Melinda Cooper
 |
Melinda Cooper | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 6, 1985 Las Vegas, Nevada, USA |
| Statistics | |
| Weight(s) | Super-bantamweight |
Melinda "La Maravilla" Cooper (born March 6, 1985, in Las Vegas, Nevada), is a former boxer who held the WIBA[1] and IBA Flyweight world titles during her career. She was inducted into the International Women's Boxing Hall of Fame in 2020.[2][3]
Cooper started boxing in 1996, after meeting trainer James Pena at the Nevada Partners gym in Las Vegas. Pena eventually became Cooper's legal guardian.[citation needed]
As an amateur boxer, Cooper had a 37–2 record and competed in numerous national amateur championships.[citation needed] Cooper began her professional boxing career at age 17 on March 23, 2002, in Las Vegas, Nevada, winning a four-round unanimous decision over Annalisa Middleton.[citation needed] At the time, she made history by becoming the first female boxer under the age of 18 to be licensed in the state of Nevada.[citation needed] In July 2004, Cooper won a 6-round unanimous decision to Johanna Peña-Álvarez.[4][relevant?] Cooper has beaten every opponent she has faced as a professional,[citation needed] and on January 14, 2005, in Rancho Mirage, California, she TKO'd Anissa Zamarron in the ninth round to win the vacant IBA and WIBA Flyweight World Titles.[citation needed] Currently,[when?] Cooper has a professional record of 20–0 with 11 KOs.[citation needed]
Cooper has also been featured in magazines, including Girls' Life, Teen, and World Boxing.[citation needed]
Professional boxing record
[edit]| 60 fights | 46 wins | 12 losses |
|---|---|---|
| By knockout | 18 | 0 |
| By decision | 28 | 12 |
| Draws | 2 | |
References
[edit]- ^ Boxing record for Melinda Cooper from BoxRec (registration required)
- ^ "International Women's Boxing Hall of Fame Announces 2021 IWBHF Inductees". wbcboxing.com. April 28, 2021. Retrieved January 1, 2025.
- ^ "The Women's Boxing Hall of Fame Welcomes the Classes of 2020/2021". The Sweet Science. August 12, 2021. Retrieved January 1, 2025.
- ^ Avila, David (July 24, 2004). "Melinda Cooper Breaks Past Johanna Pena Alvarez". Women's Boxing. Retrieved May 21, 2012.