Jeffries set to defend IFBA title for sixth time in Oregon next
week
It’s barely 9am, but it’s already sweltering in Vero Beach, Fla. And the workout is in full swing. Back and forth she goes, from the bag to the rope, to the heavy bag, and back again. Three minutes on each. And all under the watchful eye of renowned trainer Buddy McGirt.
Kelsey Jeffries is exhausted, but she knows she has to forge on. It’s two weeks until showtime – her bout with Melissa Hernandez on June 15 – and Jeffries is all business.
“I’m tired, I’m hot, my arms are hurt,” recalled Jeffries after returning to Hollister Sunday. “(McGirt) is pushing me and I can’t show any weakness.”
For 16 days, Jeffries battled the heat – “It was unreal; 100 percent humidity and pushing 90 degrees every day” – and the intense sessions with McGirt in preparation of her first bout since January.
“I thought she had a helluva training camp,” said Bruce Anderson, Jeffries’ manager. “It was tough for her, but the second week, she just blossomed. It was a great camp.”
A FULL SUMMER
This is more like it. Two fights in a month.
After seeing four consecutive fights fall through this year, Jeffries is looking forward to a busy start to her summer. Following her bout with Hernandez for the International Female Boxers Association (IFBA) featherweight title on Thursday in Canyonville, Ore., she is set to enter the ring again on July 15 for a shot at the North American Boxing Federation (NABF) 122-pound title.
“Very anxious,” the Ali’i Warrior of the South Bay answered when asked how anxious she was to fight competitively again after the long layoff. “I’m ready to get in there and do it. It was a little disappointing (not getting to compete lately). Four in a row. I’ve never had that many fall through in a row. It just motivates me to get in the ring next time.”
Next week, Jeffries defends her IFBA featherweight title for the record sixth time at Seven Feathers Casino. With a 33-9 record, the 30-year old would appear to have a significant advantage over Hernandez, a New York City-based Puerto Rican who is a veteran of just three professional bouts.
Nevertheless, Jeffries said Gleasons Gym, Hernandez’s training center, has a reputation for producing tough boxers, and that she would be setting herself up for a fall if she overlooked her 26-year old opponent.
“She comes to fight,” Jeffries said. “I have a lot more experience as a professional, but … if she’s got a big fight in her, she’s going to bring it and that’s what I’ve got to expect.”
Passion for TWO JOBS
Returning from a local sparring match – one of the final preparations before leaving Tuesday for the Hernandez bout – Jeffries took a moment to assess her two professions.
An on-call firefighter in addition to fighting as the Road Warrior, Jeffries spoke of how much she enjoyed her role as a part of the Hollister Fire Department.
“It’s great,” said Jeffries, who is a paid call firefighter. “It’s a nice change from boxing.”
After completing a rigorous training session on Wednesday – yes, she pushes herself to the limit in both professions – Jeffries said she found working with her fellow firefighters very rewarding.
“They teach me something new every time,” she said. “(The training) is non-stop. It just keeps going – twice a month.”
As for the job that keeps her even more in the public eye, Jeffries spoke of the determination that has her set to compete in her 43rd fight.
“What keeps me going is my dream,” she said. “I can’t stop because I’ve got to get to the top of the hill. Nothing’s going to stop me until I’m there.”
Jeffries can take a large step in that direction with the second of her upcoming bouts. By winning the NABF title on July 15 in Washington, she would become the No. 1 challenger for the World Boxing Council (WBC) super bantamweight title.
In January, Jeffries lost in a unanimous decision in a bid to unseat then-WBC title holder Jackie Nava in Cancun. An NABF victory next month would position Jeffries to have another shot at a belt she calls “the cream of the crop – the top of the hill.”
Even so, Jeffries knows she can’t divert her attention from Hernandez and the defense of her IFBA title.
“I try not to think about (future fights) right now,” Jeffries said. “Now, I’m very focused on this Puerto Rican because I know she’s got a lot of fight in her.”
The Ali’i Warrior of the South Bay also spoke of a long-term benefit of retaining the IFBA title.
“I really need to keep this belt because I’m probably going to get more money from it down the line,” Jeffries said. “People want my 126-pound belt and they’re going to pay for it, so I don’t want to lose it.”
GEARED UP AND READY TO GO
Like any true competitor, Jeffries appreciates the suffering that goes into her craft. Even enjoys it.
Despite the soaring temperatures in Vero Beach, she said putting herself through grueling runs at 4pm was one of the highlights of the training camp.
“It was the hottest part of the day, hotter than hell,” said Jeffries, “but I loved it.”
Jeffries and Anderson both noted the significance of not only training with McGirt, but receiving invaluable personal sessions with the same trainer who works with Antonio Tarver and Arturo Gatti.
“It gives me confidence just to be there,” said Jeffries, who had daily morning sessions with McGirt. “Nobody gets one-on-one time. It was really amazing. Antonio gets that kind of time. Arturo gets that kind of time.
“Yeah, I’m a world champion, but the reality is I’m a female. … That’s pretty cool. I bust my ass for him, make him proud he gives me that time.”
Not only did Jeffries train with McGirt, but she will also have him in her corner when she sets foot in the ring against Hernandez. After working the Tarver–Bernard Hopkins fight in Atlantic City, N.J. Saturday, McGirt will join Jeffries in Oregon next week.
Buoyed by having McGirt in her corner for the fourth time – “It’s just icing on the cake” – Jeffries said she can’t wait for Thursday.
“I’m always ready,” she said. “Bottom line is it’s a fight and I don’t want to lose. I want to go in the ring and be the boss.”
