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Misc Info:
Vaia Zaganas, 105 lbs., 24 years old, and has
a reported 36-4 Amateur record. Vaia is a two-time Canadian National
Champion # 1 ranking in the world. Canada Vs USA 1999 - 2000, and USA
National Blue and Gold 1999 - 2000. Home Town: Vancouver, Canada.
Vaia turned pro this year, and lost her first fight by a close split
decision. Vaia trains at the UNLV, and lives in Las Vegas.
June 26, 2004 - Silverton Casino, in
Las Vegas, Nevada, and promoted by Joe DeGuardia/Star Boxing
 WBAN
Members MPEGS/PHOTO Gallery #183)
Middleweights Monica Nunez, won a
six-rounder by a majority decision over
Shelly Burton. Terry Insall of boxingkindom.com reported, that
it was the
third fight on the Silverton Casino card. In the first round,
Nunez presses the action and they trade a couple of punches. In round two,
Nunez takes a few shots to the head, but gets behind her jab to back Burton
up. In round three, Nunez uses a stiff jab and hard right hand
to back up the Burton. And in the fourth round, Burton comes alive and
lands some good counterpunches. In the fifth round, Burton slows just a
little and Nunez finishes strong. In the first fight of the night, was
an four-round exhibition between Elena "Baby Doll"
Reid and Vaia "Vicious" Zaganas.
There was no scoring for this bout, and they wore headgear.
April 8, 2004 - Wyndham Inn, Baltimore,
Maryland
Experience proved the difference as Vaia Zaganas, 103 1/2,
captured the NABA
strawweight title with a unanimous decision over gutsy
Stephanie Dobbs, 101 3/4.
Using her movement and jab, Zaganas piled on the points in a 10-round title
bout held at The Wyndham Inn in front of a large crowd. Now the Las Vegas
resident owns two world title belts including the IFBA.
The judges scored the fight 100-90, 99-91, 98-92 for Zaganas.
Despite the clear-cut win, Zaganas said her opponent had vastly improved.
“She showed me a couple of new things, she is improving,” said Zaganas
(16-3, 6 KOs) after the fight. “She has nothing to be ashamed of.”
Dobbs said she practiced many new aspects in the gym but learning them and
using them for a title fight was like cramming for a test.
“A lot of stuff is newly learned, I’ve only been at this game for two
years,” said Dobbs (10-14-2, 5 KOs), who is managed by her husband Bobby
Dobbs. “A lot of it is thinking. Sometimes I do something in the ring and I
don’t even know I did it.”
The Oklahoma fighter plans to accumulate more boxing skills and become more
instinctive in utilizing some of the subtle points of the game that will
make a difference.
“Right now I’m thinking a lot but not doing it naturally,” she said. “I want
to do it without thinking.”
Zaganas, a Canadian national and former amateur champion, said her plan was
to box aggressively using her strength. One added element to her game was
going full steam ahead for all 10 rounds.
“I’m happy about my stamina. It was really good and I got stronger,” said
Zaganas, who fought for 10 rounds for the first time. Her previous title
fight ended in a technical knockout.
“Vaia was in tremendous shape. She basically out-boxed Stephanie,” said
Bobby Dobbs. “She looked real good and I give her credit. I didn’t think she
would have the hunger but she did.”
Zaganas credits her newly found energy to a special diet that has helped her
overcome her penchant for tiring in the latter rounds. This time she refused
to sit down between rounds after the fifth frame.
“Now I know I can be strong the entire distance. I know I can start out
strong and stay strong,” she said. “My diet is 100 percent better now.”
Though Dobbs suffered a loss, she was still upbeat about moving ahead and
perhaps fighting again for the title soon.
“I am still getting better each time out and feel that my best is yet to
come,” Dobbs, 23, said immediately after the fight. “This sport isn't made
for quitters. If you can't bear the indignity of losing, then you also can't
fully appreciate the thrill of victory.”
Dobbs credits her use of head movement and jabs that kept her from getting
hit as much as their first fight a year ago.
“I made her miss a lot. I caught her with some good shots. I definitely
caught her a lot more this time and didn’t get hit a lot this time either,”
she said.
Zaganas said she expected the improvements and immediately noticed the
difference during the first round.
“I give her credit for coming in really well trained. I could see how she
was trying to pick her shots, using defense and using her jab. She
improved,” Zaganas, 28, said. “She caught me with one good shot in the first
round.”
Dobbs said fighting Zaganas again gave her a gauge for her career.
“Congratulations to Vaia Zaganas. A very good fighter who sets the bar for
me to reach for,” said Dobbs who will be out of action for approximately six
months due to eye surgery. “I will still train and work to be a better
fighter so that when I do come back, I will come back with a vengeance.”
