Dr. Stefanie Cohen revealed that her fourth career bout will be held some time in May. An exact date, location, and opponent have not yet been announced. Cohen, who just celebrated her 30th birthday yesterday, is a world record-breaking powerlifter, a PhD, a noted soccer player, and an entrepreneur.
Boxing has been her latest undertaking. Stefi has been boxing for less than two years but has made remarkable strides. Her debut came on June 4, 2021 in the Dominican Republic. She used her superior strength to bully and maul her opponent, Haidde Zappa, who entered the ring with a record of 3-4. Cohen used effective aggression to earn a third round TKO. But her punch technique and her footwork were that of a novice.
Cohen, her coach Dr. Pedro Diaz, and her team seemed to go back to the drawing board in the run up to her second pro fight. On September 18, 2021 in Dubai, Stefi came out with improved footwork and a sharp quick jab. She moved in and out of range as she jabbed and carried the first two rounds against an opponent with a 2-0 record and MMA experience. But the opponent, Marcela Nieto, adjusted and Cohen's only other weapon was a telegraphed overhand right. Though her skills had progressed, the result was a step back: a majority draw. After the fight, Cohen, a native Spanish speaker, assumed the unusual duty of translating the post-fight interview with Nieto, a native of Colombia.
After a couple of fights that fell through, Cohen came back on February 11 in her adopted hometown of Miami, to fight for the third time as a pro. Against a 31-fight veteran who had racked up 25 losses, Karla Valenzuela,Cohen displayed much improvement. Stefi, who was nearly eight pounds lighter than in her previous bout, showed better defense by moving her upper body and head. She still had a snapping jab but also added a body attack and a counter left hook to her game. She still telegraphed the overhand right but won by unanimous decision.
The results have not matched her progress. She earned her lone KO victory in her first fight, but Stefi's boxing ability has come a long way since her debut. It should be noted that Cohen has faced stiffer opposition than most pure novices would. Typically a well-managed beginner would battle against less experienced foes than Stefi has and wouldn't fight anyone even sniffing a winning record for quite a few bouts. The undefeated Nieto, who has since moved her record to 3-0-1, was Stefi's opponent for her second ever fight.
For her next fight in May, Cohen told The Jewish Boxing Blog that she's her training is focused on improving her "speed, volume, and angles." Considering her exponential growth as a boxer from one fight to the next, it will exciting to see what skills she adds next to her arsenal.
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