Hollister
– It’s been more than half a year since Gilroy’s Kelsey Jeffries
successfully defended her IFBA featherweight world title against
Trish
”
TNT
”
Hill with a 10-round unanimous decision at Seven Feathers Hotel
and Casino in Canyonville, Ore.
Hollister – It’s been more than half a year since Gilroy’s Kelsey Jeffries successfully defended her IFBA featherweight world title against Trish “TNT” Hill with a 10-round unanimous decision at Seven Feathers Hotel and Casino in Canyonville, Ore.
After such a long break, the 2003-2004 WBAN Fighter of the Year is more than itching to get back into the ring.
On June 16, Jeffries returns to Canyonville for her first fight of in 2005, a six-round bout with Philadelphia’s Lakeysha Williams.
The Road Warrior’s bout with Williams, who is currently ranked among the top five women fighters in the world at her weight class – Jeffries is No. 1 – will be the first in a string of three fights for Jeffries this summer. After the tuneup with Williams, Jeffries takes on a to-be-determined foe on June 25 at Legends Casino in Yakima, Wash. in a six to eight-round bout, according to her manager Bruce Anderson.
Then she heads back home.
The Hollister-based fighter is scheduled to fight at HP Pavilion in San Jose on July 21, though an opponent has not been confirmed.
Despite the long layoff, she is more than ready for this summer’s challenges.
“I’ve been maintaining my conditioning,” said Jeffries, who is also training to become a full-time firefighter for the city of Hollister. “I’ve been in the gym religiously. And the city of Hollister has been keeping me busy training for firefighting. I’m really liking it but it’s brutal training.”
Jeffries is currently in Vero Beach, Fla. training for her upcoming fight under the watchful eye of legendary trainer Buddy McGirt. She’s working out in the same gym with WBC super lightweight champion Arturo Gatti, who will also be fighting on June 16, against Floyd Mayweather.
While none of Jeffries’ three scheduled fights for this summer will see her put any of her titles on the line, Anderson is currently working on putting a title bout together for later this year. Hopefully, that fight will take place at Kezar Pavilion in San Francisco as Jeffries is quickly amassing a huge California fan base.
“We’re aiming at the 122-pound IFBA belt or any other reputable belt,” Anderson said. “We’ll fight anybody in the world at ’22.”
Jeffries’ manager said his fighter is a huge draw whenever she fights.
“She lights up a place wherever. We flew down to Pechanga and she fought on the ESPN show and the crowd went crazy. She’s got a lot of charisma.”
Jeffries has never been the kind of fighter to duck an opponent. She knows that she can hold her own in the ring against anyone she faces and she’s looking forward to a tough fight with a quality opponent in Williams.
“She’s not a runner and she’s not over-aggressive,” Jeffries said of her next opponent’s style. “She’s just a real good technician, she’s a very tough girl. I’m looking for a really good fight from her.”
