Post by Dee Williams on Sept 24, 2006 15:22:51 GMT -5
www.sportinglife.com/boxing/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=boxing/06/09/24/BOXING_London_Nightlead.html
Cathy Brown made boxing history on the York Hall bill by winning the first women's title fight sanctioned by the British Boxing Board of Control - and then confirmed her decision to quit the sport.
Brown, from Peckham, proudly lifted the English bantamweight belt with a deserved 97-94-point victory over Derby's Juliette Winter in a keenly-contested 10-rounder which had the packed crowd on their feet.
Thirty-six-year-old Brown's determination to go out a winner enabled her to overcome the five-inch height and 4lbs weight advantage of 32-year-old Winter as she won on sheer workrate.
Brown lost when they met previously over four rounds in 2003 but she used the experience over the championship distance from a 20-fight eight-year career across Europe to negate the long gap of former kick-boxer Winter, having her sixth outing as a boxer.
"I'm absolutely shattered. That's the most tired I've ever felt in a fight. But I knew I had to get a win out of the last one to close the book on my boxing career," said Brown, who had postponed her retirement to mark her farewell with a fight which raised the profile of women's boxing.
The first official British women's title fight will also be the first to be shown on terrestrial television when Channel 5 screen it just after midnight on Friday.
But Brown insisted she will not be tempted back after struggling again a persistent wrist injury.
"Definitely, I'm still finishing. It's time to move on and do something else," said Brown, who is aiming for a new career as an extreme sports television presenter.
Simon Block, general secretary of the Boxing Board, was pleased with the first female title fight.
"We couldn't have asked for more effort and Cathy gave it 100% against an opponent who had all the physical advantages. We wouldn't have approved it for the title if we didn't think they were worthy challengers," he said.
Cathy Brown made boxing history on the York Hall bill by winning the first women's title fight sanctioned by the British Boxing Board of Control - and then confirmed her decision to quit the sport.
Brown, from Peckham, proudly lifted the English bantamweight belt with a deserved 97-94-point victory over Derby's Juliette Winter in a keenly-contested 10-rounder which had the packed crowd on their feet.
Thirty-six-year-old Brown's determination to go out a winner enabled her to overcome the five-inch height and 4lbs weight advantage of 32-year-old Winter as she won on sheer workrate.
Brown lost when they met previously over four rounds in 2003 but she used the experience over the championship distance from a 20-fight eight-year career across Europe to negate the long gap of former kick-boxer Winter, having her sixth outing as a boxer.
"I'm absolutely shattered. That's the most tired I've ever felt in a fight. But I knew I had to get a win out of the last one to close the book on my boxing career," said Brown, who had postponed her retirement to mark her farewell with a fight which raised the profile of women's boxing.
The first official British women's title fight will also be the first to be shown on terrestrial television when Channel 5 screen it just after midnight on Friday.
But Brown insisted she will not be tempted back after struggling again a persistent wrist injury.
"Definitely, I'm still finishing. It's time to move on and do something else," said Brown, who is aiming for a new career as an extreme sports television presenter.
Simon Block, general secretary of the Boxing Board, was pleased with the first female title fight.
"We couldn't have asked for more effort and Cathy gave it 100% against an opponent who had all the physical advantages. We wouldn't have approved it for the title if we didn't think they were worthy challengers," he said.