July 1, 1981: Woman Pro Boxer Is Hard Hitter – By Carrie Muskat – UPI Archive

***we are posting this for historical purposes only/ the original article is on UPI Archive by Carrie Muskat

MINNEAPOLIS — Sweaty, winded and smiling, Sue ‘K.O.’ Carlson waved her gloved hands around the dimly lit corner of the Olympia Gym in south Minneapolis that she uses as her boxing ring.

‘It’s not much — and it’s stuffy — but it works,’ the 23-year-old world champion and current No. 1 ranked super lightweight boxer said. ‘It works real good.’

Carlson, of Minneapolis, will defend her world title in September in the first women’s scheduled 15-round professional fight against No. 2 ranked Tammy Jensen of Seattle. The fight, which is sponsored by the fledgling Women’s World Boxing Association, guarantees a prize money of more than $1,000.

‘I can’t say how much more,’ said Carlson, who works in a restaurant and admits boxing is not her sole source of income.

The 5-foot-9, muscular 134-pounder knocked out Jensen in the third round last year in Carlson’s first fight after a year layoff for the super lightweight crown, her second world title.

A native of Brainerd, Minn., Carlson holds a career record of 9-3 including three knockouts. One of her losses was to Yvonne Bradley, who knocked out ‘K.O.’ in a scheduled 10-round fight in Houston early in 1980.

‘I was scared to go back in the ring after that,’ said Carlson, who’s had her nose broken twice. ‘I was afraid whenever a punch would come my way. But then I got sick and tired of laying around and hearing about everybody else, so I came back.’

The comeback victory over Jensen last year does not mean as much to Carlson as the rematch Sept. 25, to be held in the Bahamas. Besides posting her second victory over Jensen, who ‘wants revenge,’ Carlson would become the first two-time world champion ever from Minnesota.

‘So many things can happen with this fight,’ she said. ‘I’ve got to do a 15-round fight and make it good. It could really help women’s boxing.’

The sport has grown considerably since Carlson first donned her gloves four years ago.

‘Four years ago, I knew a dozen (women) in the world who fought,’ she said. ‘Now, the West Coast alone has 300.’

The world lightweight champion in 1978, Carlson lost her bid for a second straight lightweight crown in 1979 to Lady Tyger.

It’s been difficult for her to find any women to train with.

‘It gets kind of hard when I’m all by myself,’ she said. ‘But I’d rather fight with men. All the men I’ve fought with are way over 200 pounds. I’m getting used to a big target and getting pounded.

‘When I get in the ring with a girl three or four inches shorter than I am, I can practically annihilate them.’

Carlson trains six days a week, daily jumping rope, doing 200 pushups, 200 situps and running several miles. She has started a body building program using weights to increase her strength and speed.

‘She’s pretty quick and getting better,’ said Ken Sherman, the 240-pound muscular owner of the Olympia Gym and Carlson’s frequent sparring partner. ‘And, boy, can she hit.’

‘I used to hate boxing, any kind of boxing,’ she said. ‘Four years ago at the university (of Minnesota), I met this girl and she said, ‘Why don’t you try boxing?’ So I said, ‘Sure.’

‘Now, I love it. I love getting beat up.’

Carlson and her ex-husband, Bill Paul, a former Air Force heavyweight champion, helped form the International Women’s Professional Boxing Association in 1977. The IWPBA folded after one year and the WWBA was created, headed by Canadian businessman Vern Stevenson.

In Carlson’s first WWBA fight against Bonnie Prestwood oL HRB BX fPJpunches in the first eight minutes and 200 of the throws were accurate.

‘Now, I fool around,’ she said of her technique. ‘I dance and step on their (opponents) toes and talk to them. They totally blow their cool. Then, I blow them away.’

A natural right hander, Carlson is a southpaw fighter. ‘It really throws them off,’ she said.

Her only problem with the upcoming rematch with Jensen, besides the lack of media exposure, is her weight.

‘I’ve got to gain at least five pounds,’ she moaned.

Link to UPI Archive:  https://www.upi.com/Archives/1981/07/01/Woman-Pro-Boxer-Is-Hard-Hitter/5207362808000/