punches were not as straight as they were Saturday. She was very green. This time, she kept her stance."

Taylor said she thought she won all but one round.

"I thought I lost the third round. "We clashed heads and that stung me. I threw a right hand and she tried to throw a left hook and our heads clashed," Taylor said. "My right eye started swelling after that."

Taylor said some aspects of her style also gave Patton reason to pause.

"The first time we met, I came out aggressive," Taylor said. "I surprised them this time because my coach wanted me to come out and box. The first time I threw no jabs. This time, I threw a lot more jabs."

Taylor said she plans to fight at 122 in the future. She weighed 128 against Patton. Patton weighed 130.5

"I want to take February off to get my body in shape and then get started back in March or April," Taylor said. "I walk around at 128, but I want to be at 120 for my next fight."

A second women's fight on the card saw Columbus, MS' Cassandra Lindsey upset Batesville, AR slugger April Ward in a light middleweight bout that was scheduled for 4 rounds. Lindsey knocked down Ward in the first round and then forced Ward to retire after the third round.

Lindsey improved to 3-4, 2 KOs. Ward suffered her first loss and fell to 4-1, 4 KOs. It was the first time Ward had gone into the third round.

Ward weighed 153.5, while Lindsey weighed 158.

Patton Hoping To Hammer Out A Victory In Boxing Ring On Saturday

By Gail Janotta
Staff Writer

Super bantamweight Jasmine Patton is the lone female boxer at the Gulfport (MS) Boxing Club. On the eve of her professional debut, Patton would like nothing better than to be a positive example for what hard work and dedication can do.

Patton debuts Saturday (Jan. 23) in a 4-rounder at Hollywood Casino Bay St. Louis (MS) against New Orleans boxer Geni Taylor (1-0, 1 KO).

"I'm the only female in my boxing gym, so I'm ready to win on Saturday," Patton said. "I have worked really hard training seven days a week for the fight."

Outside the gym, Patton is also one of the few females to work in the construction business building houses. She credited a co-worker for getting her interesting in boxing.

"A friend of mine who also boxes over in Moss Point suggested I go with him to the gym one day," Patton said. "He said he always thought I could box."

Patton and Taylor fought as amateurs, a fight Patton vehemently has said she thought she won despite coming out short on the scorecards.

"(Taylor) fought well in our first match. She gave it her best shot," Patton said. "She put up a really good fight."

Patton said her jab is her biggest strength.

"I think I have a really good right jab," Patton said. "Well, I think I have a good jab, period. I really want to win the first fight. My coach (Warren Migues) is always telling me to use my jab, use my jab. And I have a lot of heart."

Patton said there are areas where she needs to improve before she gets to where she wants.

"I always have to work on my movement," Patton said. My coach says I need to keep moving around the ring using my jab, but I tend to stay stationary. I have to work on keeping my head up and throwing as many jabs as I can."

Patton said she fully expects to put on an entertaining fight on Saturday

"I hope I win. For anyone that pays to come see us, they are going to get a good fight," Patton said. "It's going to be well worth the money."

Patton said women's boxing should be taken as seriously as their male counterparts.

"The boxing world tends to overlook the female boxers," Patton said. "I don't know if they just overlook us thinking we aren't strong enough or maybe don't work hard enough, but we can fight just as well as the men.

"It doesn't matter if you train for 10 months or six years, if you work hard enough you can accomplish what you want," Patton said. "As long as you work hard, you can win."

New Orleans' Taylor Puts NFL Playoffs On Hold To Focus On Fight

Super bantamweight Geni Taylor goes for her second pro victory Saturday in Bay St. Louis, MS. (Photo credit: Team Taylor)

By Gail Janotta
Staff Writer

BAY ST. LOUIS, MS - While most of the nation focuses Saturday (Jan. 23) on the National Football League's NFC Championship game between nearby New Orleans and Minnesota and its Mississippi quarterback, Brett Favre, one New Orleanian has something quite different on her agenda.

Super bantamweight Geni Taylor is scheduled to step into the boxing ring for a 4-rounder on Saturday at Hollywood Casino at about the same time the Saints and Vikings are meeting with a berth in Super Bowl XXIV on the line. Taylor (1-0, 1 KO) goes for her second straight victory since she turned pro last month. She meets Gulfport, MS' Jasmine Patton, who is making her pro debut.

Born into a military family in San Diego, CA, Taylor has called New Orleans home since she was 5 years of age. Sadly, however, Taylor said her father never saw her win during her decorated amateur career. She was a National Golden Gloves and Silver Gloves champion.

"My dad passed away in 2008. When my dad would come to see me, I would lose," Taylor said. "I think I was just so nervous. It broke my heart he never got to see me win a fight. I am dedicating this fight to him."

In her pro debut, Taylor wasted little time in taking out Geboria Mayfield, of Columbus, MS. Taylor TKO'd Mayfield at 37 seconds of the first round in their fight at St. Bernard Cultural Center in Chalmette, LA.

"I just think I wanted that fight more than she (Mayfield) did," Taylor said. "I fought Jasmine in my last amateur fight. I really didn't want to fight her because I had pulled a hamstring a few weeks before. WhenI got there, I knew I would have to beat the heck out of her to be able to win. I hit her so hard her legs flew out from under her. It's going to be a good rematch."

Taylor won a decision against Patton in that amateur fight. However, Patton has gone on record saying that she thought that she won the fight.

Fierce body shots are weapons Taylor loves to use. She said her body work is her strength now that she has turned pro.

"I like using body shots, which I feel is one of my strengths, but in the amateurs, it's a points system and you don't get credited for those," said Taylor. "I have a new respect for people getting hit with body shots. I have been hit by one. I have also been told I don't fight like a girl, which is a compliment to me."

Taylor said she is focused for Saturday's fight.

"I always have to work on keeping my mind focused and listening to my coach," Taylor said. "Sometimes I might not agree with them, but I know they can see things I can't. They usually let me do what I want in the first round but starting the second round, I do exactly what they tell me to. I know I have to use my brain more as a mental aspect. I work on this continually."

Taylor's trainers at the Freret Street Gym are James Joseph and Dawson Barze.

In 2008, Taylor won the National Golden Gloves Bronze Medal in Fort Lauderdale, FL. That same year, Taylor won Bronze in the National PAL Tournament in Oxnard, CA.

Taylor said she hoped female boxing will become popular. More recognition for female boxers from HBO is one thing Taylor hopes will change in the future.

"I hope that I can help the sport. Its changed a lot over the years," Taylor said. "Girls now can fight just as good as the men. I just wish HBO would give the women more opportunities."

Taylor guaranteed boxing fans will get their money's worth Saturday.

"One thing folks don't realize about me is I weighed 215 pounds at one time and lost 93. I can guarantee a good fight," Taylor said. "I am very entertaining. I want this fight so badly and maybe, just maybe, it might make it to the second round. But I know there is no way (Patton) could want this as much as I do."

"One thing is for sure," Taylor said, "if you don't come ready to fight me, you're in for a long night."

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