The new NABA champion Zaganas plans to jump back in the ring later this
month. She also plans to unify the division before moving on to the higher
weight class.
“It was a good fight, a crowd pleasing fight,” said Zaganas. “I’d like to
fight often if I can.” Report by: Mara Castillon
Dobbs Open
Letter about the fight
March 13, 2004 - Mandalay Bay Resort,
Las Vegas, California
WBAN
Photo Gallery #154
Vaia
Zaganas, 104, picked a bad night for the biggest fight of her career but the show
must go on.
Still recovering from the flu and her monthly, Zaganas gutted it out against
the brawling style of Japan's Yumi Takano at the Mandalay Bay Resort and
Casino on Saturday.
"I don't care if I was at my death bed I was still going to fight," said
Zaganas, 28, fighting in her adopted hometown Las Vegas for the third time.
"The doctor advised me not to fight but nothing was going to stop me."
Takano (9-8) entered the ring as a boxer known for advancing with both hands
held high. But after training in Los Angeles recently, the Japanese fighter
had a few tricks up her sleeve.
"I saw tape of her from two years ago and she would fight aggresively with
both hands in front of her face," Zaganas (15-3) said of Takano. "But she
had her left hand down and would move her head side to side... that's why I
don't take tapes too seriously."
Takano repeatedly tried to land overhand left hands from long range but ran
into multiple counter rights in the first two rounds. And when she tried to
ram her way inside the two would collide heads. An accidental butt in the
first round led to a cut over Takano's nose.
The second round found Zaganas firing combinations at her attacking
opponent. The most effective punches landed were counter right hands.
Finally in the third round Takano began to find a formula to get inside.
Disdaining counter rights Takano landed several good left hands in the round
in a close frame. Inside she was more effective and it looked like she could
turn the momentum.
"Vaia loves to be aggressive and busy but in this fight she was smart and
boxed from outside," said Chris Ben, her trainer. "She was smart."
With both fighters realizing the fourth round would be crucial, both
fighters sizzled from the start to finish. Zaganas landed repeated rights
and Takano landed thudding lefts. The crowd applauded their efforts.
"I knew she was a a brawler and I knew she would run into my rights," said
Zaganas, the current IFBA strawweight title-holder. "She was real
aggressive."
Zaganas, with a red mark over her left eye from punches, said she was caught
a few times with punches but was never hurt.
"She hit me with some good shots," she said. "You're going to get hit with
punches unless you're Roy Jones Jr."
In the fifth round the Canadian fighter began to tire from the expenditure
of punches and from various maladies.
"I usually don't even train when I'm on my period. I get too exhausted," she
said. "But nothing was going to stop me from this fight."
Zaganas kept Takano at the outside with jabs and slide-stepped to the side
repeatedly. The Japanese fighter couldn't seem to get a solid shot but
continued to fire lefts and rights.
The judges scored the fight a majority win for Zaganas 57-57, 59-55, 58-56. "She didn't feel that great," said Ben her
trainer who realized she was not 100 percent. "But she boxed and fought a
smart fight."
Zaganas said her two losses to Luz Rodriguez were under similar conditions
but she told herself to remain calm for this bouton the under card of Shane
Mosley and Winky Wright.
"Relax, relax, that was my mantra," Zaganas said. "I kept telling myself
that when you're relaxed your punches are sharp."
Zaganas is scheduled to fight in two weeks in Lake Tahoe possibly against
Gracie Roca who has a win against her.
"I can't wait to fight her," Zaganas said.
Pre-Fight Report
November 22, 2003 - Caesars Tahoe, Stateline, Nevada
The current IFBA Minimumweight Champion Vicious Vaia
Zaganas, 14-2, 6 KO's continued on her current win streak
of five, with a win over Sarah Goodson, 8-14, 2 KO's
via a six round unanimous decision, with final judges scoring
of 60-54. Zaganas may be one of the busiest women fighters
out there today, with ten fights this year. Casey Dansicker
her manager, said, "Vaia loves to fight, gets better each time
out, and we are looking to face all of the big names in her
weight class today." Report by "Bad" Brad Berkwitt
November 4, 2003 - Maryland
At the Martins West Ballroom and banquet center, Woodlawn,
Maryland, Vaia "Vicious" Zaganas, 104 1/4,
won a six-round unanimous decision over Dee Hamaguchi, 107 lbs.
Final judges scoring was 58-56, 58-56 and 58-55.
October 25, 2003 - Sam's Town Casino, Tunica, Mississippi
"Hotstuff" Hollie Dunaway, 115, Fort Smith, won a
four-round unanimous decision over
Shannon Birmingham,
120. All judges scores 40-36. Also, Vaia Zaganas,
104, TKO2 Nikki Verbeck, 102.
