Vonda Ward (born March 16, 1973) is an American former professional boxer and NCAA basketball player. As a boxer, she competed from 2000 to 2008 and held multiple heavyweight world championships, including the WBC title in 2007. She also challenged Ann Wolfe for the WIBA and IBA female light heavyweight titles in 2004, in which she suffered her only defeat, losing by knockout in the first round.

Vonda Ward
Born (1973-03-16) March 16, 1973 (age 51)
Height6 ft 7 in (201 cm)
Boxing career
Born
Vonda Ward
Other namesAll-American Girl
Statistics
Weight(s)Heavyweight
StanceOrthodox
Boxing record
Total fights24
Wins23
Wins by KO17
Losses1
Basketball career
Career information
High schoolTrinity High School
(Garfield Heights)
CollegeTennessee (1991–1995)
PositionCenter
Career history
1996–1997Colorado Xplosion
Medals
Women's basketball
Representing  United States
Jones Cup
Bronze medal – third place 1993 Jones Cup Taipei, Taiwan Team

Early life and basketball career

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Ward grew up in a sports-oriented family; 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."[1] 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.[2] 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. In 2012, she was inducted into the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame.[3]

Boxing career

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After a broken leg cut her professional basketball career short, Ward turned her attention to boxing.

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 one minute into the fourth and final round. Ward then face 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 as Monica McGowan lasted ten rounds at Canton, Ohio.

Ward defended her title successfully with an eighth-round knockout of 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 one seconds of the first round, Wolfe knocked out Ward with a devastating right to the chin, which was even more devastating by the fact that Ward inadvertently jumped forward into the impact of the punch, leaving Ward unresponsive on the mat for a matter of 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 hospitalized after this bout.[4][5]

On December 12, 2004, Ward returned to the boxing ring, knocking out Marsha Valley in four rounds in Cleveland. In February 2010, Ward won the inaugural WBC female heavyweight title, defeating Martha Salazar for the third and final time by unanimous decision.

Ward announced her retirement on 2010.[6] Her boxing record stands at 23 wins and 1 loss, with 17 wins by knockout.[7]

Professional boxing record

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24 fights 23 wins 1 loss
By knockout 17 1
By decision 6 0
No. Result Record Opponent Type Round, time Date Location Notes
24 Win 23–1   Carlette Ewell UD 10 Feb 23, 2008   Chapparells Community Center, Akron, Ohio, U.S.
23 Win 22–1   Martha Salazar UD 10 Feb 10, 2007   Wolstein Center, Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. Retained WIBA and IBA female heavyweight titles;
Won vacant WBC female heavyweight title
22 Win 21–1   Cassandra Giger UD 10 Jul 15, 2005   Gund Arena, Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. Won vacant IBA female cruiserweight title
21 Win 20–1   Elizabeth Kerin KO 2 (10), 1:33 Apr 29, 2005   Wolstein Center, Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. Retained WIBA and IBA female heavyweight titles
20 Win 19–1   Marsha Valley TKO 4 (10), 1:47 Dec 10, 2004   Gund Arena, Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
19 Loss 18–1   Ann Wolfe KO 1 (10), 1:08 May 8, 2004   Mississippi Coast Coliseum, Biloxi, Mississippi, U.S. For vacant WIBA and IBA female light heavyweight titles
18 Win 18–0   Martha Salazar UD 10 Jul 11, 2003   Civic Center, Canton, Ohio, U.S. Retained WIBA and IBA female heavyweight titles
17 Win 17–0   Jeanine Tracy TKO 8 (10), 1:40 Mar 14, 2003   Avalon Events Center, Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
16 Win 16–0   Martha Salazar SD 4 Mar 1, 2003   Thomas & Mack Center, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.
15 Win 15–0   Kathy Rivers TKO 8 (10), 1:40 Dec 6, 2002   Gund Arena, Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. Retained WIBA and IBA female heavyweight titles
14 Win 14–0   Monica McGowan UD 10 Jul 16, 2002   Civic Center, Canton, Ohio, U.S. Won vacant WIBA and IBA female heavyweight titles
13 Win 13–0   GiGi Jackson TKO 4 (4), 1:48 Feb 22, 2002   Schottenstein Center, Columbus, Ohio, U.S.
12 Win 12–0   Carley Pesente TKO 2 (4), 1:28 May 16, 2001   Ameristar Casino, Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.
11 Win 11–0   Kisha Snow TKO 4 (4), 1:05 Feb 2, 2001   Celeste Center, Columbus, Ohio, U.S.
10 Win 10–0   Katie Courtney TKO 1 (4) Dec 28, 2000   Willoughby, Ohio, U.S.
9 Win 9–0   Marjorie Jones KO 1 (4), 1:02 Oct 19, 2000   The Cosmopolitan, Wickliffe, Ohio, U.S.
8 Win 8–0   Sharon Thomas TKO 1 (4), 1:24 Sep 23, 2000   Packard Music Hall, Warren, Ohio, U.S.
7 Win 7–0   Jeanine Tracy TKO 2 (4) Aug 24, 2000   Columbus, Ohio, U.S.
6 Win 6–0   Lisa Redding TKO 1 (4), 0:31 Jul 17, 2000   Station Casino, Saint Charles, Missouri, U.S.
5 Win 5–0   Genevia Buckhalter TKO 2 (4), 1:22 Apr 27, 2000   Hammerstein Ballroom, New York City, New York, U.S.
4 Win 4–0   Lana Jock KO 1 (4), 0:52 Mar 24, 2000   UAW Hall, Parma, Ohio, U.S.
3 Win 3–0   Nicolyn Armstrong KO 1 (4), 0:59 Mar 11, 2000   National Guard Armory, Findlay, Ohio, U.S.
2 Win 2–0   Mattie Brumley TKO 1 (4), 1:20 Feb 29, 2000   Pepsi Coliseum, Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.
1 Win 1–0   Faye Steffen KO 1 (4), 1:45 Jan 15, 2000   Civic Center, La Porte, Indiana, U.S.

References

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  1. ^ "OHSBC MS. BASKETBALL". Archived from the original on February 7, 2009. Retrieved June 21, 2009.
  2. ^ "1993 WOMEN'S R. WILLIAM JONES CUP". Archived from the original on August 8, 2014. Retrieved August 3, 2014.
  3. ^ "Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame : Hall of Fame : Inductees : 2012 : Vonda Ward". ohiobasketballhalloffame.com. Retrieved September 25, 2020.
  4. ^ Maik Grossekathöfer (October 21, 2005). "Ann versus the Man: Boxing's Battle of the Sexes - SPIEGEL ONLINE". Spiegel.de. Retrieved February 3, 2014.
  5. ^ "Ann Wolfe scares the crap out of us · Interview · The A.V. Club". Avclub.com. Retrieved February 3, 2014.
  6. ^ "Vic Milani's Hometown Hero – Vonda Ward | Nordonia Hills News".
  7. ^ "Vonda Ward, Women's Heavyweight Champ, Retires - Yahoo Voices". voices.yahoo.com. May 8, 2004. Retrieved February 3, 2014.
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Sporting positions
World boxing titles
New title WBC female heavyweight champion
February 2, 2007 – 2010
Retired
Vacant
Title next held by
Martha Salazar
Preceded by
Flor Maria Delgado (Vacated)
WIBA Heavyweight Champion
2007-02-10 – present
Succeeded by
Current