Emily Klinefelter entered the ring for her tenth professional fight on February 5, 2011 in her hometown of Johnson City, Iowa. Her opponent was Christina Ruiz. The fight ended in the third round when referee Gilbert Richardson reached the count of ten with Klinefelter laying on the floor unresponsive.
Disaster had struck. A blood clot had formed in her brain. Things seemed dire. She was brought to the hospital and things were tenuous for a while.
But Emily has fully recovered according to The Gazette. She is no longer allowed box- which means she'll never get the desired rematch against the only woman to best her in the ring- because of a titanium plate in her head. But she now coaches boxing and works as a full time CPA.
It has been a remarkable comeback for the 28 year old. Best wishes to her and her family.
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Showing posts with label Klinefelter sisters. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Klinefelter sisters. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Monday, May 30, 2011
When to Stop the Fight?
Within the past year, referees controversially allowed three different fights, in which Jewish boxers participated, to proceed. Last June, a torn ACL and a white towel weren't enough to persuade Arthur Mercante Jr. to stop the contest between Yuri Foreman and Miguel Cotto. A few months later, Erkki Meronen signaled Alexander Frenkel to continue his pummeling of a half-conscious Enzo Maccarinelli. And this past February, Gilbert Richardson failed to stop the fight between Christina Ruiz and Emily Klinefelter, resulting in a burst blood vessel in Klinefelter's brain.
It is easy to second guess boxing referees who have to make split second decisions during the heat of battle. It is a difficult job and referees can be forgiven for missing certain calls. But a referee cannot miss when it comes to a fighter's safety. Above all else, that is the referee's primary responsibility.
On June 5, Foreman defended his WBA junior middleweight belt against Miguel Cotto in Yankee Stadium. The bout was competitive until Foreman tore his ACL 45 seconds into the 7th round as he bounced around the ring. As Foreman continued to fight, hobbled, he fell again with 1:38 left in the round. HBO commentator Jim Lampley exclaimed, "He's done! There's no way he can continue in the fight at this point." Mercante disagreed.
In the heat of the moment, perhaps it was natural to get caught up in the drama. The severity of Foreman's injury wasn't known until after the bout. But, a minute and 45 seconds into the 8th round, Foreman's then-cornerman Joe Grier threw in the towel knowing the injury had compromised his man. Mercante refused to accept Grier's suggestion to halt the fight and it continued until Foreman was put down by a body shot in the 9th.
Dr. Margaret Goodman believes the fight should have been stopped much earlier. In an article published on The Ring's site, Goodman writes, "Can a boxer compete with one hand? Yes, if he can mount an offense and/or move away from punches. A one-legged fighter is a disaster waiting to happen, a sitting duck, especially against a puncher like Cotto."
On why he continued to fight, Foreman told Tim Keown of ESPN The Magazine, "It was the fight of a lifetime... When you're on the biggest stage, you keep going until you can't go anymore. It's the referee's job to draw the line."
And that is precisely the point. The fighter has been conditioned to keep fighting. Someone else must step in and stop it. When Alexander Frenkel landed a gruesomely perfect left hook on the chin of Enzo Maccarinelli in the 7th round of their bout last September 18, Maccarinelli's head bounced around as he fell to the canvas. His noggin finally rested on the bottom rope.
Maccarinelli instinctively staggered to his feet. But it was clear that he was unable to protect himself. The referee, Erkki Meronen, had a split second to decide whether to stop the fight or to allow the European champion, Maccarinelli, to attempt to keep his title. He allowed the two combatants to continue. A quick one-two combination put down the woozy Maccarinelli. The fight was then stopped and Maccarinelli was administered oxygen.
Foreman and Maccarinelli were thankfully able to recover in the short term, and their careers will continue, but Emily Klinefelter wasn't as lucky. After her bout with Christina Ruiz on February 5, Klinefelter wound up in the hospital with a burst blood vessel in her brain. She had been knocked down repeatedly, but kept managing to return to her feet. Ruiz's manager, Emilio Ledezma, later said, "The girl was taking a beating. The ref should’ve stopped the fight [earlier]." Of Klinefelter, Ruiz noted, "Her eyes were kind of rolling back, and I thought they were going to stop the fight, but they didn’t."
After the final knockdown, in the 3rd round, Klinefelter was laid out, unresponsive. The fight finally stopped when referee Gilbert Richardson counted to ten. It's easy to criticize Richardson for failing to stop the bout earlier knowing Klinefelter's eventual fate. But Klinefelter, a decorated amateur and undefeated professional fighting in her hometown, kept rising to her feet. And her corner didn't intervene, either. Yet, one wonders if there is any justification for Richardson to count all the way to ten before calling off the contest.
