Born: 1974
Biography:
Valerie Rebecca Mahfood, born on February 1, 1974, is a renowned female boxer who has left an indelible mark in the world of boxing. Known as The Big Bad Wolfe, Mahfood gained recognition for her aggressive brawling style of fighting, as well as her distinctive purple mohawk, which became her trademark. Throughout her career, she proved to be a formidable force in the ring, becoming a world Super Middleweight and Light Heavyweight champion.
Mahfood embarked on her professional boxing journey on July 27, 1997, with a stunning first-round knockout victory over Jeanne Martinez in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Her Texas debut came on April 23, 1998, when she defeated Brenda Cooper by a four-round decision in Houston. Although she faced setbacks in two of her next three fights, Mahfood demonstrated resilience by winning five consecutive bouts, earning her first shot at a title. On September 17, 1999, she triumphed over Kathy Rivers with a remarkable tenth-round knockout in Panama City, Panama, thus claiming the WIBF’s world Light Heavyweight title. Notably, this fight marked her first international bout.
After securing the Light Heavyweight title, Mahfood went on to win three non-title fights before venturing into the Super Middleweight division on August 10, 2000. In a high-stakes contest against Mary Ann Almager for the vacant IWBF title, Mahfood emerged victorious with a fifth-round knockout in Houston, adding another title to her collection. She achieved an extraordinary feat on her next fight when she handed Ann Wolfe her first and only career loss, knocking her out in just three rounds.
Continuing her winning streak, Mahfood captured the WIBA title on November 16, 2001, after defeating Trina Ortegon in a hard-fought ten-round bout in Austin. Shortly after, she faced Almager again, narrowly securing an eight-round split decision victory. One of the highlights of Mahfood’s career was her highly anticipated match against Laila Ali on November 8, 2002, in Las Vegas, Nevada. This historic event marked the first time a female world title fight headlined ESPN’s Friday night fights series. Despite a valiant effort, Mahfood was ultimately stopped by Ali in the eighth round, with the fight unifying the IWBF and WIBA world titles.
Following her loss to Ali, Mahfood sought redemption in a rematch that took place on June 21, 2003, at the Los Angeles Staples Center. The bout was held as part of the undercard for the Lennox Lewis vs. Vitali Klitschko World Heavyweight Title fight. Unfortunately, Mahfood fell short once again, losing by TKO in the sixth round while aiming to reclaim her world title. Notably, this fight was the first and only instance in Ali’s boxing career where she suffered a significant cut, resulting in a permanent scar on her right eyelid, as well as a bloodied nose.
Throughout her career, Mahfood engaged in several memorable battles, winning four of her next six fights. Notably, she faced Ann Wolfe once more, resulting in a unanimous decision loss in their rematch. Additionally, Mahfood had a draw against Kathy Rivers in a rematch of their initial bout in Panama, which Mahfood had previously won. Despite the challenges she encountered, Mahfood’s determination and skill firmly established her as an influential figure in women’s boxing.
Awards:
– WIBF world Light Heavyweight title
– IWBF world Super Middleweight title
– WIBA title
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