Tonya wins again!
Terry Hall
former manager:
> It's 11:20 PM here, and I just got a phone call with our little
> friend from Tulsa. She called me and was very excited to report that
> she won again. She wanted me to write to you so you could let the
> fans know. It was another unanimous decision ( 4 point spread ) by
> the judges. Needless to say, she's very happy. She said she's not
> hurt, and that her opponent was very gracious to her. She ( Tonya )
> signed autographs for over an hour.
> So this was FYI from me.
> Best to you as always,
> Linda
By all accounts this was not an easy fight for Tonya with the WBAN site
(www.wban.com) describing a bloody contest. Unfortunately, in a tabloidy
style that appears to be typical of the site, it cites reports by
un-named "insiders" to rubbish Tonya's efforts, describing the match as
"a cat fight" and "pretty bad". It also tries to make a big deal about
Tonya being slightly overweight (by 4 pounds - less than 2 lousy kilos)
> At the Creek Nations Gaming Center, with a sold out crowd of about 900
> boxing fans, they were treated to a "novice" match between Alejandra
> Lopez, 18, boxing for about four-eight weeks, no amateur experience
> Vs. Tonya Harding. WBAN's Inside reporter said that there was an
> eight-pound difference between the two novices, as Lopez weighed in at
> 116 lbs and Harding weighed in at 124 lbs, with Harding weighing over
> the contract weight of 120 lbs. WBAN's insider described the fight as
> basically a "cat fight" and that neither fighter appeared to have much
> training. According to this Insider, Tonya's nose bled from round
> one, and by round two, Lopez was bleeding as well. A boxing fan in
> attendance said that the fighting was "pretty bad" but the boxing fans
> enjoyed the fight. Final Scoring by all three judges was 36-40 for
> Harding. This is the third "novice" fight for Harding, who is now
> 2-1-0 (0KO).
It is disappointing that Tonya now has to put up with these ill-informed
smart-asses in boxing after having endured them for years in skating.
Fortunately a more positive and objective report came from the "Tulsa
World" newspaper, which ran a short item on the match:
> Purists might view former Olympic figure skater Tonya Harding's
> venture into boxing as a lark, but it would be hard to deny her
> determination.
>
> Seconds into her match against Alejandra Lopez, Harding was on
> the receiving end of a shot to her nose. Blood leaked from her
> right nostril, but it only served to spur her aggression.
>
> She unleashed a combination to the face of Lopez that also drew
> blood. By the time the four-round bout ended, the white satiny
> top Lopez was wearing was heavily splattered with blood.
>
> Harding (2-1) earned $10,000 for her unanimous four-round
> decision over Lopez, making her pro debut, in the women's
> super featherweight bout.
>
> "She is a gladiator at heart," trainer Jeff Hargis said.
> "That's something you have to have. You can't train that."
> March 28, 2003 - Tulsa, Oklahoma
Terry Hall
Head of Special Duties Section
Portland Ice Skating Society - New Zealand's Tonya Harding fan club
http://www.geocities.com/portice