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".
Career A native of Buffalo, New York, she now lives in Wappinger, New York.
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
ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes30LossDanielle BouchardUD2006-03-03 Salle Antoine-Labelle, Laval 29LossKelsey Jeffries UD2005-07-21 HP Pavilion, San Jose 28LossJackie NavaUD2005-05-30 Grand Hotel, Tijuana vacant WBC World Female Super Bantamweight Title27Win Stephaney George UD2004-11-20 Mid-Hudson Civic Center, Poughkeepsie 26WinOlga Heron UD2004-08-24 Mid-Hudson Civic Center, Poughkeepsie 25Loss Kelsey Jeffries UD 2004-06-17 Seven Feathers Hotel & Casino Resort, Canyonville 24WinTerri Lynn Cruz TKO2004-05-23 Club Avalon, Denver 23LossMelissa FiorentinoUD2004-05-14 Convention Center, Providence 22LossLakeysha Williams UD2003-08-21 Adam’s Mark Hotel, Philadelphia 21LossAda VelezDQ2003-03-29 Seminole Casino, Coconut Creek 20LossEsther Schouten 2002-11-09 Trend Eventhotel Pyramide, Vienna Women's International Boxing Federation World Super Bantamweight Title19Win Renee Richardt UD2002-07-12 Civic Center, Glens Falls 18LossLakeysha Williams UD2002-01-25 Dover Downs, Dover 17LossLisa Brown PTS2001-09-01Cedarbridge Academy 16WinRia RamnarineTKO 2001-07-27 Civic Center, Niagara Falls 15LossLisa BrownUD 2001-04-27 Civic Center, Niagara Falls 14Loss Iwona Guzowska UD 2000-12-02 Gdansk, Poland13LossKathy Williams UD2000-11-02 Freeman Coliseum, San Antonio 12LossAlicia AshleySD 2000-06-29 Viking Hall, Philadelphia 11LossMichele Aboro UD2000-05-13 Sartory Saale, Cologne Women's International Boxing Federation World Super Bantamweight Title10WinDee Dufoe TKO 1999-10-01 Horseshoe Casino, Bossier City vacant International Female Boxers Association World Super Bantamweight Title9Loss Margaret Sidoroff UD1999-07-20 Casino Windsor, Windsor 8LossEva Jones Young UD 1999-06-11 Bossier City vacant International Female Boxers Association World Bantamweight Title7WinKatie Burton UD1998-09-11 Tropicana Hotel & Casino, Atlantic City 6WinSuzanne Riccio-MajorUD1998-08-15 Arizona Charlie's, Las Vegas 5WinSonya Emery SD1998-07-31 Tropicana Hotel & Casino, Atlantic City 4WinNatasha Wilburn TKO1998-03-21 Atlantic City 3Win Sue Chase TKO1998-01-10 Tropicana Hotel & Casino, Atlantic City 2Win Lisa Foster UD1997-11-21 Yonkers Raceway, Yonkers 1WinJudy Mayrand TKO1997-09-27 National Guard Armory, West Palm Beach
See also List of female boxers
References
External links Leona Brown at Awakening Fighters