As the story has it, one day I headed to the opposite side of the globe – the Flipside. I arrived in Korea February 16th, 2005 and thought I’d do a year, then leave. I was wrong. I stayed, launched my first company, Flipside Fitness, and then opened Korea's largest boxing club, Hulk's Boxing (now called Hulk's Club).

After 11.5yrs in Korea, I then picked up one day and returned to Toronto, Canada. But then I left again.

Now I live in the Philippines where I am the CEO and head coach of Empowered Clubhouse, the Philippines' first and only boxing clubhouse exclusively just for women. I also am the founder of the Lil' Sistas Project, CEO and designer of Slay Gear and Baa Baa Black Sheep .Ph.

Saturday, October 05, 2013

For the Love of Boxing

International female fights means always running into the beautiful and oh so sweet IFBA President, Judy Kelis.  It also means I always score a western hug from her too.
Attending today's fights also meant running into my promoter and one of my fellow Canadian boxing buddies.

I had come to watch two fights today, the first being that of Black Skinny.  I caught him briefly in the changing room, right before his fight and wished him well.

It was great to see him step back into the ring but I was nervous for him.  I've never doubted his skill or natural talent, but I questioned why he took this fight.
Seeing him take a TKO was definitely  heartbreaking but he will always remain a much loved champion in my eyes though.
The second fight I had come to watch was that of Korea's long time reining champion -- Park Ji Hyun -- against my Filipino friend Jujeath.
Both female boxers are so incredibly skilled, it's almost scary how good they are, but I'd have to say Jujeath was the better of the two.  Ji Hyun won and it was surely a close match but Ji Hyun threw a lot of air punches and Jujeath was solid with her upper cuts.
After the fight, I joined Jujeath in her changing room.  She was all upset about her fight but I kept on telling her over and over that Ji Hyun and KBC is scared of her, why else would they continually refuse to send Ji Hyun out of country?!  Jujeath gained a chunk of respect from the crowd today.  I brought her a tank top from Hulk's but I totally wasn't expecting her to change into it right there or where it today at all -- so awesome of her to do so.  We took a couple of pictures together and I amused her with insisting I take my shoes off for them.  She's a shortie ;)

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