Vonda Ward
Encyclopedia
Vonda Ward is an American female boxer who was also a well known NCAA
basketball
player.
s-oriented family, as her father, Larry Ward
, is a famous harness racer
.
Ward played basketball at Trinity High School
in Garfield Heights
and was twice named Ohio's "Ms. Basketball." She made "Parade All American" teams twice. She was recruited by Division I universities across the United States
.
In 1991, Ward accepted a basketball scholarship at the University of Tennessee
. While a member of Pat Summitt
's Lady Vols, Ward played in one NCAA basketball championship game (1995) during her college career at Tennessee, losing to the University of Connecticut. She competed with USA Basketball
as a member of the 1993 Jones Cup Team that won the Bronze in Taipei
. After her college career ended in 1995, Ward played for a professional basketball club in Germany
. She later played for the American Basketball League
's Colorado Xplosion
.
.
Ward's boxing
debut occurred on January 15, 2000, when she knocked out
Faye Steffen in round one at LaPorte, Indiana
. Her first four fights all ended in first round knockout wins for Ward.
On April 27, 2000, she met Genevia Buckwalter in New York. Buckwalter became the first fighter to make it out of the first round against Ward, but Ward still won on a second round knockout.
Ward's next five rivals did not make it past the second round, with two first round knockouts and three second round wins. At this point of her career, she had a streak of twelve knockout wins in a row.
On February 2, 2001, she met prospect Kisha Snow
as part of the state fair celebrations in Columbus, Ohio
. Snow came into the fight undefeated after six bouts, and she and Ward engaged in a four round war, but Ward made Snow her thirteenth straight knockout victim. Then came Carley Pesente, on June 16, at Kansas City, Missouri
. Pesente lasted two rounds.
After one more win, Ward challenged for the IBA's world's Heavyweight title on August 16, 2002. Ward became the champion, but saw her knockout win streak gone when she outpointed Monica McGowan in ten rounds at Canton, Ohio
.
Ward defended her title successfully with an eighth round knockout over Kathy Rivers on December 6 at the Gund Arena in Cleveland
. On March 1, 2003, she and Martha Salazar
made their Las Vegas
debut, with Ward taking a four round split decision win in a non-title bout.
After one more win, Ward unified her IBA world Heavyweight title with the WIBA's by defeating Salazar in a rematch, held on July 11 in Canton. Ward won by decision.
On May 8, 2004, Ward fought a nationally televised
championship bout with Ann Wolfe
in Biloxi, Mississippi
. At one minute and eight seconds of the first round, Wolfe knocked out Ward with a devastating right to the chin, leaving Ward unconscious on the mat for a few minutes. This first round knockout defeat caused her to lose her title and her undefeated status. Ward had a neck
concussion because she hit the canvas with her neck when she fell, and she was hospital
ized after this bout.
On December 12, 2004, Ward returned to the boxing ring, knocking out Marsha Valley in four rounds in Cleveland.
Ward's boxing record stands at 22 wins and 1 loss, with 17 wins by knockout.
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
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...
player.
Before boxing
Ward grew up in a sportSport
A Sport is all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical fitness and provide entertainment to participants. Sport may be competitive, where a winner or winners can be identified by objective means, and may require a degree...
s-oriented family, as her father, Larry Ward
Larry Ward
Larry Ward may refer to:* Larry Ward , American voice actor who provided the voices of Greedo in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope and Jabba the Hutt in Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi...
, is a famous harness racer
Harness racing
Harness racing is a form of horse racing in which the horses race at a specific gait . They usually pull a two-wheeled cart called a sulky, although racing under saddle is also conducted in Europe.-Breeds:...
.
Ward played basketball at Trinity High School
Trinity High School (Garfield Heights, Ohio)
Trinity High School is a private coeducational Roman Catholic college preparatory High School, located in Garfield Heights, Ohio, USA. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cleveland. It was started in 1926 by the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis. Trinity has a ...
in Garfield Heights
Garfield Heights, Ohio
Garfield Heights is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. The population was 28,849 at the time of the 2010 census.-Geography:Garfield Heights is located at ....
and was twice named Ohio's "Ms. Basketball." She made "Parade All American" teams twice. She was recruited by Division I universities across the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
In 1991, Ward accepted a basketball scholarship at the University of Tennessee
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
. While a member of Pat Summitt
Pat Summitt
Patricia "Pat" Head Summitt is an American women's college basketball coach. She is currently the head coach of the Tennessee Lady Vols basketball team. She is the all-time winningest coach in NCAA basketball history of either a men's or women's team in any division...
