Isra Girgrah

Isra Girgrah (born September 16, 1971 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates), is a world champion female boxer. Girgrah, whose world boxing identification number is MD040035, is an American citizen, although the "MD" in her identification number stands for Middle East.

Related Topics:
September 16 - 1971 - Dubai - United Arab Emirates - Female boxer - American - Citizen - Middle East

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Girgrah has become a symbol of the steady feminist movement happening in some of the traditionally male dominated Islamic countries. Although the United Arab Emirates became the first Middle Eastern country to host a world championship boxing fight in 1986, women's boxing remains banned overthere, which is one of the reasons that Girgrah moved to the United States, settling in Hyattsville, Maryland.

Related Topics:
Feminist - Male - Islam - Boxing - 1986 - Women's boxing - Hyattsville, Maryland

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Her professional boxing debut came on February 14, 1995, in Louisiana, when she lost to future world champion Deirdre Gogarty by a knockout in three rounds. On November 2, she acquired her first victory, a six round decision win, over Melinda Robinson, another future world champion, in Austin, Texas.

Related Topics:
February 14 - 1995 - Louisiana - Deirdre Gogarty - November 2 - Melinda Robinson - Austin, Texas

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

On January 19, 1996, Girgrah recorded her first knockout win, beating Amy Sherrald in the first round at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her wins over Robinson and Sherrald were the beginning of a six fight winning streak, which included another victory over Robinson, with a six round unanimous decision on February 22, 1996 in Corpus Christi, Texas.

Related Topics:
January 19 - 1996 - Knockout - Amy Sherrald - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - February 22 - Corpus Christi, Texas

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The streak came to a halt when she faced Andrea DeShong, on October 6 of the same year. She and DeShong fought to a four round draw (tie) in Washington, D.C.. After that, Girgrah knocked out Norma Mosley in the second round fifteen days later, to begin a three fight winning streak that also included wins over Bethany Payne and in a rematch against Tennile Davis.

Related Topics:
Andrea DeShong - October 6 - Washington, D.C. - Norma Mosley - Bethany Payne - Tennile Davis

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Girgrah then faced Christy Martin on a pay per view televised match that formed part of an undercard that included the Trinidad-Waters and Lopez-Sanchez bouts. Girgrah lost to Martin on points over eight rounds, but her name's stock rose in defeat, as most boxing magazine writers agreed that she performed well against the defending WBC women's world champion.

Related Topics:
Christy Martin - Pay per view - Televised - Trinidad - Waters - Lopez - Sanchez - WBC

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

On April 11, 1998, she rebounded from defeat in her first world title try, by knocking out Andrea Buchanan in three rounds at Columbia, South Carolina. Next came a rematch with Bethany Payne, whom Girgrah beat by a knockout in seven rounds on November 20, at Stone Mountain, Georgia.

Related Topics:
April 11 - 1998 - Andrea Buchanan - Columbia, South Carolina - November 20 - Stone Mountain, Georgia

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

After one more victory, she was beaten on October 23, 1999 by Marischa Sjauw by a four round decision. This fight marked Girgrah's Las Vegas debut.

Related Topics:
October 23 - 1999 - Marischa Sjauw - Las Vegas

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

On February 16, 2000, she faced the well known Britt Van Buskirk in Miami, being held to a draw after four rounds.

Related Topics:
February 16 - 2000 - Britt Van Buskirk - Miami

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Girgrah fought Melinda Robinson for the third time on July 12 at Woodlawn, Maryland. Girgrah obtained her third consecutive win over her nemesis with a six round unanimous decision. On September 16, she beat Susan Mullet by a unanimous six round decision in Atlantic City, New Jersey. After one more win, Girgrah received her second world championship opportunity.

Related Topics:
July 12 - Woodlawn, Maryland - September 16 - Susan Mullet - Atlantic City, New Jersey

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

On January 12, 2001, she and Mullet were rematched, with the UBA's vacant world Lightweight championship on the line. Girgrah became the first Middle Eastern woman to be a world champion in boxing history when she knocked out Mullet in the fourth round, in a fight that was, once again, held in Atlantic City.

Related Topics:
January 12 - 2001

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

After a fourth win over Robinson, she met Snodene Blackeney on June 1, at Atlantic City, to unify her UBA title with the WIBF world championship. Girgrah added the WIBF's belt with a ten round unanimous decision over Blackeney.

Related Topics:
Snodene Blackeney - June 1 - WIBF

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Girgrah won her next three bouts, but she did not expose the WIBF title in any of those fights, reason why she was stripped of the WIBF championship. She won all three of those non-title bouts, which included a February 28, 2002 ten round decision victory over Tracy Byrd in Baltimore. After those three wins, however, she was given an opportunity to regain her WIBF championship.

Related Topics:
February 28 - 2002 - Tracy Byrd - Baltimore

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Fighting for the vacant championship that she had vacated herself, Girgrah met Michele Nielsen on August 24, with Girgrah recovering the title by a ten round decision win, once again, in Atlantic City.

Related Topics:
Michele Nielsen - August 24

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

She followed this win with a series of non-title bouts, which led to her being stripped again, this time of the UBA and the WIBF belts. But among the fighters she beat were Mexico's Laura Serrano, decisioned over eight rounds on April 18, 2003 in Lemoore, California, and Puerto Rico's Melissa Del Valle, outpointed over eight rounds on September 6 of that same year in Washington, D.C.

Related Topics:
Mexico - Laura Serrano - April 18 - 2003 - Lemoore, California - Puerto Rico - Melissa Del Valle - September 6

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

After the win against Del Valle, Girgrah fought Jo Wyman on December 13, for the IFBA's vacant world Jr. Lightweight title. Contrary to common boxing practice, Girgrah won her second division world championship by going down in weight, when she outpointed Wyman over 10 rounds in Washington.

Related Topics:
Jo Wyman - December 13

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

On March 27, 2004, she had her fourth fight with Carla Witherspoon, defeating Witherspoon by a six round unanimos decision in Washington. Girgrah also has four victories without a loss against Witherspoon. The March 27 bout has been Girgrah's last fight to date.

Related Topics:
March 27 - 2004 - Carla Witherspoon

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Isra Girgrah has a record of 28 wins, 3 losses and 2 draws in 33 bouts as a professional boxer, with 11 wins by knockout.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~