Karen Bill
Encyclopedia
Karen Bill is an American multi-sports athlete who from 1999 to 2002 was a professional boxer. She participated in Olympic Games trials for the 1996 Olympics.
, United States
, Bill moved to Fairess Hills
, where she began playing little league
baseball
in 1977. She was the only girl in her league, as there were no girls baseball teams in the area. In her teens, Bill became interested in music, and she joined a teenaged girls' band as a drummer. Her band was not very successful, and soon she was involved in sports again.
In 1985, she won the Pennsylvania state high school championship as a track and field
er. Also that year, she became the first female in Pennsylvania sports history to compete in the state's high school javelin
, shot put
and discus
championships, and won medals in the discus throw and the shot put events.
Bill went to Penn State, where she graduated with a bachelor's degree in health policy and administration. She was the captain of the Track and Rugby teams, and helped her track and field team win two Eastern College Athletic Conference
titles.
in 1992, to improve her physical strength and learn physical therapy
. While in the Army, she began to play basketball
and softball
. Bill won a racquetball
tournament, and became reacquainted with discus, javelin and shot put, breaking military records in those sports. In 1995, she earned the "athlete of the year" award at the Ft. Sill military base.
Bill represented the U.S. Military at the World Military Games in Rome, Italy in 1995, and she almost qualified for the 1996 Olympics, failing to qualify at the Olympic trials held in Atlanta
.
Bill received an honorary discharge from the Army in 1998, and went on to open a physical therapy business in Lawton, Oklahoma
.
patients, stroke
or accident survivors, and other patients.
career debut at Lawton, when she lost by knockout
in round three to Carmen Dominguez Paris. She was not supposed to fight that night; she had bought a ticket and gone to see the fight undercard as a fan, but the boxer slated to fight Dominguez did not show up, and Bill offered to fight her instead. Next, she lost to Kisha Snow
, also by knockout in the fourth round, in a fight held at Tunica, Mississippi
, on September 2, 1999.
Fourteen days later, she obtained her first win, defeating Genevia Buckhalter by knockout in two back at home in Lawton.
Her last fight of 1999 came on December 17, when she lost to Suzette Taylor by knockout in three rounds at Louisiana
.
Next was the biggest fight in Bill's career. On April 8, she fought Laila Ali
at Detroit, Michigan
. Bill almost defeated Ali, knocking her down in the second round (Bill is the only fighter to drop Ali to the canvas). Ali recovered, however, and was awarded an undeserved TKO in the third round despite the fact that Bill was winning the fight and was still standing with good defense and throwing an overhand right punch.
She then lost to Monica McGowan by a knockout in ten before going on to beat Ingemar Johansson
's granddaughter, Maria
, by knockout in round two on July 21. This fight represented Bill's Las Vegas
debut.
After defeating Buckhalter again, Bill went on a four fight losing streak, which included two losses to Dakota Stone and one to Kathy Rivers. She had her final bout on September 8, 2002, when she beat Cassandra Geigger by a decision in four at Lawton.
Karen Bill retired with a record of four wins and nine losses, with two wins by knockout.
Life and career
Born in Mechanicsburg, PennsylvaniaMechanicsburg, Pennsylvania
Mechanicsburg is a borough in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, USA, eight miles west of Harrisburg. It is part of the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area. Mechanicsburg was settled in 1806 and incorporated as a borough on April 12, 1828...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Bill moved to Fairess Hills
Fairless Hills, Pennsylvania
Fairless Hills is a census-designated place in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 8,466 at the 2010 census.-History:...
, where she began playing little league
Little League
Little League Baseball and Softball is a non-profit organization in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, United States which organizes local youth baseball and softball leagues throughout the U.S...
baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
in 1977. She was the only girl in her league, as there were no girls baseball teams in the area. In her teens, Bill became interested in music, and she joined a teenaged girls' band as a drummer. Her band was not very successful, and soon she was involved in sports again.
In 1985, she won the Pennsylvania state high school championship as a track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
er. Also that year, she became the first female in Pennsylvania sports history to compete in the state's high school javelin
Javelin throw
The javelin throw is a track and field athletics throwing event where the object to be thrown is the javelin, a spear approximately 2.5 metres in length. Javelin is an event of both the men's decathlon and the women's heptathlon...
, shot put
Shot put
The shot put is a track and field event involving "putting" a heavy metal ball—the shot—as far as possible. It is common to use the term "shot put" to refer to both the shot itself and to the putting action....
and discus
Discus
Discus, "disk" in Latin, may refer to:* Discus , a progressive rock band from Indonesia* Discus , a fictional character from the Marvel Comics Universe and enemy of Luke Cage* Discus , a freshwater fish popular with aquarium keepers...
championships, and won medals in the discus throw and the shot put events.
