Keisher Wells On Fire! Calls Out WBA Flyweight Champ Suzy Kentikian For 2014 Bout
By Robert Brizel, Head RCM Boxing Correspondent
Some fighters wear two hats. In a Real Combat media International Exclusive, Keisher ‘Fire’ McLeod-Wells, a manager at world famous Gleason’s Gym in Brooklyn, New York, discussed her upcoming ten round main event bout against Monica Flores for the vacant Women’s International Boxing Association Flyweight title against Monica Flores. The ten round bout will be the main event of a scheduled ten bout card promoted by Ronson Frank and Uthant Frank’s Uprising Promotions at Five Star Banquet, 13-05 43rd Avenue, Queens, New York, on Friday evening, January 18, 2014. New York State professional female boxing bouts are fought at two minute round internals. Albanian light middleweight Valdin Muriqi of the Bronx, and Bosnian Herzegovinian cruiserweight Armin Mrkanovic of Queens, are among those scheduled to appear in the preliminary bouts to the main event on the card.
McLeod-Wells, now 6-2 with one knockout, Brooklyn, New York, will face her toughest challenge against Flores, 3-1 with one knockout, Galveston, Texas. Flores decisioned 6-9-1 Kristen Treadway in Mississippi in June of 2013.
Real Combat Media has covered a number of fight cards promoted by DiBella Entertainment in New York City on which Ms. McLeod-Wells was featured. Real Combat Media favors McLeod-Wells, a top notch technical boxer, to defeat the hard hitting Flores by either ten round decision, or by stoppage in the later rounds.
Real Combat Media: “Keisher, you will have a vacant female WIBA world flyweight title on this line this Friday evening. Are you excited about it?”
Keisher Wells: “I am very excited about it. Like I waited about ten years for a world title bout (opportunity).”
Real Combat Media: “Are you worried about your opponent?”
Keisher Wells: “I’m never worried. I’m thinking about my opponent, what they’re going to come at me with.”
Real Combat Media: “Are you training for the Flores bout seven days a weeks?”
Keisher Wells: “You don’t want to overtrain. I train six days a week. I train five vigorous days, and one light training day. You have to take off one day for your body to recover.”
Real Combat Media: “Your weight division is flyweight. Do you want to fight for the WBC, WBA, WBO, IBF or IBO world titles. What are your goals?”
Keisher Wells: “I will fight any title fight which is available to that I can get.”
Real Combat Media: “Do you have a sponsor?”
Keisher Wells: “I’m always looking for sponsors.”
Real Combat Media: “Who is training you now?”
Keisher Wells: My coach is Marco Suarez. My second trainer is Delen Parsley. He used to be a pro boxer. His son (Delen Parsley Jr.) is a fighter today.”
Real Combat Media: “Do you think your fight with Flores will go the distance?”
Keisher Wells: “I don’t know. I usually get much stronger by the sixth or seventh round. I’m not looking for the knockout, but my team doesn’t think my bout will go the distance.”
Real Combat Media: “Who’s your manager?”
Keisher Wells: “Brian Cohen.”
Real Combat Media: “Does he help with sanctioning fees? How does it work?”
Keisher Wells: “Whoever your promoter is has to pay the sanctioning fees for these (different) titles.”
Real Combat Media: “I’ve seen you while covering New York City boxing cards on a number of Lou DiBella boxing cards at B.B. King’s and Roseland. Does Lou have any interest in signing you?”
Keisher Wells: “Four times I believe (I fought on DiBella’s cards). It hard for females fighting on DiBella’s shows. He’s more concerned with selling tickets than female fighters. I’m gonna see what happens for me after this card (on Friday night).”
Real Combat Media: “Are rising boxing promoters Ronson Frank of Uprising Promotions,, who’s doing Friday evening’s card with Uthant Frank, interestedin signing you?”
Keisher Wells: “Ronson and I, we’ve talked mostly about this fight (the next fight coming up). Ronson’s a really good guy. We have a really good rapport. My manager told me Ronson is interested in signing quite a few of his (female) fighters.”
Real Combat Media: “That’s a nice gesture of the part of Ronson Frank. It’s always nice to hear when boxing promoters have a keen interest in female professional boxing. Keisher, if you win your next fight for the WIBA world title, would you then like to fight for one of the other alphabet world titles?”
Keisher Wells: “I would love that, I would love the chance to fight for the World Boxing Council world title, or any of the other world titles that are out there at flyweight.”
Real Combat Media: “Tell about your day job.”
Keisher Wells: “I work at Gleason’s Gym in Brooklyn, managing the gym. The gym is open seven days a week. After I finish work, I do my boxing training in the evenings.”
Real Combat Media: “At age 36, do you think your chance to fight for a world title might be slipping away?”
Keisher Wells: “I started boxing at age 26 (in 2003). I did pretty good boxing in the amateurs. When I fight, I fight to fight! (and win). When the opportunity is there, when my body feels like it’s ready to fight and I can do it, I do it. I have no health issues or physical problems.”
Reader’s Note: Keisher McLeod-Wells turned professional on February 3, 2009, and won her debut at The Masonic Temple in Brooklyn, New York, with a first round technical knockout over southpaw veteran Treasure ‘The Bahama Mama’ Saunders, sending Saunders into retirement with a lopsided 55 second beating.
Real Combat Media: “Keisher, are you ready to be a world champion?”
Keisher Wells: “I’m not getting any younger.”
Real Combat Media: “Will your next fight be a major world title fight?”
Keisher Wells: “I am ready. Why go backwards? The money in women’s boxing is small (regardless). If I don’t get any 12 rounders or 10 rounders, for a paycheck I’ll take whatever fight I can get right now. Why not? (It’s best to) keep myself busy (actively fighting).”
Real Combat Media: “Who would you like to fight for a world title?”
Keisher Wells: “I would like to go to Germany and fight Suzy ‘Killer Queen’ Kentikian (the BoxRec number one world ranked flyweight) for her World Boxing Association World Flyweight title. I call out Suzi Kentikian. I can beat her. I haven’t had any conversation with her management but now, we’ll see. We’ll definitely look into fighter Suzi Kentikian in the near future.”
Reader’s Note: Syuzanna ‘Suzi The Killer Queen’ Kentikian, an 26 year old Armenian fighting out of Hamburg, Germany, has a record of 32-2 with 16 knockouts. Kentikian last defended her WBA Female World Flyweight title on December 7, 2013, with a ten round unanimous decision win over 41 year old southpaw Simona Galassi of Italy.
For tickets to the Uprising Promotions boxing card on Friday, January 18, 2013, at Five Star Banquet, 13-05 43rd Avenue, Queens, New York, please contact 516-451-6773, or at the door based on availability at the event. Ticket prices are $100 for ringside, and $60 for general admission, VIP tables are $2000 and seat parties of 8 to 10 people. A charity raffle fundraiser to support children with autism will be held at the event, with proceeds to support the SLCD School in Glen Cove, Long Island. Or for more information, please contact event organizer Sylvester Jones of In The Ring Entertainment at 347-369-9448.
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