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Bantamweight Ava Knight-Salicka was born
on August 15, 1988, in the little town of Chico, California.
Half Polish and half African-American, she takes no shame from what she does.
As a child, Ava never played sports but she did ballet through her years of
4-6. In school she was always quiet and never out spoken ... one of those
girls that you could walk by and never notice. She has a very loving
family that supports her in what she does.
Ava started boxing at Chico Boxing for Fitness in June of 2001, at the
age of 13. Not knowing yet that she had the talent to compete, she attended the gym
and boxed her first amateur fight in 2002. She had a hard time getting
fights through the years and had to fluctuate between weight classes and
fight the same people two or three times to stay busy. Though many
fights were at least three or more months apart, she finished with a
record of 28-4. She fought and beat the 2006 110-lb Golden Gloves
Champion twice and the 2006 National P.A.L 114-lb Champion twice. She attended the U.S Nationals in
Colorado Spings in March 2006, but lost to Cheryl Houlihan by a controversial
13-10 decision on March 10 after defeating Amy Augendhal by RSC-1 the
previous day.
Ava was given her ring name “Lady of Boxing” by her coach Joe Rodriguez.
She didn’t like the name at first but it came to grow on her. She is
trained by Joe Rodriguez, his son Luis Rodriguez, and her father Elliot
Knight. Ava didn’t know that her father was a former amateur boxer when
he was a kid until she was four years into boxing. She also trains alongside professional boxer Mario Hernandez and amateur boxer Morris
Rodriguez, both aspiring to be champions in the future. She loves boxing
and wants to conquer it. She is very humble but takes pride in making
everyone around her happy.
Ava made her pro
debut on August 30, 2007, at age 19 at Colusa Casino Resort in
Colusa, California, . She weighed in at 114
lbs and fought a to a four-round unanimous
(40-37,39-37,39-37) decision over Leonie Hall (118 lbs) of Oceanside
California, who fell to 0-2-1 with the loss.
On September 20, 2007 at Sagebrush Cantina in Calabasas, California, Ava
(115½ lbs) fought Katarina De La
Cruz (5'3", 116 lbs) of California just hours after she got the call for the fight,
winning by a KO at 1:19 in the first round and sending De La Cruz's
record to 0-2-1.
 Ava's
third fight was against Jodi Esquibel (106½ lbs) of Albuquerque
at the Isleta Casino near Albuquerque, New Mexico,
on January 11, 2008. Ava tried to come down to 108 lbs, but could only
make 109½ lbs; Jodie’s team still accepted the fight. Ava fought to a
majority draw with
Jodi, but many saw that it as a robbery. The first round was Knight’s
with clean blows and dodging most of Esquibel’s punches, while the
second round was Esquibel’s. The last two rounds appeared to be Knight’s with
strong punches that opened up Esquibel’s nose and put a welt on her
forehead. Judges Rocky Burke and Margaret Garcia scored the fight 38-38,
while Judge Joel Perez had it 39-37 for Knight. Knight felt that
she was robbed by a "home town decision".
Her fourth fight was on February 9, 2008 at Aquarius Hotel, Laughlin,
Nevada against the more professionally experienced Sharon Gaines (112
lbs) of Las Vegas, Nevada . Knight won with a unanimous (58-56x3)
six-round decision. Gaines
fought a tough fight but Knight fought a better fight dropping Gaines's
record to 11-10-0 (3 KO's).
On June 12, 2008 at Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut, Knight
(124 lbs) fought WIBA champion and aspiring MMA contender
Elena Reid (126
lbs) of Las Vegas to a
draw over six rounds. Knight took the fight a week in advance. The fight
was close but Knight felt she won landing harder cleaner shots stunning
Reid at times, while Elena was hitting Knight mostly with slaps and
punches with little behind them. Knight felt she won again but was not
disappointed that she drew with a world class fighter whose record
advanced to 19-4-6 (5 KO's) with the draw.
According to Christopher Connor of Pound4Pound.com, "While
the bout seemed a mismatch on paper, it was an exciting fight as the
three time S.F. Gold Gloves champ Knight often was the attacker over the
reigning IFBA Flyweight champion Reid. "Baby Doll" did her best work in
rounds three and six as she used her jab and her experience to frustrate
the Chino native, keeping the more aggressive Knight at bay."
"I knew coming into this fight that Ava was the real deal. I have had
trouble getting opponents so we took Ava on and she came to fight",
said Reid afterwards. "This was the largest crowd I ever fought
in front of and I was nervous at first of this bout." Knight stated.
"But I did well and there are still some things I need to do to
improve on for my next fight."
On July 31, 2008, Knight went to Schuetzen Park, North Bergen, New
Jersey, to fight a local favorite, Noriko Kariya (5'1", 119 lbs) of
Toronto, Canada. Knight (117 lbs) took the fight a week in advance but also
had to come up two weight classes to 119 lbs. Knight came that night to
make a point. She knocked out Kariya at 00:20 in the fifth round.
According to Mike Indri on BoxinginLasVegas.com "Trailing
on the scorecards after four rounds of the scheduled six rounder, Kariya
was boxing well but absorbing several clean power shots from the taller,
well-skilled fighter. Early in round five Knight crushed Kariya with a
huge right hand, sending the stunned Canadian-born bantamweight
crumbling backwards onto the seat of her pants. Momentarily debilitated
and obviously hurt, the gutsy Kariya valiantly tried to get to her feet
but could not, getting counted out by referee Sparkle Lee at the 20
second mark of the fateful fifth round."
Kariya's record
fell to 9-3-1 (2 KO's) with the loss.
On November 18, 2008 at Table Mountain Casino in Friant, California, Ava
(117½ lbs)
won the IFBA North American Bantamweight title with a hard fought
eight-round unanimous (77-75x3) decision over undefeated California
rival Kaliesha West (117¾ lbs) of Moreno Valley.
According to Mario Ortega Jr of 15Rounds.com, "In
a thrilling eight-round bout, West got off to great start as her speed
seemed to bother Knight early. As the rounds progressed, Knight gained
the momentum by landing the cleaner and harder shots. In the fifth, a
knot began to develop on the left side of Knight’s forehead as the
result of a clash of heads. Action was fast and furious, as neither
woman wanted a punch to go unanswered. Late in the fight, Knight’s clear
edge in power seemed to tilt matters in her favor. Undeterred, West kept
coming forward until the close of a great fight fought at an extremely
high level. After an action-packed eighth round, both fighters received
a standing ovation." West's record fell to 10-1-0
(2 KO's) with the loss.
“This is big for me,”
said Knight after the bout. “I want to cry, but I can’t get it out.”
Knight's trainer Joe Rodriguez also acknowledged West after the bout:
“West was good, and I take my hat off to her for giving Ava the
opportunity, but Ava Knight is “The Lady of Boxing,” and she showed that
tonight.”
Ava currently attends Butte
College and is working on a Masters in Business. She spends the rest of
her time in the gym.
To check out fight reports, complete up-to-date boxing records, with huge digital photos you can go to
the WBAN Records Member Site
Page last updated:
Thursday, November 20, 2008 |
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