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01/15/2004 Archived Entry: "Reis comes home for Woman’s World Title Fight"
Reis comes home for Woman’s World Title Fight
The Showdown Part 2 Jan. 30 in Worcester
Press Release
WORCESTER, MA – Marlborough native Yvonne Reis returns home to challenge IWBF middleweight champion Leititia “Baby Girl” Robinson in the first world women’s pro boxing title fight ever held in nearby Worcester, January 30 in the 10-round co-feature on “Return of Friday Night Fights: The Showdown Part 2.” at the Worcester National Guard Armory.
Robinson (9-0, 8 KOs), of Chicago, defends her IWBF crown against No. 4 rated Reis (3-1-1), now fighting out of Ft. Lauderdale. Not only does Robinson-Reis mark the first women’s world championship match ever held in boxing tradition rich Worcester, it’ll also be the first world title fight there in nearly 21 years, since Marvelous Marvin Hagler successfully defended his undisputed middleweight crown (Feb. 11, 1983) against Tony Sibson (TKO6) at The Centrum.
Reis graduated from Marlborough High School, where she played basketball, and Emerson College in Boston. The former martial arts student and kick boxer works as an office manager and personal trainer in Ft. Lauderdale, where she is trained by former world champion Bonnie Canino. Yvonne was 14-3 as an amateur, winning the 156-pound division at the US Nationals and National Golden Gloves, in addition to capturing the silver medal at the 2002 AIBA World Championships.
“I’m so pumped to be coming home and fighting for a world title in front of my hometown fans,” Reis said. “I don’t know much about Robinson other than she’s 9-0 with eight knockouts. I just love boxing and will be coming to fight.”
The undercard includes six-round bouts between Worcester cruiserweight Roy “House of” Payne (15-12-4 (6 KOs) and Arizona veteran Robert Folley (27-8-2, 17 KOs), as well as super middleweights Derrick Graham (12-7-1, 4 KOs), of Newark (NJ), versus TBA.
Former world title contender “Sucra” Ray Oliveira (45-9-2, 21 KOs), of New Bedford (MA), headlines the card, promoted by Doug Pendarvis in association with Budweiser and Holiday Inn of Worcester, in an eight-round match against TBA. The show is dedicated to the memory of boxer Jamar Carter, who died two months ago in a New Jersey house fire.
In a special attraction, former New England Golden Gloves champion Denise “Mighty” Moses (2-0, 2 KOs), of Lawrence, takes on Philadelphia’s Anita Parker (0-1), in a four-rounder. Haverhill welterweight Alex Infante (3-2) meets Bilai Burns (0-4), of Philadelphia. All fighters and matches are subject to change
