19.04.06 – Interview by Geoff McKay: Known as the most avoided fighter in Women Boxing, Sumya Anani recently suffered an upset loss to Terri Blair. East Side boxing sat down with Sumya to discuss the fight, and women’s boxing in General.
ESB: Can you tell us about the fight? (What do you think went wrong, what went right?)
SA: Full credit to Terri, she lives up to her name of the ‘Road Warrior’. Going into the 10th & final round, I was ahead on points. I was caught with a good shot I didn’t see. I jumped straight up but the ref stopped the fight. I protested! There was only 23 seconds left in the fight, & I was the defending Champion. Anyway, she was fighting fit; I was only gym & training fit. That was not good enough against a tough & hungry fighter. Prior to the Blair match, I’ve only had 3 fights since early 2003, the last one being 14 months ago. I did not choose to be so inactive! In 2004 & 2005 I had the misfortune to receive the WBAN Award for being the “Most Avoided Fighter”. Maybe now I will be less avoided! It was not my best performance. I definitely want & need to be more active in the ring..
ESB: How are negotiations going for a rematch?
SA: I want a rematch more than anything. After the fight, they did agree to one. Barry, my manager, will look after the negotiations.
ESB: What led you into boxing?
SA: My trainer Barry Becker. He kept telling me that I should try it. For 2 years he tried to convince me, and he finally just got me a fight and told me I had 3 weeks to train for it.
ESB: You told me once that many people see boxing as a physical expression of violence, but you see it differently. Can you explain what you meant? Also, I myself will admit that I sometimes struggle with the concept of women’s boxing. Could you take a moment to tell us how you respond to those that oppose women’s boxing? What advice would you give young women looking to get into boxing?
SA: I guess because I’m a woman and a fighter that I think of it differently. I think every woman should learn how to defend herself. To me, boxing is empowerment. I watch too many stories about women that are kidnapped, raped, missing, etc and think to myself that it shouldn’t be happening. It’s imperative that we teach our daughters, sisters, etc how to defend themselves…now more than ever. Boxing is an incredible way to empower people. Empowered people will make positive differences in the world.
ESB: You also told me once that you feel life has “No finish line”. Could you elaborate a little?
SA: We, as human beings, in any endeavor, have the capacity for continual growth and learning. We are Unlimited in our creative ability. Of course, we don’t get the credit for it. Call it God, Buddha, Spirit, Mary, whatever name you choose…it doesn’t matter. But we all have that infinite life force working in our lives. The reality is that there is no finish line as to how good I can become as a fighter, a friend, a mother, a person. There is no finish line as far as the personal contributions I can make towards the community and for the world, etc. But we limit ourselves. We have to stop thinking that what we do doesn’t make a difference. That’s the ultimate disease in our minds. We all need to continue to strive to become more loving men and women so that our unique talents, gifts, and contributions can be used for the healing of the planet. We need to explore the things that we’re passionate about, because where we’re passionate; we will find our personal ministry in the world.
ESB: Could you speak a little on where you think boxing is headed in the future, both for women, and as a sport in general?
SA: To become a mainstream sport again, boxing needs Unification & more TV exposure. You said it, `the average guy can’t name the heavyweight champion’ because there are 4 or 5 of them. There are too many belts & too many ‘champions’. This is true for the sport in general, & for women in particular; due to the lack of depth in a relatively new sport.
Questions or comments may be sent to: geoffmckay@monarch.net