MightyGloves.com

Big Surprises Come In Small Packages

posted by Kathleen Holland on May 20, 2008, in Punch Lines By Judi Abate

By Judi Abate
Boxing Diva

Carina " La Reina" Moreno (17-1) 5KOs is the current WBC minimum weight champion. She is small, compact, and an incredible fighting machine. Not necessarily does bigger mean better and Carina is just the fighter to prove this fact. On June 13th she will be taking on EIleen Olszewski ( 5-0) for the IFBA light flyweight title. This will definitely be an exciting bout for the fans and the media as well.

Carina wears many hats during her very busy days and nights. She is a college student, works in the family restaurant and still finds time to train for her upcoming fight. Carina is able to balance all of these activities with a big dose of strict and professional time management.

While interviewing Carina for Mightygloves I extremely enjoyed her upbeat, easy-flowing nature as well as her wonderfully contagious laughter. It was a special treat to sit down and speak to Carina about the upcoming fight with Eileen and to learn more about this very interesting and busy boxer. (She had just returned from being inducted into her former high school's Hall Of Fame when I called her.) I told you she was busy. Let's talk to Carina Moreno:

JA Carina thank you for taking the time to speak with me.
Are you nervous or excited about your fight with Eileen?
CM Nervous a little and at the same time excited. This fight will be on PPV and that makes it very exciting for me.

JA How do you think the fight will go?
CM It will be a tough fight and I hope it will go my way. I've had more professional experience and Eileen has had more amateur experience so I think it evens out.

JA Why did you choose boxing?
CM My cousin was the person who introduced me to boxing as a way to defend myself. Then I went into kickboxing and from there I decided I wanted to box.

JA What is your families reaction to your boxing?
CM My Dad and brothers supported from the start. My Mom supported me but she was worried about me getting hurt. All Moms are like that.

JA What does your nickname " La Reina" mean?
CM The Queen.

JA How is training going?
CM It's going very well. I took a couple of days off because of a cold but I am fine now and ready to go.

JA How is your overall conditioning?
CM It's great. It is 100 percent. I have done a lot of roadwork.

JA Will this be your toughest fight to date?
CM I think so. Eileen and I use to spar with each other. It will be a very good fight.

JA Who is your role model?
CM My parents. They are very hard workers.

JA What makes you special?
CM I don't know. I'm very athletic. I like to play many sports and am good at them.

JA What is your boxing style?
CM A typical Mexican style fighter. A lot of pressure. Body punches. Come straight forward and some ducking and weaving. I love to go to the body.

JA What do you feel is your best punch?
CM Right hand and Left hook.

JA Who are some fighter's of today that you admire?
CM Vasquez, Pac Man, Morales, Mayweather, Calzaghe there are so many.

JA Who is your all-time favorite fighter?
CM Tommy Hearns and Roberto Duran

JA The best thing about being a boxer is ...
CM Going out and entertaining people. I like that boxing is an individual sport.

JA Would you ever fight a man?
CM Yes I would. If only in fun. My sparring partners are mostly men anyway.

JA What comes most natural to you in boxing?
CM The desire to box. Learning how to box the right way.

JA What is your best body part?
CM My heart. I care about people.

JA Are you a girly-girl?
CM Somewhere in between I would say.

JA How do you deal with being a woman in a male-dominated sport?
CM I have no problem with it at all. A lot of people told me in the beginning that boxing is for boys not girls but I felt that if a man could do it I can do it also.

JA How can women's boxing get more attention?
CM For the upcoming boxers to have more amateur experience and better skills. Women's boxing is coming along slowly but surely.

JA How if any of your training differs from the male fighters around you?
CM No, not at all. My training is the same. It is equal. Men are stronger by nature but I do equal training just the same as a man.

JA What is the biggest misconception of female boxers or female boxing?
CM You don't have to look tough to be tough.

JA Do you think boxing is violent?
CM No. It's a smart sport.

JA How do you relax?
CM I have 2 dogs and I enjoy taking them for walks on the beach. Spending time with friends. Going to the movies, photography and fishing.

JA What are you afraid of?
CM I don't know. I'm not afraid of anything. I don't like spiders.

JA What are 3 words to describe you?
CM Sweet, loving and caring.

JA Favorite food?
CM Pasta

JA Favorite color?
CM Red

Ja Favorite junk food?
CM Pizza

JA If you could be an animal...
Cm A tiger.

JA If you could have a superhero power what would it be?
CM Being able to fly.

JA You are considered the best P$P female fighter in the world. How does that make you feel?
CM It makes me feel great. It means a lot to me. All my hard work is paying off.

JA Besides a big pay day, why do you love to box?
CM To entertain people.

JA If you could have a do over it would be...
CM A rematch with Rodriquez

JA One last question Carina, how can we keep boxing strong?
CM Televise good female fights.

JA Any thoughts in closing?
CM June 13th on PPV will be one great female boxing card.

JA Thank you for the interview and Good Luck.
CM Thank you and it was an honor.

You can catch Carina "La Reina" Moreno LIVE on PPV when "Finally" brings the best of women's championship boxing to PPV live from the Isleta Resort Casino in Albuquerque on Friday, June 13, at 10 PM/ET-8 PM/MT. Produced and distributed by Integrated Sports, "Finally" will be available for live viewing on cable and satellite pay-per-view in the United States via iN Demand, TVN and DirecTV and in Canada, via Shaw Communications and StarChoice, for a suggested retail price of only $24.95. To see Carina fight in person, tickets, priced at $50, $100, $150, $200, $350 and $500.00, are available at the Isleta Casino and Resort box office, www.tickets.com or at Fresquez Productions, Inc., (508.884.7484). For more information visit www.fresquezproductions.com or www.holmvssanders.com. Doors open at 5:30 PM/MT, first bout 7:00 PM/MT, first televised bout 8:00 PM/MT.

A special Thank You to Amy Green and Rick Noble for making this interview possible.

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