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By Gail Janotta
Deep South Boxing
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Chelsy Chapman
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Don't let the pretty face of 20-year-old Chelsy Chapman fool you. Stepping into a boxing ring turns the Muldrow, OK beauty into a beast.
"Whenever I show up, I'm ready to fight. And I'm coming to win," Chapman said.
At a tender age, Chapman always wanted to become a top female boxer. But she had a hard time convincing her mom to let her pursue her boxing career. As she got older, she was more determined than ever to enter the ring.
"I guess I inspired myself to want to box. Ever since I was little I have always wanted to be a boxer. But my mama kept saying, 'No, no, no. You will hurt your face.' But I got older and decided to do it anyway," Chapman said. |
Chapman's manager, Bud Pitchford, is impressed with his boxer.
"Chelsey is the most dynamic girl I have ever seen. I've been around a lot and she has a great look in the ring," Pitchford said. "You wouldn't think someone that pretty would want to be in the ring, but that's what she wants to do. But lately, I am in awe of girls coming into the gym to box. In our gym, in the last four months, we have had about eight girls around 15 years old come and want to learn to box."
Chapman said her aggressiveness and competitiveness are her ring strengths.
"I like to use a straight punch and jab a lot, and I sure use it a lot," Chapman said. "My conditioning is something I always have to work on. Even if I'm out of the gym for just a little while, you can tell it instantly. It's all about conditioning."
In March, 2008, Chapman (0-1) lost her pro debut by TKO in the second round to Arkansas light middleweight Britanny Glendenning (2-0, 1 KO) at the Kay Rodgers Expo Center in Fort Smith, AR. Upon reflection, Chapman said being in better condition would have made a big difference in the outcome.
"I took the fight on three days' notice. I was in the gym just one day. My opponent had nine months to prepare for the fight," said Chapman. "That is the one bad thing about women's boxing: too many things can happen to cancel a bout at the last minute.
"I was pleased with myself even though I lost. I just gassed out," Chapman said. "If I had been in better conditioning, it would have made a big difference. I thought I had her a few times but I just gassed. I was nervous as when I first stepped into the ring. But once I got started I was ready and I gave it all I had."
Chapman's hopes are that one day female boxing is just as popular as the men.
"I think women's boxing is awesome. I just wish there was more of it," Chapman said. "There are a lot of competitive females out there. A lot of folks still consider boxing a male sport, but I, for one, totally disagree with that."
Minimumweight champion and Van Buren, AR native Hollie Dunaway, and ex-heavyweight champion Mike Tyson are two of Chapman's favorite fighters.
"My goal is to be like Hollie Dunaway. She is so dedicated and good. She's been everywhere," Chapman said. "That inspires me because of the possibilities of being able to do the same thing. I want to be that good. Right from the time Mike Tyson came into boxing I've always liked him, his style, his aggressiveness. The young Mike was such a great boxer."
Chapman meets April Ward, who will be making her professional debut, on the Saturday, June 13 Bad Boy Promotions card, in Batesville, AR. Ward trains in Batesville. Ward was originally scheduled to meet Jeannie Woodard (0-1) before that fight fell out and the Ward-Chapman fight was made.
Chapman said she doesn't care who the opponent is.
"I don't really care who my opponent is. It doesn't matter. I just go to fight," Chapman said.
"I just want everyone to know that when I show up, I'm coming to win. I'm not going to quit. I may lose, but it won't be because of something I did. It will be because I got beat by a better opponent. As long as I work hard and stay dedicated, I will be okay."
Chapman has been with trainer Che Kinard for about a year. Chapman's siblings are a four-year brother, Rayce, and 17-year-old sister, Brianna. Her mom is Sabrina Jamison.
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