Born: 1967 (Jamaica)
Biography:
Alicia Ashley (born August 23, 1967) is a women’s boxing participant who is the former WBC female world super bantamweight champion. Ashley is a Jamaican-American. Born in Jamaica, she moved to the United States at a young age. She is the younger sister of chess grandmaster Maurice Ashley and former world kickboxing champion Devon Ashley.
Ashley began her professional boxing career on January 29, 1999, defeating Lisa Howarth by a six-round split decision in Atlantic City, New Jersey. However, her second professional fight, held in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, ended in defeat when she was outpointed by Doris Hackl over six rounds on June 20 of that year. Undeterred, Ashley rebounded from the setback with an eight-round decision win over Bonnie Canino on June 27 in Tunica, Mississippi.
After her first three fights, Ashley took a seven-month hiatus from boxing before returning on February 11, 2000, only to suffer another loss, an eight-round decision to Mexico’s Laura Serrano, also in Tunica. Despite the setbacks, Ashley persevered and continued to refine her skills in the ring.
On June 29, 2000, Ashley faced Downtown Leona Brown and emerged victorious, winning on points over eight rounds in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She then faced Kelsey Jeffries, who at the time had lost just one of her nine fights. Undeterred by her opponent’s strong record, Ashley defeated Jeffries by a six-round unanimous decision in Nevada on September 3.
In 2001, Ashley had only one fight, which she won by decision. She made her Las Vegas debut on January 13, 2002, in a six-round draw against Layla McCarter. However, it was on February 23 of that year that Ashley had her first world title opportunity. She and Jeffries were rematched, with the vacant IWBF world Featherweight title on the line. Ashley seized the moment and became a world champion, defeating Jeffries by a ten-round split decision in New Jersey.
Ashley faced an experienced Chevelle Hallback next, challenging her for Hallback’s WIBA world Junior Lightweight title. Unfortunately, Ashley lost the fight by a ten-round unanimous decision in Georgia on August 27. Determined to bounce back, Ashley decided to move down in weight class, returning to the Super Bantamweight division.
On November 15, 2002, Ashley faced Marcela Acuña in Córdoba, Argentina, for the vacant WIBF’s world Super Bantamweight title. The fight ended with a ten-round split decision in Ashley’s favor, making her a world champion once again. However, controversy surrounded the decision as it was scored 96-94 by two judges for Ashley and 97-95 by the third for Acuña. As a result, the WIBF ordered an immediate rematch between the two fighters.
On June 14, 2003, Ashley and Acuña met again, this time in Buenos Aires. Ashley successfully retained her title, defeating Acuña by a ten-round unanimous decision. However, on November 15 of the same year, she lost her title to Esther Schouten in Austria by a ten-round split decision.
Throughout her career, Ashley faced numerous challenges and setbacks but continued to demonstrate her skill, resilience, and determination. Her contributions to women’s boxing, both as a former world champion and as a trailblazing figure, cannot be underestimated. Alicia Ashley’s inspiring journey serves as a testament to her perseverance, hard work, and dedication to her craft, making her a significant figure in women’s boxing history.
Awards:
– Former WBC female world super bantamweight champion
– Former IWBF world Featherweight champion
– Former WIBF’s world Super Bantamweight champion