Of course, the failure of officials to stop fights earlier is not limited to bouts that involve Jewish fighters. Instead, that three such bouts have taken place within this rather small sample size is an indication of a problem. There is little more exciting in boxing than watching a fallen fighter get back up and triumph. But this excitement cannot happen at the expense of the health of the boxer. This is a problem that is not unique to any single commission or country. It is pervasive. And it must be rectified. When in doubt, referees must be taught to stop the fight. A controversial early stoppage is always better than a controversial late one.
It is easy to second guess boxing referees who have to make split second decisions during the heat of battle. It is a difficult job and referees can be forgiven for missing certain calls. But a referee cannot miss when it comes to a fighter's safety. Above all else, that is the referee's primary responsibility.
On June 5, Foreman defended his WBA junior middleweight belt against Miguel Cotto in Yankee Stadium. The bout was competitive until Foreman tore his ACL 45 seconds into the 7th round as he bounced around the ring. As Foreman continued to fight, hobbled, he fell again with 1:38 left in the round. HBO commentator Jim Lampley exclaimed, "He's done! There's no way he can continue in the fight at this point." Mercante disagreed.
In the heat of the moment, perhaps it was natural to get caught up in the drama. The severity of Foreman's injury wasn't known until after the bout. But, a minute and 45 seconds into the 8th round, Foreman's then-cornerman Joe Grier threw in the towel knowing the injury had compromised his man. Mercante refused to accept Grier's suggestion to halt the fight and it continued until Foreman was put down by a body shot in the 9th.
Dr. Margaret Goodman believes the fight should have been stopped much earlier. In an article published on The Ring's site, Goodman writes, "Can a boxer compete with one hand? Yes, if he can mount an offense and/or move away from punches. A one-legged fighter is a disaster waiting to happen, a sitting duck, especially against a puncher like Cotto."
On why he continued to fight, Foreman told Tim Keown of ESPN The Magazine, "It was the fight of a lifetime... When you're on the biggest stage, you keep going until you can't go anymore. It's the referee's job to draw the line."
And that is precisely the point. The fighter has been conditioned to keep fighting. Someone else must step in and stop it. When Alexander Frenkel landed a gruesomely perfect left hook on the chin of Enzo Maccarinelli in the 7th round of their bout last September 18, Maccarinelli's head bounced around as he fell to the canvas. His noggin finally rested on the bottom rope.
Maccarinelli instinctively staggered to his feet. But it was clear that he was unable to protect himself. The referee, Erkki Meronen, had a split second to decide whether to stop the fight or to allow the European champion, Maccarinelli, to attempt to keep his title. He allowed the two combatants to continue. A quick one-two combination put down the woozy Maccarinelli. The fight was then stopped and Maccarinelli was administered oxygen.
Foreman and Maccarinelli were thankfully able to recover in the short term, and their careers will continue, but Emily Klinefelter wasn't as lucky. After her bout with Christina Ruiz on February 5, Klinefelter wound up in the hospital with a burst blood vessel in her brain. She had been knocked down repeatedly, but kept managing to return to her feet. Ruiz's manager, Emilio Ledezma, later said, "The girl was taking a beating. The ref should’ve stopped the fight [earlier]." Of Klinefelter, Ruiz noted, "Her eyes were kind of rolling back, and I thought they were going to stop the fight, but they didn’t."
After the final knockdown, in the 3rd round, Klinefelter was laid out, unresponsive. The fight finally stopped when referee Gilbert Richardson counted to ten. It's easy to criticize Richardson for failing to stop the bout earlier knowing Klinefelter's eventual fate. But Klinefelter, a decorated amateur and undefeated professional fighting in her hometown, kept rising to her feet. And her corner didn't intervene, either. Yet, one wonders if there is any justification for Richardson to count all the way to ten before calling off the contest.
Of course, the failure of officials to stop fights earlier is not limited to bouts that involve Jewish fighters. Instead, that three such bouts have taken place within this rather small sample size is an indication of a problem. There is little more exciting in boxing than watching a fallen fighter get back up and triumph. But this excitement cannot happen at the expense of the health of the boxer. This is a problem that is not unique to any single commission or country. It is pervasive. And it must be rectified. When in doubt, referees must be taught to stop the fight. A controversial early stoppage is always better than a controversial late one.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Emily Klinefelter Recovering
Emily Klinefelter's specific injury was a burst blood vessel in her brain which she suffered this past Saturday in her fight against Christina Ruiz, which was stopped after Klinefelter was counted out in the third round.
According to Jon Frank of The Iowan Daily, Klinefelter's mother reports that Emily is "95-97%." Her mother writes in an email, "Emily is doing wonderfully well and is continuing to improve each day. The doctors’ prognosis for a full recovery remains in effect."
