Andrea DeShong
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Andrea DeShong (born March 16, 1962 in Mingo Junction, Ohio) is a former U.S. female boxer who is best remembered for defeating Christy Martin in Martin's fourth professional bout.
DeShong made her professional debut on March 11, 1989, when she beat Angel Horton by a first round knockout in Wheeling, West Virginia. After one more win, she faced the experienced Jamie Whitcomb, also winning by a first round knockout.
After winning two more fights, one by second round knockout, she and Martin met, on November 4, at Bristol, Tennessee. DeShong inflicted Martin's first career defeat, winning by a five round decision. Right after defeating Martin, she repeated her victory against Whitcomb, who lasted five full rounds this time, before losing a unanimous decision to DeShong.
On April 21, 1990, she and Martin fought for the second time, and Martin avenged her defeat, while at the same time handling DeShong her own first loss as a professional, by a five round decision, also at Bristol.
While, as of 2004, it remains difficult for women boxers to find matches, it was especially difficult for them to box before the middle 1990s, and DeShong ended up having a six year layoff after the rematch with Martin. When she was able to return to boxing, she was somewhat known to fans, as Martin herself had become the WBC women's world Welterweight champion, and DeShong remained the only boxer to defeat her as a professional. Another reason that helped DeShong's name to gain prominence in the world of boxing was the fact that Martin had become sort of a symbol of women's boxing by the time DeShong returned, having appeared in the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine and becoming a popular fighter by appearing on Showtime network boxing undercards as well as Pay Per View boxing shows.
DeShong returned April 27, 1996, losing a four round decision to Christine Butts. But, after two knockout wins against Jackie Rogers and one more win, she faced veteran Kathy Collins, losing by a six round unanimous decision at New York, New York.
After another win, she faced Isra Girgrah, on November 10 at Washington, D.C.. The two women fighters fought to a six round draw (tie).
After two more wins, she received her first world title try, on March 2, 1997, being knocked out by Janet Couch in seven rounds at New Orleans, Louisiana, for the WIBF's world Jr. Welterweight title.
Despite that setback, her next fight was a major event: as part of the undercard of the rematch between Evander Holyfield and Mike Tyson (The bite fight), which also featured former world champions Julio César Chávez and Miguel Angel Gonzalez, she and Martin met for a third time. The fight was preceded by much fan hype, and both boxers were involved in "trash talking" on the days leading to the match. Martin defeated DeShong by a seventh round knockout on June 28.
DeShong went on to lose to Lucia Rijker in her very next fight, September 13, by a knockout in round three.
Despite losing three fights in a row, she found herself challenging Kathy Collins for the world title in her next fight. DeShong failed for the second time to win the world title, also losing for the fourth time in a row, when Collins handled her a ten round unanimous decision loss on January 10, 1998 for the IWBF world Jr. Welterweight title.
After two more losses in a row, to Sumya Anani and Mitzi Jeter, she retired from boxing for good.
Some fans and critics have observed that, after she gave up boxing for the first time, she should not have returned. When she did return, in 1996, she was 34 years old already, an age when most boxers and athletes in general are considered to be "past their prime".
Andrea DeShong had 14 wins, 9 losses and 1 draw in 24 bouts, with 8 knockout wins.
