Vonda Ward
| Vonda Ward | |
|---|---|
| Statistics | |
| Real name | Vonda Ward |
| Nickname(s) | All-American Girl |
| Rated at | Heavyweight |
| Height | 6 ft 6 in (198 cm) |
| Nationality | American |
| Born | March 16, 1973 Macedonia, Ohio, United States |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 24 |
| Wins | 23 |
| Wins by KO | 17 |
| Losses | 1 |
| Draws | 0 |
| No contests | 0 |
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
Representing  United States |
||
| Jones Cup | ||
 |
1993 Jones Cup Taipei, Taiwan | Team Competition |
Vonda Ward (born March 16, 1973, Macedonia, Ohio, United States) is an American female boxer who was also a well known NCAA basketball player.
Before boxing
Ward grew up in a sports-oriented family, as her father, Larry Ward, is a famous harness racer.
Ward played basketball at Trinity High School in Garfield Heights and was twice named Ohio's "Ms. Basketball."[1] She made "Parade All American" teams twice. She was recruited by Division I universities across the United States.
In 1991, Ward accepted a basketball scholarship at the University of Tennessee. While a member of Pat Summitt's Lady Vols, Ward played in one NCAA basketball championship game (1995) during her college career at Tennessee, losing to the University of Connecticut. She competed with USA Basketball as a member of the 1993 Jones Cup Team that won the Bronze in Taipei.[2] After her college career ended in 1995, Ward played for a professional basketball club in Germany. She later played for the American Basketball League's Colorado Xplosion.
Boxing career
After a broken leg cut her professional basketball career short, Ward turned her attention to boxing.
Ward's boxing debut occurred on January 15, 2000, when she knocked out Faye Steffen in round one at LaPorte, Indiana. Her first four fights all ended in first round knockout wins for Ward.
On April 27, 2000, she met Genevia Buckwalter in New York. Buckwalter became the first fighter to make it out of the first round against Ward, but Ward still won on a second round knockout.
Ward's next five rivals did not make it past the second round, with two first round knockouts and three second round wins. At this point of her career, she had a streak of twelve knockout wins in a row.
On February 2, 2001, she met prospect Kisha Snow as part of the state fair celebrations in Columbus, Ohio. Snow came into the fight undefeated after six bouts, and she and Ward engaged in a four round war, but Ward made Snow her thirteenth straight knockout victim. Then came Carley Pesente, on June 16, at Kansas City, Missouri. Pesente lasted two rounds.
After one more win, Ward challenged for the IBA's world's Heavyweight title on August 16, 2002. Ward became the champion, but saw her knockout win streak gone when she outpointed Monica McGowan in ten rounds at Canton, Ohio.
Ward defended her title successfully with an eighth round knockout over Kathy Rivers on December 6 at the Gund Arena in Cleveland. On March 1, 2003, she and Martha Salazar made their Las Vegas debut, with Ward taking a four round split decision win in a non-title bout.
After one more win, Ward unified her IBA world Heavyweight title with the WIBA's by defeating Salazar in a rematch, held on July 11 in Canton. Ward won by decision.
On May 8, 2004, Ward fought a nationally televised championship bout with Ann Wolfe in Biloxi, Mississippi. At one minute and eight seconds of the first round, Wolfe knocked out Ward with a devastating right to the chin-made even more devastating by the fact that Ward inadvertently jumped forward into the impact of the punch-leaving Ward profoundly asleep on the mat for a few minutes. This first round knockout defeat caused her to lose her title and her undefeated status. Ward had a neck concussion because she hit the canvas with her neck when she fell, and she was hospitalized after this bout.[3][4]
On December 12, 2004, Ward returned to the boxing ring, knocking out Marsha Valley in four rounds in Cleveland.
