Brenda Burnside
Encyclopedia
Brenda Burnside is a former women's boxing
"journeywoman". Despite being given such title by boxing
fans and critics (a journeyman or woman in boxing is someone who takes fights, usually on short period, and loses to other fighters), she was well known in the boxing world for the quality of opposition she faced; and she contended for a world title once. She fought in the Super Flyweight division.
She began her professional boxing career on August 8, 1997, at the relatively old age (for a boxer) of 32, losing a four round decision to Gloria Ramirez
, in Houston, Texas
. Burnside lost her first four fights, but her opposition included Valerie Troike (twice) and future world champion Sandra Yard.
Her first win came on March 12, 1998, when she outpointed Jayla Ortiz over four rounds in Santa Fe
. On her next fight, she beat Dolores Lira.
Burnside began to show a promising future when she dealt Sue Chase a fifth round knockout
defeat on June 3 of that year, in the women's boxing hot bed of Worley, Idaho
. Sixteen days later, she and Gloria Ramirez were rematched, in Coachella, California
. Their second bout resulted in a four round draw (tie).
Burnside went on to win two more fights in a row, when she and Jayla Ortiz were rematched, on October 17, at Las Vegas
, Nevada
. The second time around, Burnside and Ortiz fought to a six round draw.
1999 was a very busy year for Burnside, and a year in which she met mostly world class competition. On January 23, she beat former world champion Imelda Arias by a second round knockout. On March 13, she made her Madison Square Garden
debut, dropping an eight round split decision to Bridgett Riley
. On June 16, she lost to future world champion Margaret Sidoroff for the WIBF
's intercontinental Super Flyweight title, by a ten round unanimous decision, in New Orleans, Louisiana
. On August 14, she lost to Kathy Williams, but she got a break on her next fight, beating Rosie Johnson by a four round unanimous decision on November 18. She finished 1999 by dropping another four round decision, to Kelsey Jeffries, on December 14.
By 2000, Burnside was already contemplating retirement from boxing. Nevertheless, an opportunity to face the well known, two time world champion Para Draine
came by, and Burnside accepted it. On February 17, at Worley, she lost to Draine by an eight round split decision.
Burnside was considering retirement again after this fight, but there still would be one more fight in her career.
Ironically as it might seem, she received a world title shot after losing two fights in a row, which is a very unusual circumstance in boxing. With the opportunity of becoming a world champion offered to her, she accepted to fight Daisy Lang
in what also was her first and last fight abroad. Fighting for the WIBF's world Super Flyweight championship, Burnside lost a ten round unanimous decision in Germany
.
Burnside decided to retire for good after that, and she has been able to stay retired, avoiding the temptation of comebacks.
Her boxing record was 7 wins, 11 losses and 2 draws, with 4 knockout wins.
Women's boxing
Women's boxing first appeared in the Olympic Games at a demonstration bout in 1902. For most of the 20th century, however, it was banned in most nations. Its revival was pioneered by the Swedish Amateur Boxing Association, which sanctioned events for women in 1988. The British Amateur Boxing...
"journeywoman". Despite being given such title by boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
fans and critics (a journeyman or woman in boxing is someone who takes fights, usually on short period, and loses to other fighters), she was well known in the boxing world for the quality of opposition she faced; and she contended for a world title once. She fought in the Super Flyweight division.
She began her professional boxing career on August 8, 1997, at the relatively old age (for a boxer) of 32, losing a four round decision to Gloria Ramirez
Gloria Ramirez
Gloria Ramirez was a Riverside, California, woman dubbed "the toxic lady" by the media when several Riverside General Hospital workers became ill after exposure to her body and blood...
, in Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
. Burnside lost her first four fights, but her opposition included Valerie Troike (twice) and future world champion Sandra Yard.
Her first win came on March 12, 1998, when she outpointed Jayla Ortiz over four rounds in Santa Fe
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Santa Fe is the capital of the U.S. state of New Mexico. It is the fourth-largest city in the state and is the seat of . Santa Fe had a population of 67,947 in the 2010 census...
. On her next fight, she beat Dolores Lira.
Burnside began to show a promising future when she dealt Sue Chase a fifth round knockout
Knockout
A knockout is a fight-ending, winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, mixed martial arts, Karate and others sports involving striking...
defeat on June 3 of that year, in the women's boxing hot bed of Worley, Idaho
Worley, Idaho
Worley is a city in southwestern Kootenai County, Idaho, United States. The population was 223 at the 2000 census. The city is within the Coeur d'Alene Indian Reservation.-Geography:...
. Sixteen days later, she and Gloria Ramirez were rematched, in Coachella, California
Coachella, California
Coachella is a city in Riverside County, California; it is the easternmost city in the region collectively known as the Coachella Valley...
. Their second bout resulted in a four round draw (tie).
Burnside went on to win two more fights in a row, when she and Jayla Ortiz were rematched, on October 17, at Las Vegas
Las Vegas metropolitan area
The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ...
, Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
. The second time around, Burnside and Ortiz fought to a six round draw.
1999 was a very busy year for Burnside, and a year in which she met mostly world class competition. On January 23, she beat former world champion Imelda Arias by a second round knockout. On March 13, she made her Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
debut, dropping an eight round split decision to Bridgett Riley
Bridgett Riley
Bridgett Riley is a female boxer and motion picture stuntwoman from Oakville, Missouri. While working as a stewardess for an airline she decided to learn martial arts. The interest in the sport came from her brother Patrick's strong interest in mixed martial arts. She trained with her brother and...
. On June 16, she lost to future world champion Margaret Sidoroff for the WIBF
Women's International Boxing Federation
The WIBF is, along with the WIBA, IWBF and others, one of the more recognized world championship fight sanctioning organizations in women's boxing. The organization is based in Miami, Florida, and is not associated with male boxing's IBF.The WIBF was formed in the middle 1990s. It is presided by...
's intercontinental Super Flyweight title, by a ten round unanimous decision, in New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
. On August 14, she lost to Kathy Williams, but she got a break on her next fight, beating Rosie Johnson by a four round unanimous decision on November 18. She finished 1999 by dropping another four round decision, to Kelsey Jeffries, on December 14.
By 2000, Burnside was already contemplating retirement from boxing. Nevertheless, an opportunity to face the well known, two time world champion Para Draine
Para Draine
Para Draine is an American female boxer who has been a world champion two times. She is a former 112 pounds and current 115 pound champion. Draine stands 5 feet eight inches tall, making her relatively tall for a boxer of her weight.Draine's nicknames are "Hurricane" and "The Spokane Spike"...
came by, and Burnside accepted it. On February 17, at Worley, she lost to Draine by an eight round split decision.
Burnside was considering retirement again after this fight, but there still would be one more fight in her career.
Ironically as it might seem, she received a world title shot after losing two fights in a row, which is a very unusual circumstance in boxing. With the opportunity of becoming a world champion offered to her, she accepted to fight Daisy Lang
Daisy Lang
Dessislava Kirova , better known as Daisy "The Lady" Lang, is a professional female boxer. She was GBU world champion in Super Bantamweight in 2003, WIBF world champion in Super Flyweight from 1999 to 2003, and is residing GBU world champion in Bantamweight.Before she started her boxing career, she...
in what also was her first and last fight abroad. Fighting for the WIBF's world Super Flyweight championship, Burnside lost a ten round unanimous decision in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
Burnside decided to retire for good after that, and she has been able to stay retired, avoiding the temptation of comebacks.
Her boxing record was 7 wins, 11 losses and 2 draws, with 4 knockout wins.