Sonya Emery
Encyclopedia
Sonya Anne Emery better known plainly as Sonya Emery, is a former female boxer who boxed professionally from 1997 to 1998.
Emery had a significant amateur women's boxing
career, winning various state and national championships, sparking interest when she announced she was to become a professional.
She debuted as a professional boxer on August 19 of '97, with a second- round knockout
win over Colleen Smith at her hometown of Austin.
Her second bout was on January 6 of '98, when she met Cinthya Prouder. Emery suffered her first career defeat when outpointed by Prouder over four rounds.
On February 11, she met the very experienced Gloria Ramirez
at Fort Worth, Texas
, losing by a four-round split decision.
In March of that year, Emery traveled halfway across the Pacific
, to meet Colleen Smith in a rematch, at Honolulu, Hawaii
. She defeated Smith for a second time, this time by knockout in round three.
Next for Emery was Angelica Villain, on May 1, back in Emery's home state. With a knockout 24 seconds into the first round, Emery scored one of the quickest wins in male or female boxing history.
Only seven days later, she made her Las Vegas
debut, when she knocked out the highly touted Valerie Troike in three rounds. That was Troike's first career defeat, after six fights without a loss.
After the win against Troike, however, Emery's career started to go down, as she lost two of her final three bouts as a professional. On July 31, she met future world champion "Downtown Leona Brown
" in Atlantic City, New Jersey
, losing by a six-round split decision.
On August 15, she beat the well-known Jayla Ortiz by a six-round unanimous decision, in what would turn out to be her career's final win. That fight was also held in Las Vegas.
Emery went to Worley, Idaho
, a city where women's boxing is a main attraction, to meet Theresa Arnold
on November 23, and she lost a close, eight-round split decision (scores of 75-78, 75-77 and 77-76). Curiously, this would be the last fight both for Emery and for Arnold, as the two rivals announced their retirement soon after the fight.
Sonya Emery compiled a lifetime record of five wins and four losses, with four wins by knockout. She was never KOed herself.
Emery had a significant amateur women's boxing
Women's boxing
Women's boxing first appeared in the Olympic Games at a demonstration bout in 1902. For most of the 20th century, however, it was banned in most nations. Its revival was pioneered by the Swedish Amateur Boxing Association, which sanctioned events for women in 1988. The British Amateur Boxing...
career, winning various state and national championships, sparking interest when she announced she was to become a professional.
She debuted as a professional boxer on August 19 of '97, with a second- round knockout
Knockout
A knockout is a fight-ending, winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, mixed martial arts, Karate and others sports involving striking...
win over Colleen Smith at her hometown of Austin.
Her second bout was on January 6 of '98, when she met Cinthya Prouder. Emery suffered her first career defeat when outpointed by Prouder over four rounds.
On February 11, she met the very experienced Gloria Ramirez
Gloria Ramirez
Gloria Ramirez was a Riverside, California, woman dubbed "the toxic lady" by the media when several Riverside General Hospital workers became ill after exposure to her body and blood...
at Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
, losing by a four-round split decision.
In March of that year, Emery traveled halfway across the Pacific
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
, to meet Colleen Smith in a rematch, at Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii. Honolulu is the southernmost major U.S. city. Although the name "Honolulu" refers to the urban area on the southeastern shore of the island of Oahu, the city and county government are consolidated as the City and...
. She defeated Smith for a second time, this time by knockout in round three.
Next for Emery was Angelica Villain, on May 1, back in Emery's home state. With a knockout 24 seconds into the first round, Emery scored one of the quickest wins in male or female boxing history.
Only seven days later, she made her Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
debut, when she knocked out the highly touted Valerie Troike in three rounds. That was Troike's first career defeat, after six fights without a loss.
After the win against Troike, however, Emery's career started to go down, as she lost two of her final three bouts as a professional. On July 31, she met future world champion "Downtown Leona Brown
Leona Brown
Leona Brown is a female boxer who is the WIBC world Bantamweight champion. Because of her age, many consider her to be "the George Foreman of women's boxing"...
" in Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...
, losing by a six-round split decision.
On August 15, she beat the well-known Jayla Ortiz by a six-round unanimous decision, in what would turn out to be her career's final win. That fight was also held in Las Vegas.
Emery went to Worley, Idaho
Worley, Idaho
Worley is a city in southwestern Kootenai County, Idaho, United States. The population was 223 at the 2000 census. The city is within the Coeur d'Alene Indian Reservation.-Geography:...
, a city where women's boxing is a main attraction, to meet Theresa Arnold
Theresa Arnold
Theresa Arnold is a female boxer who beat a number of name fighters during her career. A native of Boise, Idaho, she still lives in her hometown.Arnold was important in women's boxing popularity rise in Idaho...
on November 23, and she lost a close, eight-round split decision (scores of 75-78, 75-77 and 77-76). Curiously, this would be the last fight both for Emery and for Arnold, as the two rivals announced their retirement soon after the fight.
Sonya Emery compiled a lifetime record of five wins and four losses, with four wins by knockout. She was never KOed herself.