Leona Brown (born July 27, 1960) 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". Brown's nickname, "Downtown", is both a homage to actress Downtown Julie Brown, and it also serves as name play, such as in the case of "Hannah The Vegas Fox".

Leona Brown
Born
Leona Brown

(1960-07-27) July 27, 1960 (age 64)
Other namesDowntown
Statistics
Weight(s)Bantamweight
Height4 ft 11 in (150 cm)[1]
StanceOrthodox
Boxing record
Total fights30
Wins13
Wins by KO5
Losses17
Draws0
No contests0

Career

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A native of Buffalo, New York, she now lives in Wappinger, New York.[citation needed]

Brown was an award winning amateur boxer, winning the New York state golden gloves award before turning professional, on September 27. 1997, beating Judy Mayrand by a four round unanimous decision in Germantown, Pennsylvania. Brown proceeded to win her first seven fights as a professional, including victories over Sue Chase, Sonya Emery and Suzanne Riccio.

On her eighth professional bout, fought June 11, 1999 in Bossier City, Louisiana, she fought for a world title for the first time, losing a ten round decision to IFBA world Bantamweight champion Eva Jones. Her next bout was a six round unanimous decision loss at the hands of the noted Margaret Sidoroff.

On October 1, 1999, Brown became a world champion for the first time, when she knocked out Dee Dufoe in round ten to become the IFBA's world Super Bantamweight champion.

That short success was followed by defeat and disappointment, however, as she lost seven of her next eight bouts, beginning with a world title unification against WIBF world Super Bantamweight champion Michele Aboro on May 13, 2000. Brown lost a ten round split decision, and her IFBA world title, to Aboro in Germany. Other boxers that defeated her during this period included Alicia Ashley, Kathy Williams and Lisa Brown (twice). Her only win during those eight bouts came against Ria Ramnarine, by a knockout in round four, on July 27 of 2001.

After defeating Renee Richardt, she was given another chance at the WIBF world Super Bantamweight title, flying over to Austria, where she lost to Esther Schouten by a ten round decision, on June 9, 2002. That loss marked the beginning of another losing streak for Brown, as she lost her next three bouts as well. These included a defeat at the hands of Ada Vélez. She broke that streak with a fourth round knockout of Terri Cruz on April 23, 2004, in Denver, Colorado.

After another loss and a win, she was given another chance at becoming world champion again, and, on November 20, Brown took on Stephaney George of Guyana for the WIBC world Bantamweight title, in Poughkeepsie, New York. Brown won a world title on a second division when she beat George by a unanimous decision, on a fight that the judges saw as a one-sided affair (all three judges scored the fight 100-90 in favor of Brown).

Leona Brown holds a professional boxing record of 13 wins and 14 losses, with 5 knockout wins.

Professional boxing record

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30 fights 13 wins 17 losses
By knockout 5 0
By decision 8 17
No. Result Record Opponent Type Round, time Date Location Notes
30 Loss Danielle Bouchard UD 2006-03-03 Salle Antoine-Labelle, Laval
29 Loss Kelsey Jeffries UD 2005-07-21 HP Pavilion, San Jose
28 Loss Jackie Nava UD 2005-05-30 Grand Hotel, Tijuana vacant WBC World Female Super Bantamweight Title
27 Win Stephaney George UD 2004-11-20 Mid-Hudson Civic Center, Poughkeepsie
26 Win Olga Heron UD 2004-08-24 Mid-Hudson Civic Center, Poughkeepsie
25 Loss Kelsey Jeffries UD 2004-06-17 Seven Feathers Hotel & Casino Resort, Canyonville
24 Win Terri Lynn Cruz TKO 2004-05-23 Club Avalon, Denver
23 Loss Melissa Fiorentino UD 2004-05-14 Convention Center, Providence
22 Loss Lakeysha Williams UD 2003-08-21 Adam’s Mark Hotel, Philadelphia
21 Loss Ada Velez DQ 2003-03-29 Seminole Casino, Coconut Creek
20 Loss Esther Schouten 2002-11-09 Trend Eventhotel Pyramide, Vienna Women's International Boxing Federation World Super Bantamweight Title
19 Win Renee Richardt UD 2002-07-12 Civic Center, Glens Falls
18 Loss Lakeysha Williams UD 2002-01-25 Dover Downs, Dover
17 Loss Lisa Brown PTS 2001-09-01 Cedarbridge Academy
16 Win Ria Ramnarine TKO 2001-07-27 Civic Center, Niagara Falls
15 Loss Lisa Brown UD 2001-04-27 Civic Center, Niagara Falls
14 Loss Iwona Guzowska UD 2000-12-02 Gdansk, Poland
13 Loss Kathy Williams UD 2000-11-02 Freeman Coliseum, San Antonio
12 Loss Alicia Ashley SD 2000-06-29 Viking Hall, Philadelphia
11 Loss Michele Aboro UD 2000-05-13 Sartory Saale, Cologne Women's International Boxing Federation World Super Bantamweight Title
10 Win Dee Dufoe TKO 1999-10-01 Horseshoe Casino, Bossier City vacant International Female Boxers Association World Super Bantamweight Title
9 Loss Margaret Sidoroff UD 1999-07-20 Casino Windsor, Windsor
8 Loss Eva Jones Young UD 1999-06-11 Bossier City vacant International Female Boxers Association World Bantamweight Title
7 Win Katie Burton UD 1998-09-11 Tropicana Hotel & Casino, Atlantic City
6 Win Suzanne Riccio-Major UD 1998-08-15 Arizona Charlie's, Las Vegas
5 Win Sonya Emery SD 1998-07-31 Tropicana Hotel & Casino, Atlantic City
4 Win Natasha Wilburn TKO 1998-03-21 Atlantic City
3 Win Sue Chase TKO 1998-01-10 Tropicana Hotel & Casino, Atlantic City
2 Win Lisa Foster UD 1997-11-21 Yonkers Raceway, Yonkers
1 Win Judy Mayrand TKO 1997-09-27 National Guard Armory, West Palm Beach

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Leona Brown Awakening Profile". Awakeningfighters.com. Retrieved 2016-02-19.
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