Cathy Davis

Last updated
Cathy Davis
Born
Cathrine Davis

1952 (age 7172)
Winnfield, Louisiana, United States
Other namesCat
Statistics
Weight(s) Lightweight
Height5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Stance Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights13
Wins12
Wins by KO12
Losses0
No contests1

Cathy Davis (born c. 1952) is an American former professional boxer who competed between 1976 and 1981. [1] [2] Some of her fights were fixed. [3] [4]

Contents

Career

Davis sued the New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC) in 1977 because she was denied a boxing license because she was a woman, and the case was decided in her favor later that year, with the judge invalidating New York State rule number 205.15, which stated, “No woman may be licensed as a boxer or second or licensed to compete in any wrestling exhibition with men.” [5] [6] In his opinion the judge cited the precedent set by Garrett v. New York State Athletic Commission (1975), which “found the regulation invalid under the equal protection clauses of the State and Federal Constitutions”. The NYSAC filed an appeal of the ruling, but later dropped it. [7]

In August 1978 Davis became the first, and, until Ronda Rousey in January 2016, the only woman to be on the cover of The Ring . [8] [9]

On September 19, 1978, Davis received the NYSAC’s first boxing license given to a female boxer. [10]

Cat Davis did not only fight in New York. She fought between 1976 and 1981, [1] [2] in various areas of the country, including Nevada, California, and much of the Northwest. She became popular throughout the country by often fighting on television. [11]

It was eventually revealed that some of her fights had been fixed. [3] [4]

Partial boxing record

Officially, her first fight occurred on November 11, 1977, when she knocked out Margie Dunson in the first round, in North Carolina. On June 7, 1978, she and Ernestine Jones fought to a no contest in a bout that was scheduled for four rounds. [11] [12] On July 2, 1979, she knocked out Uschi Doering in the Exposition Building, in Portland, Maine, in 6 rounds. [13] [14]

Professional boxing record

13 fights12 wins0 losses
By knockout120
No contests1
No.ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes
14
13
12Win
11WinLavonne Ludianko1981-04-10Poughkeepsie, New York,
10WinUschi DoeringKO1979-07-02Exposition Building, Portland, Maine
9WinMona Hayesko1978-07-14Allentown, Pennsylvania
8NCErnestine Jones1978-06-07Atlanta, GeorgiaOriginally a TKO victory for Cathy Davis, it got overturned to a No Contest
7WinMargie Dunsonko1977-11-11County Arena, Cumberland, North Carolina
6WinMargie Dunsonko1977-03-23Wagner Ballroom, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
5WinMargie Dunsonko1977-02-03Allentown, Pennsylvania
4Win4-0Margie Dunsonko1976-11-25
3Win3-0Patty Pattersonko1976-08-03Arena, North Providence, Rhode Island
2Win2-0Nickie Hansenko1976-06-29Seattle Center Arena, Seattle, Washington
1Win1-0Bobbi ShaneKO1976-05-20Portland, Maine, United States

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References

  1. 1 2 "Sports World Specials". The New York Times . 29 January 1979. Retrieved 2016-06-19.
  2. 1 2 Feinstein, John (1978-02-05). "Woman Boxer Proves Hype to Gate As Sport Returns to N. Carolina". The Washington Post . Retrieved 2016-06-14.
  3. 1 2 Lowe, Jaime (15 August 2016). "Women Have Been Boxing in the Shadows for Too Long". The New York Times. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
  4. 1 2 Stratton, William Kip (2009). "Chapter five". Boxing Shadows. University of Texas Press. p. 82. ISBN   978-0292721296 . Retrieved July 20, 2013.
  5. Smith, Malissa (June 5, 2014). A History of Women's Boxing. Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 168, 169. ISBN   9781442229952 via Google Books.
  6. "People in Sports". The New York Times. January 22, 1975.
  7. "Garrett v. New York State Athletic Commission, 82 Misc. 2d 524 (1975)". Havard Law School . July 10, 2022.
  8. Algieri, Sal (August 1978). "Cat Davis, Women Boxer, Could be Start of New Breed". The Ring . pp. 6–7 (42).
  9. Written by: L.A. Jennings. "The Women Boxers Who Fought for Their Right to Be Pro | FIGHTLAND". Fightland.vice.com. Retrieved 2016-06-14.
  10. Smith, Malissa (June 5, 2014). A History of Women's Boxing. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 169. ISBN   9781442229952 via Google Books.
  11. 1 2 Kates, Brian (2003-06-24). "PRETTIER THAN MEN Cat Davis vs. Floyd Patterson Chapter 104". The New York Daily News . Retrieved 2016-06-14.
  12. "Jet - Google ブックス". Johnson Publishing Company. 29 June 1978. Retrieved 2016-06-14.
  13. "Cat Davis Stops German for Women's Boxing Title". Los Angeles Times . 3 July 1979. p. D2.
  14. Tax, Jeremiah (1979-07-23). "Scorecard". Si.com. Retrieved 2016-06-19.


Bibliography