Toni Lear Rodriguez: Pioneer Female Boxer

Photo taken by Alastair.  WBAN purchased copyrights of photo. All Rights Reserved.

Toni Rodriguez began her fighting career as a welterweight in about 1976.  Rodriguez eventually dropped about 20 pounds and switched to the featherweight division.   Rodriguez went on to fight for the sanctioned World Champion featherweight division against Baby Bear in  1979.  Rodriguez defeated Baby Bear and was named the Featherweight World Champion in Boxing Illustrated in 1979, April issue.

Toni Rodriguez also fought under names of Tony Lear, and “Tough” Toni Rodriguez.  This fighter fought off and on up to about 1993. WBAN discovered an article about her fighting a 0-2 fighter and telling a radio announcement that she was something like 73-0 and was a past world champ (I guess she forgot about the below listed fighters who defeated her). Then she lost to the 0-2 fighter that night of 1993!  Her response to losing that fight to the 0-2 fighter:  Toni said that she “let” the girl defeat her.  (Rodriguez lost twice to Sue TL Fox by unanimous decisions at InclineVillage in Lake Tahoe, and in Utah).