Ward's boxing record stands at 23 wins and 1 loss, with 17 wins by knockout.[5]
Professional boxing record
| 23 Wins (17 knockouts, 6 decisions), 1 Losses, 0 Draws,
0 No Contests[6] |
|||||||
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Type | Rd., Time | Date | Location | Notes |
| Win | 23–1 | Carlette Ewell |
UD | 10 | 2008-02-23 | Chapparells Community Center, Akron, Ohio |
|
| Win | 22-1 | Martha Salazar |
UD | (10) | 2007-02-10 | Wolstein Center, Cleveland, Ohio |
Won inaugural WBC World female Heavyweight, Retained WIBA World Heavyweight, & IBA Female Heavyweight titles. |
| Win | 21-1 | Cassandra Giger |
UD | (10) | 2005-07-15 | Gund Arena, Cleveland, Ohio |
|
| Win | 20-1 | Elizabeth Kerin |
KO | 2 (10), 1:33 | 2005-04-29 | Wolstein Center, Cleveland, Ohio |
Won WIBA World Heavyweight, & IBA Female Heavyweight titles. |
| Win | 19–1 | Marsha Valley |
TKO | 4 (10), 1:47 | 2004-12-10 | Gund Arena, Cleveland, Ohio |
|
| Loss | 18–1 | Ann Wolfe |
KO | 1 (10), 1:08 | 2004-05-08 | Mississippi Coast Coliseum, Biloxi, Mississippi |
Lost WIBA World Light Heavyweight title & For vacant IBA Female Light Heavyweight title. |
| Win | 18–0 | Martha Salazar |
UD | (10) | 2003-07-11 | Civic Center, Canton, Ohio |
Retained WIBA World Light Heavyweight & For vacant IBA Female Light Heavyweight titles. |
| Win | 17–0 | Jeanine Tracy |
TKO | 8 (10), 1:40 | 2003-03-14 | Avalon Events Center, Cleveland, Ohio |
|
| Win | 16–0 | Martha Salazar |
SD | (4) | 2003-03-01 | Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas, Nevada |
|
| Win | 15–0 | Kathy Rivers |
TKO | 8 (10), 1:40 | 2002-12-06 | Gund Arena, Cleveland, Ohio |
Retained WIBA World Light Heavyweight & IBA Female Light Heavyweight titless. |
| Win | 14–0 | Monica McGowan |
UD | 10 | 2002-07-16 | Civic Center, Canton, Ohio |
Won WIBA World Light Heavyweight & vacant IBA Female Light Heavyweight titles. |
| Win | 13–0 | GiGi Jackson |
TKO | 4 (4), 1:48 | 2002-02-22 | Schottenstein Center, Columbus, Ohio |
|
| Win | 12–0 | Carley Pesente |
TKO | 2 (4), 1:28 | 2001-05-16 | Ameristar Casino, Kansas City, Missouri |
|
| Win | 11–0 | Kisha Snow |
TKO | 4 (4), 1:05 | 2001-02-02 | Celeste Center, Columbus, Ohio |
|
| Win | 10–0 | Katie Courtney |
TKO | 1 (4) | 2000-12-28 | Willoughby, Ohio |
|
| Win | 9–0 | Marjorie Jones |
KO | 1 (4), 1;02 | 2000-10-19 | The Cosmopolitan, Wickliffe, Ohio |
|
| Win | 8–0 | Sharon Thomas |
TKO | 1 (4), 1:24 | 2000-09-23 | Packard Music Hall, Warren, Ohio |
|
| Win | 7–0 | Jeanine Tracy |
TKO | 2 (4) | 2000-08-24 | Columbus, Ohio |
|
| Win | 6–0 | Lisa Redding |
TKO | 1 (4), 0:31 | 2000-07-17 | Station Casino, Saint Charles, Missouri |
|
| Win | 5–0 | Genevia Buckhalter |
TKO | 2 (4), 1:22 | 2000-04-27 | Hammerstein Ballroom, New York, New York |
|
| Win | 4–0 | Lana Jock |
KO | 1 (4), 0:52 | 2000-03-24 | UAW Hall, Parma, Ohio |
|
| Win | 3–0 | Nicolyn Armstrong |
KO | 1 (4), 0:59 | 2000-03-11 | National Guard Armory, Findlay, Ohio |
|
| Win | 2–0 | Mattie Brumley |
TKO | 1 (4), 1:20 | 2000-02-29 | Pepsi Coliseum, Indianapolis, Indiana |
|
| Win | 1–0 | Faye Steffen |
KO | 1 (4), 1:45 | 2000-01-15 | Civic Center, La Porte, Indiana |
Professional debut. |
References
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External links
| Preceded by
Inaugural champion
|
WBC Female Heavyweight Champion 2007-02-10 – present |
Succeeded by Current |
| Preceded by
Flor Maria Delgado (Vacated)
|
WIBA Heavyweight Champion 2007-02-10 – present |
Succeeded by Current |
- Boxrec ID different in Wikidata
- 1973 births
- Living people
- American women boxers
- Basketball players from Ohio
- Centers (basketball)
- Colorado Xplosion players
- Parade High School All-Americans (girls' basketball)
- People from Summit County, Ohio
- Tennessee Lady Volunteers basketball players
- World heavyweight boxing champions
