Virginia Fuchs
{{Short description|American boxer (born 1988)}}
{{Infobox boxer
|name=Virginia Fuchs
|image=
|image_size=
|caption=
|realname=
|birth_date={{Birth date and age|1988|03|09|df=y}}
{{cite web|url=https://boxrec.com/en/box-pro/866528|title=Boxrec profile of Ginny Fuchs|publisher=Boxrec.com|access-date=2024-05-12}}
|birth_place=Houston, Texas, USA
|nickname=
|weight=Flyweight, Super-flyweight
|reach=
|style=Southpaw
|boxrec= 866528
|total=4
|wins=4
|KO=1
|losses=
|draws=
|no contests=
| medaltemplates=
{{MedalSport|Women's amateur boxing}}
{{MedalCountry|{{USA}}}}
{{MedalCompetition|World Championships}}
{{MedalBronze| 2018 New Delhi|Flyweight}}
{{MedalComp | Pan American Games }}
{{MedalSilver | 2019 Lima|Flyweight}}
}}
Virginia "Ginny" Fuchs (born March 9, 1988) is an American professional boxer who is the interim WBC female super-flyweight champion. As an amateur she represented her country at the delayed 2020 Summer Olympics as well as winning a bronze medal at the 2018 World Championships and a silver medal at the 2019 Pan American Games.
Early life and education
Fuchs was born in Houston, Texas. Fuchs became interested in sports at a young age and played soccer, softball, and basketball as a child. She attended Episcopal High School where she ran track and cross-country.{{Cite web|url=http://www.houstonchronicle.com/local/gray-matters/article/The-Olympic-dreams-of-Ginny-Fuchs-6192457.php|title=The Olympic dreams of Ginny Fuchs|date=11 April 2015|access-date=2016-08-05}}
Her athletic abilities earned her an invitation for walk-on spot on the track and cross-country team at Louisiana State University. Fuchs graduated from LSU in 2011 with a bachelor's degree in kinesiology.{{Cite web|url=http://www.girlslife.com/fitness/wellness/27204/learn-to-fight-like-a-girl-from-olympic-boxing-hopeful-ginny-fuchs|title=Learn to fight like a girl from Olympic boxing hopeful Ginny Fuchs - GirlsLife|website=www.girlslife.com|access-date=2016-08-05}}
Amateur boxing career
Fuchs first tried boxing during her sophomore year of college to stay in shape. After a coach took an interest in her, she dedicated her focus to boxing in 2008. She trained for a year before her first fight, which she won.
She began to compete at the state level and won three Louisiana state Golden Gloves, and later won a national Golden Gloves title in 2015. Fuchs was a finalist for the US National Tournament for 2013, 2014 and 2015.{{cite web|url=http://www.houstonchronicle.com/olympics/article/Ginny-Fuchs-takes-another-shot-at-Olympic-boxing-6587400.php|title=Ginny Fuchs takes another shot at Olympic boxing team|work=houstonchronicle.com|date=25 October 2015|access-date=5 August 2016}} {{cite web|url=http://www.ginnyfuchs.com/about/|title=About|work=ginnyfuchs.com|access-date=5 August 2016}}
When it was announced that women’s boxing would be added to the 2012 Summer Olympics, Fuchs tried for a spot on the USA Boxing team but future Olympic medalist Marlen Esparza received the only flyweight position. Fuchs finished fourth at the Olympic Test Event.