August 22, 2003 - Reno Hilton, in Reno,
Nevada
Vaia "Vicious" Zaganas lived up to her ring name when she stopped
Tracey Stevens in the second round when
Stevens did not come out for the third round. Vaia dominated the fight up
to that point, with one insider reporting to WBAN that the fight was
"Shockingly one-sided."
July 25, 2003 -
Tulsa Creek Nation Gaming Center, in Tulsa, Oklahoma
Vaia "Vicious" Zaganas won by a unanimous decision over
Sarah Goodson in a rematch for the two in a scheduled
six-rounder. An Insider at the fight reported that
Zaganas won every round, and that 'Zaganas came close to
matching Roy Jones' record against Pazienza for an opponent
not landing a single punch in a round.' The insider did report
that Goodson was "game" but she did not have an answer for
Vaia's boxing style. Final
Scoring was 60-54, 60-54, and 59-55.
May
24, 2003 - Reno, Nevada
Luz Rodriguez defeated Vaia "Vicious"
Zaganas in a six-rounder, and a rematch for the two in a scheduled
Strawweight six-rounder.. Judges scores had it 60-54 (twice) and 58-56
for Rodriguez. In their first outing, Rodriguez had won a four-rounder.
April 26, 2003 - Stratosphere Hotel, Las
Vegas, Nevada
Vaia "Vicious" Zaganas stopped her opponent
Hollie Dunaway,
1:24 of the second round. There is also a women's match that is an
exhibition bout between Layla McCarter and
Tracy Byrd that
is a scheduled four-rounder.
April 18,
2003 - The Palace, Lemoore, CA
In front of a packed audience, at the
Palace
Indian
Gaming
Center,
in Lemoore, California, had a night of women’s boxing, mixed in
with a heavyweight contender Michael Grant, who fought Gilbert
Martinez. The first fight of the night was between Isra “The
Raging Beauty” Girgrah, 128, and
Laura Serrano, 124. The two
fought in a toe-to-toe battle that ended in a controversial
eight-round split decision for Girgrah. The
boxing fans met the decision with a loud sound of “boos.”
Serrano, took the Mexico flag and ran through the audience after
the decision was announced. Girgrah delivered Serrano her
first loss as a pro boxer. Final scoring was 79-73
Serrano, and 77-75, and 78-74 Girgrah. The second bout of the evening was featured
Sumya
“The Island Girl” Anani, 141, and
Fredia “The Cheetah” Gibbs,
140.
Even before the fight began, Anani stared across the ring at
Gibbs, and shuffling her feet as if she was ready to spring in
action at the ring of the bell. Gibbs was also hyped and when
the bell did begin the first round both boxers immediately began
throwing leather. There was some holding throughout the first
round, and they were non-stop until the end of that round. But
it was learned shortly there after that Gibbs may have
experienced a fractured hand and the fight was halted. Anani
won the fight by a TKO. The third night of the fight featured
Grant and
Martinez.
Their fight ended in a win for Grant by a TKO in the later
rounds. Then the ESPN2 cameras stopped rolling as the next
women’s match was to take place between
Nina Ahlin,
101.5, and
Vaia Zaganas, 104. It was a very entertaining fight and it was
unfortunate that it did not make television. WBAN did tape the
fight. Vaia Zaganas won the fight with a final scoring of
59-55, 59-55, and 58-56. The last fight of the night was another
women’s match, that could have easily been named the “fight of
the night.” Layla McCarter, 134, of Las Vegas, took on local
boxer from Fresno, Lisa Lewis, 133. It was the classic boxer
against puncher. McCarter was slick as she slipped punches by
Lewis who is also one tough fighter! The six-rounder ended in a
unanimous decision for McCarter.
March 27, 2003 - Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
IFBA Strawweight World champion Vaia "Vicious" Zaganas, 105, won a
six-round unanimous decision over WIBA #2 Terri "Too Tuff" Moss,
104. There were no knockdowns, and final judges scores was 60-52.
February 15, 2003 -Flamingo Hotel, in Laughlin, Nevada
World
Champion Vaia Zaganas, 103.5, won a six-round uanimous decision
over Stephanie Dobbs, 102. There were no knockdowns. Final
scores by judges was 58-56, 59-55, 59-55.
June 15, 2002 - Ignacio,
Colorado
At the Sky Ute Casino, Vaia Zaganas became the new IFBA
Strawweight champion when her opponent,
Sarah Goodson
apparently stopped fighting in the eighth round.
