As she readied for her September 30th title defense of her WBO female super bantamweight crown, Ana Julaton came across as a woman ready for anything bound to be thrown her way. Training at the UNLV Boxing Gym in Las Vegas, Nevada, Julaton?s sweat and dedication came in hand with a soft-spoken nature and reflective appreciation for just everything she has had to endure to get to this point in her life. Julaton will be meeting 18-year old Jessica Villafranca in Yucatan, Mexico tomorrow night, in the second defense of her title, and hearing her story first hand gave me an appreciation for the type of spirit she possesses. There is much more to Julaton than her work with Freddie Roach or her Philippines roots, and in speaking with her you are taken into the world of a woman who has had an uphill battle all her own, but one that she wouldn?t trade for anything.
In this revealing and candid interview, Julaton and I discussed her upbringing, how her initial foray into the sport was unexpected, the hurdles she faces as a woman in a sport dominated by males, what it?s like putting in work at the infamous Wild Card, how she overcame her two defeats, and her mindset heading into the future.
