DENVER: A women boxer died as a result of injuries she sustained in a Golden Gloves competition here Sunday.
Becky Zerlentes, 34, of Fort Collins, a college teacher by profession and who had won a regional boxing title three years ago, died of severe head injuries, the first woman to die in a sanctioned bout. The detailed results from an autopsy were not immediately available.
Zerlentes was fighting Heather Schmitz, and despite wearing protective headgear, she fell unconscious after a heavy punch during the third round of the bout on late Saturday.
Denver police said the case will be investigated as routine measure.
"She was aggressive and just went after it," said Jeanne DePriest, manager of Hard Knocks, her team. "She always went in to win."
Women's boxing was banned in the U.S. until 1993. It gained popularity over a period of time, climaxing in the recent success of the legendary Muhammad Ali's daughter, Laila, and the film, Million Dollar Baby, which won Oscar awards. The death is reminiscent of the final scenes in the movie, where Hilary Swank’s character, Maggie, is paralyzed in a fight and dies after pleading with her trainer, played by Clint Eastwood, to switch off her life support.
Nearly 2,200 female boxers in the age group of 8-34 are understood to have registered with USA Boxing.
Zerlentes, had black and brown belts in several martial arts forms and she had taken a break from boxing until recently. She was married and had a doctorate in geography. She taught at Front Range Community College in Fort Collins.
Another instance of death on the ring was that of 30-year-old Florida mother, Stacy Young, in June 2004. She was beaten into a coma during a "Toughman" boxing competition and died later.
