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(APR 7) Like
tiny warriors, two of women boxing’s most active fighters get busy Thursday
when Vaia Zaganas and Stephanie Dobbs collide in a rematch.
This time the NABA title is at stake when the pair meet at the Wyndham Inner
Harbor Hotel in Baltimore in a battle of the 105-pounders.
It’s been 14 months since the two strawweights tangled at the Flamingo
Laughlin in Nevada. At the time Dobbs had been fighting only a year with no
amateur experience. Zaganas won by unanimous decision 60-64, 59-55, 58-56 in
a rather easy victory.
“I had no problems with her,” said Zaganas (15-3, 6 KOs), who holds the IFBA
strawweight title and is looking to add another belt.
Though Dobbs had more professional fights when they last met, Zaganas had
been a Canadian National champion and had several years of ring experience
tucked away.
“I only started boxing 2 years ago, but it seems like a lifetime ago,” said
Dobbs (10-13-2, 5 KOs) by phone. “Vaia is a very skilled boxer, she has had
tons of amateur experience and has been fighting for at least 6 years…but if
she thinks I’m the same fighter she will be surprised.”
In her last fight, the Oklahoma fighter met Nina Ahlin in a rematch at the
Pechanga on March 7. The former Atlanta Falcons cheerleader had beaten Dobbs
a year earlier. But not the second time around.
Using an aggressive attack to the body, Dobbs wore down the athletic Ahlin
quickly in their six round-bout. By the fifth round, Ahlin seemed completely
out of air as Dobbs continued her barrage of punches.
“Nina told me it was the body punches that did it,” said Dobbs, 23 and the
mother of two.
Now comes her second chance at vengeance.
“Training for this fight I had everything to motivate me, she on the other
hand thinks that she is simply getting an easy win over the same girl she
beat last February. If she trained for that version of me, then her and Nina
Ahlin have made the same mistake,” said Dobbs.
Zaganas, who fought an exhibition two weeks ago, beat Japan’s tough Yumi
Takano in a six round bout on the under card of the Shane Mosley-Winky
Wright title fight on March 6. It was an impressive win over a hard-nosed
fighter with pop.
Of Dobbs, the Canadian fighter who now lives in Las Vegas said to expect a
better version of herself than the first fight.
“I haven’t been sitting around eating chips,” said Zaganas, 28. “I’ve been
training too.”
Zaganas trains daily at the University Nevada Las Vegas and often with
hard-hitting Elena “Baby Doll” Reid and some of the tough young amateurs.
“I’m sure she’s pretty determined. So am I,” said Zaganas by phone.
Zaganas said that to compare Ahlin with herself is a mistake.
“I’m stronger than Nina Ahlin,” she said with a tint of anger.
The 5-foot fighter uses an aggressive mix of combinations and jabs to fight
her way inside. Against Dobbs, Zaganas won’t have to look far for her
opponent. Both like to move forward.
“She has no power,” said Zaganas disdainfully. “I’m sure she’s improved but
so have I.”
With excitement in her voice, Dobbs can’t wait to hear the opening bell.
“When I lay down my head at night, all I think about is the fight. I have
played it out a million times in my head and I have never been so sure about
something in my life,” Dobbs said. “If she loses I guarantee you she will
say she was "sick" or "on her period" or "she was robbed." She will never
admit defeat. I on the other hand will say it now, if she wins she beat me
at my best and my hat goes off to her.”
Zaganas and Dobbs promise one thing: a win.
(Fight is tomorrow night (April 8) in
Baltimore, Maryland) Zaganas weighed in at 103 3/4, and Dobbs 101.5. |
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