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On February 11, 2000 in Kenner, Louisiana,
in one of the most eagerly awaited battles in women's
boxing at that time, challenger
Margaret Sidoroff
(108 lbs) of Windsor, Ontario, Canada
won a hard-fought ten-round unanimous (98-92, 98-92, 97-93) decision
over IFBA Flyweight champion
Jolene Blackshear
(111 lbs) of Rohnert Park, California.
Jolene (at right) lands to a ducking Sidoroff
© Copyrighted photo by Sue TL Fox
Blackshear had been out of the ring for 17 months but
she showed no ring rust as she won the
first two rounds with her hard-charging aggressive
style and tagged Sidoroff repeatedly. Margaret improved the timing
of her counter lefts in the
third, and the fight turned around in the middle rounds. Sidoroff
showed great head movement and superb reflexes to slip Blackshear's
punches while landing her own busy and effective combinations.
As Blackshear fell behind on points, she escalated the
pressure and the final round was a war with both fighters taking
and dishing out significant punishment. Sidoroff rose to the
challenge and was backing Blackshear up as they went toe to toe
to end an exciting, skilled and heart-filled bout.
Jolene battling Sidoroff toe to toe
© Copyrighted photo by Sue TL Fox
Jolene wrote to me about the fight when she got
home ...
Dee,
I'd like to thank everyone who shared
this splendid moment with Margaret and me. I had more fun before, during and
after this fight than any before. Margaret was the perfect opponent and a
delight to work with. I felt we both stepped up, did our jobs, and truly
enjoyed ourselves.
In the big picture, a loss is of little importance, especially when you come
out of it with victories that last a lifetime. I was blessed to learn
countless life lessons, and they keep manifesting themselves with each new
day. I couldn't be happier. This experience was remarkable and shifted my
life towards a brighter light.
My wish was to open up and share myself with all of you. This fight was my
gift to the world, and all I had to offer was myself. I have a new found
inspiration and the fire is burning stronger than ever. Thank you all for
being there for Margaret and me. I am grateful to be able to give something
back to a world that has been so understanding and accepting of me. I'm
looking forward to stepping into that ring very soon.
Truly,
Jolene
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