The first time Kelsey ‘The Road Warrior’ Jeffries got a look at
her opponent, Texan Melissa Yanas, was when she stepped into the
ring at Pechanga Resort Casino for Friday’s six-round bout.
Temecula – The first time Kelsey ‘The Road Warrior’ Jeffries got a look at her opponent, Texan Melissa Yanas, was when she stepped into the ring at Pechanga Resort Casino for Friday’s six-round bout.
“She was getting her medical when I weighed in so I didn’t get to see her,” Jeffries said. “I like to see (my opponent) at the weigh-in so I know who I have in front on me.
“Things start going through my mind like is this girl going to show up. It was playing with my mind a little bit.”
But the Gilroy-based fighter was prepared for anything and, after touching gloves in the middle of the ring where she got an up-close glance, Jeffries went right to work on Yanas.
“She was in the ring first and that’s the first time I saw her,” Jeffries said. “She looked big. She looked a lot like the big girls I’ve fought before. She looked like she was in shape. She was here to take care of business. She wasn’t here to play around with me. She was here to fight.”
After twice knocking down Yanas, who got back up each time, Jeffries went the distance and earned a unanimous decision with all judges giving her a 60-53 victory.
“She was a very tough girl,” said Jeffries of Yanas. “She came to fight.”
It was the 28th professional victory for Jeffries, who maintains a 28-8 record with two wins by knockout, but it was the first time she had fought at Pechanga Resort Casino in Temecula.
“It was really nice to get away from my usual surroundings. But going into the ring I kept telling myself it’s just like the San Jose crowd,” Jeffries said. “I just pretended like I was going out in San Jose to fight. It was nice to see new faces, and I was treated very well for this fight.”
It was also the first fight that Jeffries had world renowned trainer James ‘Buddy’ McGirt in her corner. Jeffries trains with McGirt in Florida and speaks with him constantly on the phone for tips. This time, however, McGirt was there providing advice every time she sat in the corner.
“Buddy would just tell me what to do, how to move, where to catch this girl,” Jeffries said. “I don’t want to disrespect anyone who I’ve had in my corner, but it’s just like night and day having Buddy there. He’s so calm. He’s a master at what he does. He’s a genius.”
McGirt’s genius and Jeffries’ skill provided several highlights for the fight crowd, as the garlic pugilist recorded a powerful knock down in the third round.
“I caught her with some good combinations. I just kept nailing her and she kept going back. Then I caught her with a right uppercut that dropped her,” Jeffries said. “I was looking right at her face when she went down. It made a contorted look and her eyes rolled back.”
Yanas was down but not out, getting back to her feet to continue to the fight.
“No, I didn’t’ know for sure (if she was out). I went to my corner and she got up,” Jeffries said. “It was towards the end of the round, so I didn’t have much time to follow up. I looked at Buddy and he said, ‘Go to the body, leave head alone.'”
Yanas, who came in with a 3-2 boxing record but had some kickboxing experience, survived the second round.
“I was upset because I had to start over again,” Jeffries said. “She was a little more cautious after that. She was trying to catch me coming in. Every time I would come inside she would tie me up. She was holding on for dear life. I was just banging the body. That’s what Buddy said.”
In the fifth round, Jeffries dropped Yanas again, although she wasn’t sure if it was scored a knockdown.
“She might have been slipped. All I know is I went to the body, she was grabbing me, and then she fell down,” Jeffries said. “I thought it was a knockdown.”
It didn’t matter since Jeffries won by unanimous decision for her eighth consecutive victory.
And Jeffries is not taking any elongated breaks either. She is scheduled to fight Sept. 23 on the Miller Lite Fight Night At The Tank Series, where she will take on Jerri Sitzes, of Missouri, for the vacant IBA junior featherweight title.
Jeffries is already the California State Featherweight Champion, the IFBA World Champion, the WIBF America’s Champion, and the WIBA Intercontinental Champion, but she wants to add to her title collection.
“I always like to do that,” Jeffries said. “Hopefully, we’ll put on a 10-round war for the San Jose fans. It’s going to be a good fight.”
Sitzes recently scored a knockout the top contender in the junior featherweight ranks, despite having a modest 6-5 record.
“She’s been fighting everybody they throw at her. She has had the type of experience I’ve had. Her record is very deceiving,” said Jeffries of Sitzes.
The championship fight is at 122 pounds.
“Obviously, she’s my size so that’s nice. She’ll be quick. I heard she has a good right hand, a very sneaky right hand,” Jeffries said. “That always gives me problems and is something I need to work on. She’s about as tough as they come.”
After that, Jeffries is scheduled to fight Nov. 6 in Oregon, but she’s not looking that far ahead.
“Right now, I’m focusing on Jerri Sitzes,” Jeffries said. “One girl at a time. One war at a time.”