John Whisler reports that a concerned Ruiz was "ecstatic" to learn of Klinefelter's improvement.
According to Jon Frank of The Iowan Daily, Klinefelter's mother reports that Emily is "95-97%." Her mother writes in an email, "Emily is doing wonderfully well and is continuing to improve each day. The doctors’ prognosis for a full recovery remains in effect."
John Whisler reports that a concerned Ruiz was "ecstatic" to learn of Klinefelter's improvement.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Emily Klinefelter Suffered Cranial Bleeding and Swelling
Emily Klinefelter left Saturday night's fight in Johnson City, Iowa against Christina Ruiz in an ambulance. According to Ryan Suchomel of press-citizen.com, Emilio Ledezma- Ruiz's manager- said that Klinefelter woke up after surgery Sunday. Ledezma noted that Klinefelter had suffered from cranial bleeding and swelling.
Klinefelter and Ruiz engaged in a highly intense bout. Klinefelter was knocked down in the second round. Ruiz told Jon Frank of The Daily Iowan, “Her eyes were kind of rolling back, and I thought they were going to stop the fight, but they didn’t."
Klinefelter was felled again in the third round. Jon Frank writes, "Cheers from the crowd quickly silenced after the Iowa City native did not answer the referee’s 10 count... Unresponsive to wake-up calls, fanning, and shaking, she breathed steadily, her eyes shut. Convulsions sporadically shot through her body as she remained flat on her back."
Frank's article has video of the fight. The video does not include the knockdowns or the scene after the fight except for a short clip of the ambulance ride.
According to Frank and a FightNews.com article, which has pictures from the contest including a shot of Klinefelter stretched out afterwards, the referee counted all the way to 10 before stopping the fight. Ledezma told Suchomel, "The girl was taking a beating. The ref should’ve stopped the fight [earlier]."
Suchomel writes that Klinefelter's mother stated in an email, "Emily remains hospitalized and is doing quite well. The doctors feel that there is an excellent probability of full recovery."
Adam Pollack- Klinefelter's husband and promoter- said in a statement, "The doctors feel that there is a high probability of a strong recovery. She is speaking and is cogent and responsive, though in and out of sleep as they monitor her. Things are looking up, but the optimism is naturally guarded for the first 72 hours, which is the most critical time."
Thoughts and prayers go out to Emily Klinefelter and her family.
Klinefelter and Ruiz engaged in a highly intense bout. Klinefelter was knocked down in the second round. Ruiz told Jon Frank of The Daily Iowan, “Her eyes were kind of rolling back, and I thought they were going to stop the fight, but they didn’t."
Klinefelter was felled again in the third round. Jon Frank writes, "Cheers from the crowd quickly silenced after the Iowa City native did not answer the referee’s 10 count... Unresponsive to wake-up calls, fanning, and shaking, she breathed steadily, her eyes shut. Convulsions sporadically shot through her body as she remained flat on her back."
Frank's article has video of the fight. The video does not include the knockdowns or the scene after the fight except for a short clip of the ambulance ride.
According to Frank and a FightNews.com article, which has pictures from the contest including a shot of Klinefelter stretched out afterwards, the referee counted all the way to 10 before stopping the fight. Ledezma told Suchomel, "The girl was taking a beating. The ref should’ve stopped the fight [earlier]."
Suchomel writes that Klinefelter's mother stated in an email, "Emily remains hospitalized and is doing quite well. The doctors feel that there is an excellent probability of full recovery."
Adam Pollack- Klinefelter's husband and promoter- said in a statement, "The doctors feel that there is a high probability of a strong recovery. She is speaking and is cogent and responsive, though in and out of sleep as they monitor her. Things are looking up, but the optimism is naturally guarded for the first 72 hours, which is the most critical time."
Thoughts and prayers go out to Emily Klinefelter and her family.
Monday, February 7, 2011
The Enforcer Stopped
Emily "The Enforcer" Klinefelter suffered her first career loss at the hands of Christina Ruiz this past Saturday in the Johnson City Fairgrounds in Johnson City, Iowa. Klinefelter, who will turn 27 next month, was knocked out in the third round. She was reportedly taken to the hospital after the fight.
Klinefelter's record falls to 9-1 with 3 KOs while Ruiz's improved to 6-3-1 with 4 KOs.
Klinefelter's record falls to 9-1 with 3 KOs while Ruiz's improved to 6-3-1 with 4 KOs.
Friday, December 24, 2010
An All-Encompassing Update
Oz Goldenburg lost a lopsided decision in a four round bout against Ideh Ockuko last month. For the bout, which took place at Coram's Field in London, England, Goldenburg weighed in at 134 pounds while his opponent tipped the scales at 143 pounds. The fight was part of a charity event for the Habad Children Aid Society and, according to promoter Robert Waterman, Goldenburg "would have been well within his rights to pull out (due to the weight difference), but he didn't want to let a community charity down." Goldenburg is now 2-1; Ockuko is now also 2-1.