In October 2015, she defeated Esparza in the Olympic Test Event for the USA Boxing flyweight spot for the 2016 Summer Olympics. Fuchs has also defeated Olympic medalist and five-time world champion, Mary Kom of India. Fuchs won gold at the Olympic Trials Test Event.{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/espnw/news-commentary/story/_/id/14021499/marlen-esparza-eliminated-olympic-contention-loss-virginia-fuchs|title=Marlen Esparza Eliminated From Olympic Contention With Loss To Virginia Fuchs|date=November 2015|access-date=2016-08-05}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.chron.com/olympics/article/Ginny-Fuchs-looks-to-qualify-for-the-Olympic-Games-6889881.php|title=Ginny Fuchs looks to qualify for the Olympic Games|date=15 March 2016|access-date=2016-08-05}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.chron.com/sports/article/Houston-fighter-Ginny-Fuchs-wins-gold-at-6680334.php|title=Houston fighter Ginny Fuchs wins gold at tournament in Rio|date=7 December 2015|access-date=2016-08-05}}
Fuchs was 1st in the 2016 USA Boxing Nationals defeating Esparza for the third straight time with a unanimous 5-0 decision. She won bronze at the 2018 AIBA world championship in India.{{r|AP-OCD}}
In 2020, Fuchs tested positive for a banned substance, but was ruled not at fault due to contamination via unprotected sexual intercourse.{{Cite web|url=https://www.perthnow.com.au/sport/boxing/us-boxer-virginia-ginny-fuchs-olympic-dream-alive-after-potential-doping-violation-found-to-be-result-of-unprotected-sex-ng-b881576081z|title = Sex excuse clears boxer of doping|date = 12 June 2020}}
Fuchs qualified for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, held in 2021, where she was defeated in the round of 16 by Bulgarian boxer Stoyka Krasteva.{{Cite web|last=Ponder|first=Erica|date=2021-07-29|title=Houston native Ginny Fuchs falls to Bulgarian boxer in Olympic matchup|url=https://www.click2houston.com/sports/local/2021/07/29/houston-native-ginny-fuchs-falls-to-bulgarian-boxer-in-olympic-matchup/|access-date=2021-07-31|website=KPRC|language=en}}
Professional boxing career
Fuchs announced she was joining the professional boxing ranks in December 2021.{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.co.uk/boxing/story/_/id/32780275/us-olympic-women-boxing-team-captain-ginny-fuchs-turn-pro|title=US Olympic women's boxing team captain Ginny Fuchs turns pro|publisher=ESPN|access-date=2024-05-12}} She made her pro-debut with a fourth-round knockout win over Randee Lynn Morales on 9 April 2022 at The Hangar, Costa Mesa, California, on the undercard of her friend Mikaela Mayer's unified super-featherweight title defence against Jennifer Han.{{cite web|url=https://www.maxboxing.com/news/sub-lead/mikaela-mayer-defeats-jennifer-han-in-ibfwbo-130-pound-defense|title=Mikaela Mayer defeats Jennifer Han in IBF/WBO, 130-pound defense|publisher=maxboxing.com|access-date=2024-05-12}}
Her second outing as a professional was at The O2 Arena in London, England, on an all-female card topped by the Claressa Shields vs Savannah Marshall unified middleweight title showdown on 15 October 2022. Fuchs defeated Gemma Ruegg on points over six rounds.{{cite web|url=https://www.boxingscene.com/ginny-fuchs-april-hunter-shannon-ryan-get-wins-on-shields-marshall-card--169736|title=Ginny Fuchs, April Hunter, Shannon Ryan Get Wins on Shields-Marshall Card|publisher=Boxing Scene|access-date=2024-05-12}}
Fuchs next contest was at Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana, on 17 June 2023 when she overcame a cut above her left eye from an accidental clash of heads in the third round to beat Indeya Smith by unanimous decision in an eight-round battle.{{cite web|url=https://www.boxingscene.com/ginny-fuchs-outpoints-indeya-rodriguez-over-eight-rounds-on-prograis-zorrilla-undercard--175476|title=Ginny Fuchs Outpoints Indeya Rodriguez Over Eight Rounds On Prograis-Zorrilla Undercard|publisher=Boxing Scene|access-date=2024-05-12}}
In February 2024, Fuchs revealed she had agreed to join the second season of boxing's first squad-based format, Team Combat League (TCL), competing for the Houston Hitmen.{{cite web|url=https://fightpost.co.uk/2024/02/27/ginny-fuchs-life-happens-it-doesnt-always-go-the-way-you-planned-so-im-just-trying-to-figure-it-out-make-the-best-of-it-and-hopefully-get-to-where-i-want-to-be/|title=Ginny Fuchs: "Life happens, it doesn't always go the way you planned, so I'm just trying to figure it out, make the best of it, and hopefully, get to where I want to be."|publisher=fightpost.co.uk|access-date=2024-05-12}} She made her first TCL appearance at Red Owl Boxing Arena, Houston, Texas, on 18 April 2024 winning both her rounds against Tiana Schroeder by unanimous decision.{{cite web|url=
