FRESNO, CA – Ever since it gained worldwide notice in 1996, women’s boxing has produced a series of great fighters, but two iconic names stand above the rest – Christy Martin and Mia St. John, and today they were in Fresno for a major Press Conference prior to their epic battle in just four weeks. Before a large crowd at the Downtown Club, Martin and St. John, along with local dignitaries, spoke of the importance of their upcoming fight, as well as the state of female boxing.
Today’s Press Conference was the beginning of the four week countdown, when nearly a decade after their first bout in 2002, fight fans in the Central Valley will finally have the chance to see Martin and St. John meet again, in FINAL VICTORY. But this time the stakes will be even higher, as these two champions will fight for the final time and it will be for the WBC World Super Welterweight Belt in a big night of championship boxing on Tuesday evening, August 14th that will be presented by Table Mountain Casino, in association with Roy Englebrecht Promotions.
For Martin, this is her opportunity to reach the 50-win milestone against a heated rival looking to keep her from that mark. More importantly, it will be a fitting celebration of a career and life thought to be over when “The Coal Miner’s Daughter” was shot and stabbed by her ex-husband Jim in 2010. Yet despite the odds, Martin not only survived, but she returned to the ring in 2011. Now she wants to finish the most memorable career in women’s boxing history by defeating St. John. “I am excited about this opportunity to get my 50th win against Mia St John to finish my career,” said Martin. “I am honored to fight for the WBC World Title at Table Mountain Casino and look forward to becoming a World Champion once again. This time I will KO Mia, that’s as good a guarantee as you get.”
St. John has her own reasons for wanting this fight, and the way she sees it, this matchup is all about respect and redemption. In 2002, despite her stellar 26-1-1 record, it took an exciting 10 round war with Martin to earn the acclaim from the boxing world that she deserved. Since then, “The Knockout” has continued to be one of the sport’s great ambassadors, in and out of the ring, and all that’s left for her is to even the score with her greatest rival in Christy Martin. “I’ve waited nearly 10 years for this rematch,” stated St John. “I know I out-boxed Christy in the last fight, but this time I am going to BEAT her. Now we’ll see who the real WBC Champion is, La Gallina or La Guerrera.”
“Since I promoted my first female pro boxing bout in December of 1995 on a Battle In The Ballroom show at the Irvine Marriott, I am proud to say that Roy Englebrecht Promotions has promoted more female boxing bouts than any other fight promoter in history,” stated Englebrecht. “To now have the opportunity along with Table Mountain Casino who stepped up to make this tremendous FINAL VICTORY event happen, and work with two boxing as well as sports icons in Christy and Mia, is an honor and privilege, and believe me fight fans in the Central Valley will be in for a special evening when these two ladies meet in the ring with a legitimate world championship on the line.”
The Final Victory show which will also include four undercard bouts featuring some local Fresno area boxers, will be held in the Events Center at Table Mountain Casino in Friant, California, which is located just 15 miles outside Fresno. Tickets for this night of championship boxing will be priced at $70 VIP, $65 Gold, $60 Reserved, and $55 General Admission, and can be purchased at www.tmcasino.com or at Table Mountain Casino. Doors will open at 6pm with the first bout scheduled to begin at 6:30pm, and you must be 18 years or older to attend the show.
Needless to say, this event is as historic as it is compelling, making it the must see fight of the Summer of 2012.
Christy Martin
• “The Coal Miner’s Daughter”
• 49-6, 31 KOs
• 5-4, 147 pounds
• Orlando, Florida
• 36-1-2 in first 39 pro fights
• Has only been stopped twice (once due to injury, once by Laila Ali)
• Unbeaten in four of her last five bouts
• Former WBC junior middleweight champion
• Holds 2002 decision win over St. John
• Featured on several Don King Productions Pay-Per-View cards
• Has appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine
• Survived harrowing shooting by her husband in November 2010; came back to fight in June of 2011 and was defeating Dakota Stone before the fight was stopped due to her broken hand.
Mia Rosales St. John
• “The Knockout”
• 46-11, 18 KOs
• 5-6, 147 pounds
• Oxnard, California
• 15 wins in three rounds or less
• Former WBC international lightweight champion
• Former WBC international welterweight champion
• Former IBA lightweight champion
• Unbeaten in first 23 pro fights
• Featured on several Top Rank Pay-Per-View cards
• Has appeared on the cover of Playboy magazine
• Has won three of her last five bouts
For Final Victory media credentials contact:
Kathy Eide at kathyeide12@att.net