Junior middleweight Boyd Melson is scheduled to fight next on April 2, 2011 at the Aviator Sports Complex in Brooklyn, New York. Melson's only professional fight took place at the same venue, a precarious victory that saw him knocked down in the first round and come back to win the four round fight on points.
Hagar Finer (22-7-3, 6 KOs) is expected to be back in action on January 22, 2011 at Palais des sports Marcel-Cerdan in Levallois-Perret, France. She will be defending her WIBF bantamweight title against Nadege Szikora (10-1, 4 KOs).
The Klinefelter sisters are scheduled to return to the ring in their familiar stomping grounds of Johnson City, Iowa on February 5, 2011. Emily Klinefelter (9-0, 3 KOs) is penciled in to take on Christina Ruiz (5-3-1, 3 KOs). Katy Klinefelter (7-0, 4 KOs) is also scheduled to fight that night, but does not yet have an opponent.
Junior middleweight Boyd Melson is scheduled to fight next on April 2, 2011 at the Aviator Sports Complex in Brooklyn, New York. Melson's only professional fight took place at the same venue, a precarious victory that saw him knocked down in the first round and come back to win the four round fight on points.
Hagar Finer (22-7-3, 6 KOs) is expected to be back in action on January 22, 2011 at Palais des sports Marcel-Cerdan in Levallois-Perret, France. She will be defending her WIBF bantamweight title against Nadege Szikora (10-1, 4 KOs).
The Klinefelter sisters are scheduled to return to the ring in their familiar stomping grounds of Johnson City, Iowa on February 5, 2011. Emily Klinefelter (9-0, 3 KOs) is penciled in to take on Christina Ruiz (5-3-1, 3 KOs). Katy Klinefelter (7-0, 4 KOs) is also scheduled to fight that night, but does not yet have an opponent.
Monday, November 15, 2010
The Klinefelter Sisters Win
Both Klinefelter sisters fought and won at the Johnson County Fairgrounds in Iowa City, Iowa this past Saturday. Emily won a dominant unanimous decision over Lakeysha Williams (9-16-3, one KO) with scores of 60-55, 60-54, and 60-53. Emily's record improves to 9-0 with three KOs.
Katy knocked out Jessica Williams, who was making her debut, at 2:08 of the first round. Katy's record advances to 7-0 with four knockouts.
Katy knocked out Jessica Williams, who was making her debut, at 2:08 of the first round. Katy's record advances to 7-0 with four knockouts.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Women's Boxing Update
Women's IBF bantamweight champion Hagar Finer (21-7-3, 6 KOs) is scheduled to fight next on October 30, 2010 at Casino Rama in Rama, Canada. Finer has defended her belt twice this year, last beating Agnese Boza by 5th round knockout last April.
Fresh off her win last month, Emily Klinefelter (8-0, 3 KOs) is scheduled to jump into the ring on November 13, 2010 at the Johnson County Fairgrounds, the sight of her last three triumphs, in her hometown of Iowa City, Iowa. Klinefelter knocked out Savanna Hill inside of one round on August 27, the first win of her career against an opponent with a winning record.
Fresh off her win last month, Emily Klinefelter (8-0, 3 KOs) is scheduled to jump into the ring on November 13, 2010 at the Johnson County Fairgrounds, the sight of her last three triumphs, in her hometown of Iowa City, Iowa. Klinefelter knocked out Savanna Hill inside of one round on August 27, the first win of her career against an opponent with a winning record.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Klinefelter Sisters Win
The older sister, Emily Klinefelter, knocked out Savanna Hill (6-6) last night in one round at the Johnson County Fairgrounds in Iowa City, Iowa. The elder Klinefelter progressed to 8-0 and earned her third professional KO.
The younger sister, Katy, defeated a familiar Klinefelter foe, Kerri Hill (2-16), by way of a six-round unanimous decision. Kerri Hill faired a similar fate against Emily last May. The more youthful Klinefelter, Katy, rose to 6-0 with three knockouts.
The younger sister, Katy, defeated a familiar Klinefelter foe, Kerri Hill (2-16), by way of a six-round unanimous decision. Kerri Hill faired a similar fate against Emily last May. The more youthful Klinefelter, Katy, rose to 6-0 with three knockouts.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Klinefelters to Fight at End of August
Both Klinefelter sisters are scheduled to fight at the Johnson County Fairgrounds in Iowa City, Iowa on Friday August 27, 2010 in six round bouts. Emily, 26, is an undefeated featherweight with 7 wins in as many tries. Katy, 22, has won each of her five professional fights.
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