Ann grew up poor and "everyone picked on us and taunted us every single day." She learned "you got to be able to protect yourself." She became an aggressive fighter often taking on older and bigger kids, boys and girls alike.
She moved to Austin at age 23, lost her mom and dad, and was homeless with two young daughters. Living on the street, she found she had to be able to fight to keep from getting walked over. The street fighting skills she gained in her youth served her well on the streets of Austin. People quickly learned they better not mess with her.
One day she was in a hospital waiting room and saw a television program about women boxing professionally. She could be paid for fighting!
She searched Austin for a coach and found Pops Billingsley who took her on. Pops was doing lots of great work helping kids get their acts together through boxing. He had never worked with a woman fighter before but was happy to help Ann. Under his guidance she became the professional women's boxing's number two ranked fighter in the world. She was ranked behind only Laila Ali, Muhammad Ali's daughter. And Ann would have displaced Ali as number one if Ali had only agreed to fight her. But that fight never happened.
One of Ann's fights is viewable on Youtube. In this dramatic clip, she shocked heavily favored Vonda Ward with a knockout in the first round.
In her career, Ann won something like seven different titles but was finally denied a title bout with Ali. She has been featured in many publications, including an Esquire Magazine article and recently in an HBO special. Her complete story is published at her website - Anne Wolfe's Gym.
Ann played football briefly for the Austin Rage. When the Rage folded, several of the players moved to the Outlaws. Although Ann didn't join the Outlaws, she has been a help to the team through her gym. Many of the Outlaws have worked out with her, building strength and quickness to improve their football.
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| Lily Messina poses with Ann Wolfe before a serious workout |
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| Alexis Allen works out on Ann's Big bag, building strength for football |
1 comment:
Wow. I know a lot of men who would kill for shoulders like those. Are her children as strong as she?
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