Bill went to Penn State, where she graduated with a bachelor's degree in health policy and administration. She was the captain of the Track and Rugby teams, and helped her track and field team win two Eastern College Athletic Conference
Eastern College Athletic Conference
The Eastern College Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference comprising schools that compete in 21 sports . It has 317 member institutions in NCAA Divisions I, II, and III, ranging in location from Maine to North Carolina and west to Illinois...
titles.
Life in the military
Karen Bill joined the United States ArmyArmy
An army An army An army (from Latin arma "arms, weapons" via Old French armée, "armed" (feminine), in the broadest sense, is the land-based military of a nation or state. It may also include other branches of the military such as the air force via means of aviation corps...
in 1992, to improve her physical strength and learn physical therapy
Physical therapy
Physical therapy , often abbreviated PT, is a health care profession. Physical therapy is concerned with identifying and maximizing quality of life and movement potential within the spheres of promotion, prevention, diagnosis, treatment/intervention,and rehabilitation...
. While in the Army, she began to play basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
and softball
Softball
Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
. Bill won a racquetball
Racquetball
For other sports often called "paddleball", see Paddleball .Racquetball is a racquet sport played with a hollow rubber ball in an indoor or outdoor court...
tournament, and became reacquainted with discus, javelin and shot put, breaking military records in those sports. In 1995, she earned the "athlete of the year" award at the Ft. Sill military base.
Bill represented the U.S. Military at the World Military Games in Rome, Italy in 1995, and she almost qualified for the 1996 Olympics, failing to qualify at the Olympic trials held in Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
.
Bill received an honorary discharge from the Army in 1998, and went on to open a physical therapy business in Lawton, Oklahoma
Lawton, Oklahoma
The city of Lawton is the county seat of Comanche County, in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Located in the southwestern region of Oklahoma approximately southwest of Oklahoma City, it is the principal city of the Lawton Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area...
.
Physical therapist
Bill conducted her therapy business from her own home, near the Lawton Army base. She enjoyed taking care of elders and people with physical challenges. Bill found encouragement from such people as cancerCancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
patients, stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
or accident survivors, and other patients.
Women's boxing career
On May 7, 1999, she made her professional boxingBoxing
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...
career debut at Lawton, when she lost by 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...
in round three to Carmen Dominguez Paris. She was not supposed to fight that night; she had bought a ticket and gone to see the fight undercard as a fan, but the boxer slated to fight Dominguez did not show up, and Bill offered to fight her instead. Next, she lost to Kisha Snow
Kisha Snow
Kisha Snow is a female boxer from the United States.In 1999, Snow won the amateur women's boxing American Heavyweight title. She has gone on to have a prosperous career as a professional boxer, fighting and beating some of the top female fighters.Snow has declared that she is gay . However, she...
, also by knockout in the fourth round, in a fight held at Tunica, Mississippi
Tunica, Mississippi
Tunica is a town in Tunica County, Mississippi, United States, located near the Mississippi River. Until the early 1990s the town was one of the most impoverished places in the United States, semi-famous for the particularly deprived neighbourhood known as "Sugar Ditch Alley", named for the open...
, on September 2, 1999.
Fourteen days later, she obtained her first win, defeating Genevia Buckhalter by knockout in two back at home in Lawton.
Her last fight of 1999 came on December 17, when she lost to Suzette Taylor by knockout in three rounds at Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
.
Next was the biggest fight in Bill's career. On April 8, she fought Laila Ali
Laila Ali
Laila Amaria Ali is a retired American professional boxer. She is the daughter of boxing legend Muhammad Ali from his third wife Veronica Porsche Ali.-Boxing career:...
at Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
. Bill almost defeated Ali, knocking her down in the second round (Bill is the only fighter to drop Ali to the canvas). Ali recovered, however, and was awarded an undeserved TKO in the third round despite the fact that Bill was winning the fight and was still standing with good defense and throwing an overhand right punch.
She then lost to Monica McGowan by a knockout in ten before going on to beat Ingemar Johansson
Ingemar Johansson
Jens Ingemar Johansson was a Swedish boxer and former heavyweight champion of the world. Johansson was the fifth heavyweight champion born outside the United States. In 1959 he defeated Floyd Patterson by TKO in the third round, after flooring Patterson seven times in that round, to win the World...
's granddaughter, Maria
Maria Johansson
Maria Johansson is a former female boxer who is the daughter of Sweden's first and, so far, only, world Heavyweight boxing champion, Ingemar Johansson....
, by knockout in round two on July 21. This fight represented Bill's Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
debut.
After defeating Buckhalter again, Bill went on a four fight losing streak, which included two losses to Dakota Stone and one to Kathy Rivers. She had her final bout on September 8, 2002, when she beat Cassandra Geigger by a decision in four at Lawton.
Karen Bill retired with a record of four wins and nine losses, with two wins by knockout.