's Lady Vols, Ward played in one NCAA basketball championship game (1995) during her college career at Tennessee, losing to the University of Connecticut. She competed with USA Basketball
USA Basketball
USA Basketball is a non-profit organization and the governing body for basketball in the United States. The organization represents the United States in FIBA and the men's and women's national basketball teams in the United States Olympic Committee...
as a member of the 1993 Jones Cup Team that won the Bronze in Taipei
Taipei
Taipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...
. After her college career ended in 1995, Ward played for a professional basketball club 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...
. She later played for the American Basketball League
American Basketball League (1996-1998)
The American Basketball League, often abbreviated to the ABL of 1996 was an independent professional basketball league for women in the United States. At the same time the ABL was being formed, the National Basketball Association was creating the Women's National Basketball Association...
's Colorado Xplosion
Colorado Xplosion
The Colorado Xplosion was the first women's professional basketball franchise in Colorado, an American Basketball League team based in Denver. Playing from 1996 through 1998, the team produced many memorable moments for Colorado sports fans and followers of women's professional basketball in...
.
Boxing career
After a broken leg cut her professional basketball career short, Ward turned her attention to 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...
.
Ward's 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...
debut occurred on January 15, 2000, when she knocked out
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...
Faye Steffen in round one at LaPorte, Indiana
LaPorte, Indiana
La Porte is a city in La Porte County, Indiana, United States, of which it is the county seat. Its population was 22,053 at the 2010 census. It is one of the two principal cities of the Michigan City-La Porte, Indiana Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the...
. Her first four fights all ended in first round knockout wins for Ward.
On April 27, 2000, she met Genevia Buckwalter in New York. Buckwalter became the first fighter to make it out of the first round against Ward, but Ward still won on a second round knockout.
Ward's next five rivals did not make it past the second round, with two first round knockouts and three second round wins. At this point of her career, she had a streak of twelve knockout wins in a row.
On February 2, 2001, she met prospect 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...
as part of the state fair celebrations in Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
. Snow came into the fight undefeated after six bouts, and she and Ward engaged in a four round war, but Ward made Snow her thirteenth straight knockout victim. Then came Carley Pesente, on June 16, at Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
. Pesente lasted two rounds.
After one more win, Ward challenged for the IBA's world's Heavyweight title on August 16, 2002. Ward became the champion, but saw her knockout win streak gone when she outpointed Monica McGowan in ten rounds at Canton, Ohio
Canton, Ohio
Canton is the county seat of Stark County in northeastern Ohio, approximately south of Akron and south of Cleveland.The City of Caton is the largest incorporated area within the Canton-Massillon Metropolitan Statistical Area...
.
Ward defended her title successfully with an eighth round knockout over Kathy Rivers on December 6 at the Gund Arena in Cleveland
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
. On March 1, 2003, she and Martha Salazar
Martha Salazar
Martha Salazar is an American female boxer. Salazar, whose global boxing ID is US-CA-061872, fights as a Heavyweight. She is the WIBF's world Heavyweight champion. Her nickname is "The Shadow"...
made their 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, with Ward taking a four round split decision win in a non-title bout.
After one more win, Ward unified her IBA world Heavyweight title with the WIBA's by defeating Salazar in a rematch, held on July 11 in Canton. Ward won by decision.
On May 8, 2004, Ward fought a nationally televised
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
championship bout with Ann Wolfe
Ann Wolfe
Ann Wolfe is a female boxer who held world titles in four different weight classes simultaneously. Wolfe is regarded by many within the sport as the hardest puncher and best fighter in the history of women's boxing...
in Biloxi, Mississippi
Biloxi, Mississippi
Biloxi is a city in Harrison County, Mississippi, in the United States. The 2010 census recorded the population as 44,054. Along with Gulfport, Biloxi is a county seat of Harrison County....
. At one minute and eight seconds of the first round, Wolfe knocked out Ward with a devastating right to the chin, leaving Ward unconscious on the mat for a few minutes. This first round knockout defeat caused her to lose her title and her undefeated status. Ward had a neck
Neck
The neck is the part of the body, on many terrestrial or secondarily aquatic vertebrates, that distinguishes the head from the torso or trunk. The adjective signifying "of the neck" is cervical .-Boner anatomy: The cervical spine:The cervical portion of the human spine comprises seven boney...
concussion because she hit the canvas with her neck when she fell, and she was hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
ized after this bout.
On December 12, 2004, Ward returned to the boxing ring, knocking out Marsha Valley in four rounds in Cleveland.
Ward's boxing record stands at 22 wins and 1 loss, with 17 wins by knockout.