::DEEP SOUTH BOXING::

Athletic Junot Trades In Softball Mitts For Boxing Gloves

Light welterweight Tiffany Junot celebrates after another victory. (Photo credit: Calm Before The Storm Promotion)

By Gail Janotta
Staff Writer

TIffany Junot excelled in softball and volleyball during her high school days at Edna Karr in New Orleans.

Junot was good enough to receive scholarship offers in both sports from a number of universities.

However, Junot has traded her softball mitt for boxing gloves. The 30-year-old Junot is a successful light welterweight professional boxer with a record of 6-2, with 4 knockouts..

"I came from a rich sports oriented school. A lot of pro players came from there. I just didn't want to continue playing those sports," Junot said. "I've always been a Tomboy. I grew up with guys in a rough neighborhood. At 23, I knew I wanted to do something else. I started going to the gym and working out. I didn't expect to ever become a professional boxer. But, little by little, it started happening. I started fighting and winning, so I kept doing it."

In 40 amateur bouts, Junot was 35-5. She participated in the Pan American Games in Argentina, as well as the World Games in Russia.

"At one point I was ranked No. 1 in the world for three years in a row as the USA champion," said Junot. "I was counting on being in the 2004 Summer Olympics (in Athens), but did not make it. But being on the U.S. team was really fulfilling."

Junot said her knockout power is uncanny.

"I think power is something you are born with," Junot said. "That's really all I can say on that. But I'm strong in every sport. Power is just a natural ability for me like it was as a high school softball pitcher. Its a God-given talent. But it is something that can always be polished. Besides my power, I think my biggest strength is always knowing that there is room for improvement. I am able to adjust easily to my opponent."

Junot said there are parts of her game which need work.

"I have to continuously work on my defense and my balance," Junot said. "I love to fight but I have a tendency to stay on the inside too much. I fight on instinct. I use the knowledge in the gym. I don't use the tools I have in the ring unless I have to, only if I'm forced into it. This also makes more intensity in the fight and makes it a crowd pleaser. It's all about using good balance and the sweet science of the sport."

Once in the ring, Junot said being happy and having fun are essential.

"When I was in the amateurs, I had to get pumped up. But the more I fought the more relaxed I got," Junot said. "The fight, to me, is the most fun of my life. I'm always smiling in the dressing room. My trainer (Aaron Navarro) has even been asked before if he was sure I was ready with all my smiling. All the work is done (before the fight) and now I just have to go out and have fun and win. I do all my preparation before the fight in the gym, so when I get to the fight, my worries are over."

With all of Junot's past accomplishments, her one goal is to win the ESPY Award, an honor presented by cable channel ESPN.

"I had to re-evaluate since the Olympics were such a driving force for me," Junot said. "I have to try and find something to feed the hunger."

Junot steps back into the ring on the Aug. 6 card at the Hilton American Hotel in Houston against Little Rock's Kimberly Connor (4-1, 2 KOs). The card is promoted by Lou Savarese Promotions.

Junot said she is looking forward to Thursday's fight.

"She is a pretty sound fighter," Junot said referring to Connor. "She has nice punches and is no slouch. She is a viable opponent and that is what I need right now. I'm glad to welcome the new competition. I'm expecting a good fight, but I take every fight like it is a championship."

Junot looks to make the Connor fight her third straight victory. In her last outing, Junot TKO'd Pine Bluff, AR's Nikita McCargo (0-3) at 39 seconds of the first round last month at the San Miguel Arena in Houston.

"I had been practicing better placement of my body shots," Junot said. "I caught her with a body shot to the ribs. I heard her gasp and I tried to step back and give her some time to recover. It was a nice shot."

Before meeting McCargo, Juno won a four-round unanimous decision in June over Kita Watkins at the Coushatta Casino Resort in Kinder, LA.

"My body shots were hugely effective and gave me the ability to have control of the whole fight. I probably still did more wrong that right, but this fight opened up a lot of doors for me," said Junot. "I don't like four rounders, but this fight was a crowd-pleaser. A lot of media and important fight people were there, so it opened up doors."

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