WPCNR RINGSIDE. From Team Saccurato. October 23, 2006: Ann Marie Saccurato (11-1-2) of White Plains, New York, will replace the injured Eliza Olson and face Jelena Mrdjenovich (18-1-0) for the WBC lightweight title on November 4 at the Shaw Conference Center in Edmonton, Alberta.
This fight is the main event of "A Ring of Their Own's" "Border War" which also features two other world title bouts and will be telecast on iNDemand Pay per view beginning November 17th. This fight will be promoting breast cancer awareness.
Ann-Marie, at her County Center debut in 2005, was born in Eastchester, NY and trains out of New York Boxing gym in White Plains and Gleason’s in Brooklyn. Her senior trainer is the legendary Hector Rocca, and her other trainers include New Rochelle police sergeant Luigi Olsece.
Ann-Marie has overcome tremendous odds just to be walking today. In 1995 she was a passenger in a devastating car wreck returning from a volleyball competition at the Empire State Games. The driver of the vehicle was killed and Ann-Marie suffered a punctured lung, broken pelvis, hip, 2 broken legs, a shattered arm, broken ribs, and severe nerve damage. She was not expected to live the night, let alone ever walk again. Being ever the determined athlete, she proved everyone wrong and immediately took up an aggressive rehabilitation program knowing in her heart she would play sports again. In 1999 she entered her first boxing gym stronger than ever.
Ann-Marie is known for her boxing skill, athleticism, footwork and knockout power. This is the first time she will fight for a world title. She has fought many times in the Westchester County Center and in New York.
Hurricane Saccurato tearing Tanya Gallegos apart in her last fight at "The Centa." Ann-Marie is 11-1-2, and is getting her "shot." Photo, WPCNR Sports.
In a previous interview with WPCNR last year, Ann-Marie told how she got into "the sweet science,":
“I’ve been a competitor all my life. I’ve been an athlete, and I’ve always been looking for more, to push myself harder, and I found more of that edge in boxing. I actually started in martial arts, and TKD (Tae Kwan Do) for about a year or so. A friend sent me a flyer for the New York Golden Gloves, and I ignorantly, and very naively entered. I did a crash course on boxing and ended up getting a bye into the finals. Lost in the finals, but that ended up propelling my boxing career. I fell in love with the sport. It’s pushed me harder more than anything I’ve done in my life.”
For all the information on the November "Border War" and other news about "A Ring of Their Own", visit the website, www.aringoftheirown.com. For the tale of the tape on Ann-Marie go to the boxer's website, www.teamsaccurato.com