May 15, 2002 Treasure Chest Casino, in
Kenner, Louisiana
There were four action-packed women's matches on the card! Lisa
"Too Fierce" Foster, 121, 5-3-1 (2KO) fought Kathy
Williams, 119 1/4, of Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada, 13-4-0 (4KO)
for the vacant IFBA Jr.
featherweight belt in a scheduled 10-rounder and STOPPED Williams
1:19 seconds in the ninth round. Scotty Johnson who was ON SCENE at
the fights said that Foster knocked Williams down in the first round, and
that in the ninth, when Williams was knocked down, the ref stopped the
fight. The fight between Jr. Middleweights Sunshine
Fettkether, 1-2-2 (0KO), Phoenix, Arizona and Dakota
Stone, 5-1-3 (0KO), of Seattle, Washington ended in a six-round
majority draw; Canadian Vaia
Zaganas, 4-1-0 (2KO) won a six-round unanimous decision over New
Yorker Dee
Hamaguchi, 0-3-1 (0KO) with final judges scoring of 60-54 60-54
58-56; Raquelle
Tebo, 3-1-1, Las Vegas, Nevada, won a unanimous decision over
Carla Wilcox,
1-2-0 (0KO), of Seattle, Washington.
February 16, 2002 - Las Vegas, Nevada
On
the
"Everlast Heavyweight Explosion" card held at the
Las Vegas Hilton, Vaia
Zaganas, 105, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada,
fought and won Diedre Hamaguchi, 103, in a four-round Strawweight
bout. Final judging was 40-36, 40-36, 39-37. Zaganas moved
her record to 3-1 (2KO), and Hamaguchi dropped to 0-2-1 (0KO).
October 26, 2001- Vancouver BC-
Canada
At the "Brawl in the Fall" in Vancouver, BC Canada, Vaia
Vaganas stopped (TKO1) Janet Williams, Fort Smith, Arkansas, 31
seconds in the first round. Vaganas ended the bout with a short jab and an
overhand right, that caught Williams by surprise. Vaganas improved her
record to 2-1-0 (2KO).
October 12,
2001,
Pala Casino, California
MEGABOX, Inc. presented "The
Brawl in the Fall"PALA (OCT 14) At the Pala Casino, in Pala,
California, on Friday, October 12, MEGABOX, Inc. presented "The
Brawl in the Fall." According
to news sources, Parker showed up at the fight with no Federal ID,
no trunks, no mouthpiece, or any athletic shoes.
According to news sources, The Promoter bought her the above mentioned
items, and the promoter's wife gave Parker her tennis shoes!! Zaganas
made it a short night for Parker, as when the first round began, Zaganas
immediately began to bob and weave to get inside. Parker appeared to be
nervous. Zaganas threw a three-punch combination (jab, overhand right,
and left hook) that sent Parker back. Zaganas continued her attack with a
devastating right and short left which stunned Parker. Referee Jack
Reiss called a halt to the fight. The C.S.A.C. suspended Parker
indefinitely until Parker "learns how to fight". It was a very
good call on the part of the C.S.A.C. The fans were disappointed,
but Zaganas looked very good in the ring. Zaganas
improved her record to 1-1-0 (1KO), and Parker (according to WBAN records)
is now 0-3. On the
Marischa Sjauw vs. Summer
Deleon fight: Sjauw, 147, won by a
six-round majority decision DeLeon, 147. In Round
One both boxers were feeling each other out, with Sjauw landing
some of her consistent and solid hooks. DeLeon tested her uppercut on Sjauw.
The round was even. In Round Two Sjauw began to
dominate the fight. Sjauw opened the round with a big left hook that
made DeLeon fall back. During the round Sjauw bloodied DeLeon's nose.
The Referee called over the doctor to examine DeLeon's nose, and Deleon
said, "NO!" The fight continued. The round ended with
DeLeon breathing hard and on the defensive. Boxing fans began to get into
the fight as the crowd heated up...In Round three through Round
five it was a seesaw battle. DeLeon found her uppercuts and
jarred Marischa, and at that same time, Marischa was working her hooks to
avail. At one point, DeLeon's mouthpiece was knocked six feet in the
air by a big Sjauw right hand! At the end of Round five, Summer
danced to her corner and the crowd responsed with mad cheers. The final
round was too close to call. Both Sjauw and DeLeon landed some big
shots, and the boxing fans were standing and screaming throughout the
round. As the fight ended with a mad exchange, the fans were extremely
excited, and it was so loud that people could not hardly hear each other.
Needless to say, this fight was a tremendous match between these two very
accomplished boxers.
July 8, 2001 - State Line Silversmith Casino,
Westover, Utah
Luz Rodriguez, 102, won a four-round bout against newcomer Canadian Vaia
Zaganas, 105, who was making her pro debut. Rodriguez won her
first professional fight and is now 1-1.
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