On Thursday evening, I spoke with professional boxer, Kim Connor-Hamby (7-1-2, 3 KOs). Kim talked about her November 6, UD victory over Nicole Woods, her goals for the future, women?s boxing, her admiration of Manny Pacquiao and much more.
LS: Hi Kim. How are you doing?
KCH: Oh, pretty good. How are you?
LS: Fine, thanks. On November 6, you won a rematch against Nicole Woods. I know you had a really tough fight with her the first time, and it ended in a draw. Tell me about the rematch.
KCH: Ah man, the rematch was awesome. My style has changed. I?ve gone from being a boxer to being more of a brawler, and I made her fight my fight. I made her bang with me, and it was good. I was on her the whole time. In the 6th round, I caught one to the back of the jaw ? a right hand to the back of the jaw. It wobbled me out for a little bit. I took an 8-count, and I came back? You know, you get an 8?10 round for a knockdown? I came back and got my point back, so it was a 9-10 round. I was banging with her and banging with her, and beating the crap out of her, then I dipped, and I didn?t bring my hands up. I made a mistake, and she just threw a right hand and caught me on the back of the left jaw.
LS: It?s really hard to win a point back after being knocked down in a round.
KCH: Yeah. I was really mad that I got dropped. It really pissed me off because I thought that I was gonna lose then. (Laughs) So I was like, ?Oh, hell no!?
LS: So it kind of fired you up to fight a little harder, didn?t it?
KCH: Yeah. It was awesome though, man. I got voted the 2010, Fitz fight of the year for that fight. It was at the Fitzgerald Casino, and it was televised on the Sports South channel, so it was a good one for me. We went toe-to-toe for 8 rounds.
LS: Every boxing fan knows that excellent conditioning is very important for a fighter, but a lot of boxers tend to get out of shape between fights, then they have a 1 or 2 month training camp. Do you train year around?
KCH: Yeah, because I fight year around. This is what I do. I take a week off after a fight, and then I start back in the gym. And like right now, I?ve taken my week off, and then I?ve started doing strength training with kettle bells. I?m gonna get my strength training down so that when I start my training camp for my next fight, I?m already gonna be strong. Then I can work on technicality. I?m also trying to work on angles right now. I?m just staying in the gym, basically. Right now I?m hot since this Nicole Woods fight. I?m getting calls for a lot bigger fights. I?ve gotten an offer to fight in February in Australia for a WBO title. I?ve gotten little nibbles about a fight here in Little Rock in January or February on Jonathan Nelson?s undercard, but I don?t know if that?s gonna happen or not. Also, I?ve got some promoters out of Las Vegas that have been in touch with me. So it?s like, all the hard work from last year is starting to pay off.
LS: From the videos I?ve seen of you, I see certain attributes that I believe could take you very far in the sport. You?re exciting to watch. You?re extremely tough, and you never stop punching. You fight the kind of fight that boxing fans love to see. What do you consider to be your greatest assets?
KCH: My greatest asset, I think, is that I can take a punch. I can take a lot of punishment, and I mean, it?s like it drives me. Once I take a lick, it?s almost like it kicks me in high gear. I?m like, ?That was good. I?d better come back.? Also, I?ve got this dream that I?m working towards, because I wanna be a title holder. I wanna see an end to this road. I?ve been boxing for 10 years, and I?ve been dreaming of having a belt for so long, it?s like I?m reaching for it, and I can almost touch it now. Lots of people do like the fact that I?m nice outside the ring, and then I?m like a killer inside the ring. I?m the epitome of a country girl. It?s like I?m as sweet as pie, and then you piss me off and I?ll rip your head off. (Laughing)
LS: (Laughing) You sound a little bit like Manny Pacquiao.
KCH: Yeah (Laughs)
LS: You get hit with a good punch and it just fires you up and makes you fight harder.
KCH: A lot of people back up when they get hit with a good shot. It just makes me wanna retaliate. Personally, I think that?s what a fighter should be all about. I?ll get in there and take punches just to get in there and try to land some punches. I don?t mind taking a few because it gets me more into the fight.
LS: And it can get into your opponent?s head when they see that you can take the best they?ve got.
KCH: Yeah, it really does.
LS: What did you think of the Pacquiao – Margarito fight?
KCH: Man, that fight was freakin? awesome! Pacquiao is like? You know, I just need to study him. Did you see the angles he did?
LS: Yes
KCH: It?s like, he?s just repetitively punching, and that?s what people want to see, man. They wanna see action. They don?t wanna see somebody running around and pecking. You know, I?m in there to do damage. I want that person to hurt. I want them to feel like they were in a fight. It feels awesome to be able to go in there and bang, and Pacquiao does that. That?s why everybody loves him. You never know what you?re gonna see. You look at Floyd Mayweather, and you know you?re gonna see some awesome defense with him, but who wants to see awesome defense? To me, the boxing and sticking and moving, you know, that?s good at times, but that shouldn?t be the whole fight. If I pay to go to a fight, I don?t wanna see somebody dance around the whole time.
LS: Pacquiao and Mayweather are considered to be the greatest fighters in the sport today. If they ever get in a ring together, who do you think will win?
KCH: What are you talking about? Pacquiao, hands-down. He?s a busier fighter, his conditioning is insane, he?s humble ? which is what I like about him the most. You know, he?s not some big-headed fool talking about money all the time. That kind of makes you think that (Mayweather) is undeserving. He?s always in there talking about money, and Pacquiao?s in there because he loves to fight. That?s the way it should be. Money?s just a perk on top of something that you love.
LS: If there?s anybody that has a good chance to beat Pacquiao, it?s Mayweather, but Pacquiao?s such a busy fighter. It would be a great fight.
KCH: Pacquiao?s just like? non-stop. Mayweather?s defense is good, but how can you be so defensive and win a fight with Pacquiao? How can he counter in there? You can?t win a fight like that. Pacquiao?s angles are crazy. Those angles he gives are crazy! Pacquiao has stepped up boxing to another level. He?s taken in to the point where it?s making boxing come back. It?s making people turn their heads and say, ?You know, I wanna see that dude fight?. He?s awesome. People like seeing Mayweather, don?t get me wrong, but he don?t have near the fan base.
LS: Mayweather?s definitely a brilliant fighter, and he?s the only one that can fight the style that he fights, and do it so well, but he?s just not the kind of ambassador for the sport that Pacquiao is.
KCH: And you take somebody that is humble, and they?re grateful, and they love what they do, and they?re just a genuine person? You know, people are drawn to that. That turns heads.
LS: Alright, let?s talk a little bit about women?s boxing. Fighters like you are getting in there and showing off great technical skills and resilience, and giving some great performances. There are women who are just as dedicated to this sport as the men. Do you feel that fans are started to sit up and take notice of women?s boxing?
KCH: Well, I know that the fans are starting to take notice of my boxing. I?m getting a lot more support from Arkansas. I?m getting tons of support out of Mississippi just because I?m putting on awesome shows. And women are stepping up their game too. There?s a girl named, Melissa “Hurrican” Hernandez. She?s a very exciting little chick to watch, and she gets in there and she pulls off some moves. It?s not just women going in there going toe-to-toe. She?s slick! She?s got style. Women?s boxing is stepping up. The women are coming in shape. It?s just like with men?s boxing. You can tell who?s making this their lifestyle, and who?s not.
LS: Kim, you?re a great ambassador of women?s professional boxing, and for Arkansas boxing. I appreciate you taking the time to talk to me. What would you like to say to your fans out there?
KCH: I thank them for all of their support, and I hope to be able to put on many more awesome fights in the future, and hopefully, one in Little Rock.