https://boxrec.com/en/event/893940|title=Team Combat League event Thursday 18, April 2024|publisher=Boxrec.com|access-date=2024-05-12}}
Fuchs challenged Adelaida Ruiz for the interim WBC female super-flyweight title at Dignity Health Sports Park, Carson, California, on 31 August 2024, winning the fight by split decision with one judge scoring it 97-93 for Ruiz but the other two having it for Fuchs 97-93 and 100-90 respectively.{{cite web|url=https://www.ringtv.com/712118-ginny-fuchs-fights-through-compound-fracture-outpoints-adelaida-ruiz-on-pacheco-sulecki-undercard/|title=Ginny Fuchs Fights Through Compound Fracture, Outpoints Adelaida Ruiz On Pacheco-Sulecki Undercard|publisher=The Ring|accessdate=1 September 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://www.dazn.com/en-GB/news/boxing/ginny-fuchs-won-the-wbc-interim-super-flyweight-title-with-this-gruesome-injury/15fg21qgur3de14lpdgqkbvdkd|title=Ginny Fuchs won the WBC interim super flyweight title with this gruesome injury|publisher=DAZN|accessdate=1 September 2024}} She got the win despite suffering an open dislocation of her right thumb in the first round.{{cite web|url=https://www.boxingscene.com/ginny-fuchs-overcomes-adversity-win-junior-bantamweight-title-just-her-fourth-fight--185806|title=Ginny Fuchs overcomes adversity to win a junior bantamweight title in just her fourth fight|publisher=Boxing Scene|accessdate=8 September 2024}}
Fuchs was named Female Fighter of the Year at the 2024 Houston Boxing Awards.{{cite web|url=https://www.boxingscene.com/oshaquie-foster-leads-the-way-in-houston-boxing-awards--201184|title=O’Shaquie Foster leads the way in Houston Boxing Awards|publisher=Boxing Scene|accessdate=11 January 2025}}
Personal life
Fuchs is an advocate for mental health awareness and was diagnosed with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) at a young age. She has appeared in the PBS documentary series Mysteries of Mental Illness and the Oprah Winfrey/Apple TV documentary series The Me You Can't See.{{Cite web |last1=Beacham |first1=Greg |title=Olympic boxer Fuchs determined to win her fight against OCD |work=AP News |date=2021-06-21 |url=https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-2020-tokyo-olympics-boxing-health-olympic-games-a5ba8766fa9e8a3e11171f02fe9edf18 |language=en |access-date=2021-07-31 |df=mdy-all }}
Fuchs cites Olympian and runner Steve Prefontaine as an inspiration for her athletic career.{{cite web|url=http://www.intouchweekly.com/posts/ginny-fuchs-exclusive-interview-109327|title=Olympic Boxing 2016 Hopeful Ginny Fuchs Opens Up About Her Inspirations and More in New Interview (EXCLUSIVE)|work=intouchweekly.com|access-date=5 August 2016}}
Professional boxing record
{{BoxingRecordSummary
|draws=
|nc=
|ko-wins=1
|ko-losses=
|dec-wins=3
|dec-losses=
|dq-wins=
|dq-losses=
}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |
| {{abbr|No.|Number}}
!Result !Record !Opponent !Type !Round, time !Date !Location !Notes |
|---|
| 4
|{{yes2}}Win |4–0 |align=left|Adelaida Ruiz |SD |10 (10) |31 August 2024 |align=left|{{small|Dignity Health Sports Park, Carson, California, USA}} |align=left|{{small|Won the interim WBC female super-flyweight title}} |
| 3
|{{yes2}}Win |3–0 |align=left|Indeya Smith |UD |8 (8) |17 June 2023 |align=left|{{small|Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA}} | |
| 2
|{{yes2}}Win |2–0 |align=left|Gemma Ruegg |PTS |6 (6) |15 October 2022 |align=left|{{small|The O2 Arena, London, England}} | |
| 1
|{{yes2}}Win |1–0 |align=left|Randee Lynn Morales |KO |4 (6) |9 April 2022 |align=left|{{small|The Hangar, Costa Mesa, California, USA}} | |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/sports/tokyo-summer-olympics/boxer-ginny-fuchs-fact-checks-her-wikipedia-page/3166686/ Boxer Ginny Fuchs Fact Checks Her Wikipedia Page] at NBC New York
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fuchs, Virginia}}
Category:American women boxers
Category:AIBA Women's World Boxing Championships medalists
Category:Louisiana State University alumni
Category:Super-flyweight boxers
Category:Boxers at the 2019 Pan American Games
Category:Medalists at the 2019 Pan American Games
Category:Pan American Games silver medalists for the United States in boxing
Category:Olympic boxers for the United States
Category:Boxers at the 2020 Summer Olympics