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Marsha Valley

5'10" Marsha Valley was born in Toronto, Canada on October 31, 1970. She began her boxing career in Toronto, where she went 14-0 as an amateur light-heavyweight. She says that she learned to defend herself at an early age in order to stand up to her big brother.

She moved to to Los Angeles and turned professional in 1997. She now trains with Victor Hernandez at the Los Angeles Boxing Club where she fine-tunes her style with male sparring partners.

her first pro bout was on January 28, 1998 at the Great Western Forum in Los Angeles, where she weighed in at 165½ lbs and defeated Brenda Drexel from Seguin, Texas, (5'3", 173 lbs), by unanimous decision over four rounds. Both fighters were making their pro debuts.
Valley (161 lbs) stopped veteran kickboxer Robyn Covino (160 lbs) of Hollywood, California at 0:55 seconds of the first round. in the first round a week later at Arizona Charlie's in Las Vegas. This was Covino's pro debut.

Marsha then went on to a four-round unanimous decision over Trina Ortegon of Albuquerque, New Mexico at the Grand Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi just nine days later, on February 15, 1998! Ortegon fell to 1-1 with the loss.
After posting this 3-0 record in four-rounders, Marsha moved up to six-round bouts.

On June 26, 1998 at Bally's Casino in Las Vegas, Marsha (154 lbs) scored a TKO at 1:19 in the second round over Jennifer McCartney (152 lbs), who fell to 2-3-1.
On September 17, 1998 at the Grand Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi she won a six-round split decision over Mitzi Jeter of Dalton, Georgia, who slipped to 5-2 with this loss.

Weighing in at 158 lbs, she fought Suzette Taylor (160 lbs) of Atlanta, Georgia to a six-round draw in Las Vegas at the Orleans in Las Vegas on October 30, 1998. This bout moved Taylor's record to 2-1-1 with 1 KO.

March 6, 1999 saw Valley in St. George, Utah for a four-round tilt with local fighter Summer DeLeon. This match produced Valley's first loss, by a unanimous decision after a she took a trip to the canvas in the second round. DeLeon moved to 2-1 with the win as she dropped Valley's pro record to 5-1-1.
A ten-rounder with Mitzi Jeter for the the vacant IFBA welterweight title in Bossier City, Louisiana on April 30, 1999 produced another draw. The draw moved to Jeter's record to 9-2-1 and left the vacant IFBA welterweight title still undecided!

Valley (150 lbs) then fought a six round rematch with Summer DeLeon (147 lbs) at the Pechanga Center in Temecula, California on June 18, 1999, only to lose to the tenacious boxer from Utah again, this time by a majority decision. The win moved DeLeon's pro record to 4-1.

On November 27, 1999 at the Hyatt Regency in Monterey, California, Marsha dropped a hard-fought 58-56, 57-57, 58-56 majority decision over six rounds against then IFBA Junior Middleweight champion Gina Guidi of San Leandro, California. The fight was the highlight of the show and had fans on their feet. Gina won the early rounds, but Marsha came on late, and the crowd was chanting "Marsha, Marsha, Marsha" towards the end, according to a Women's Boxing Page correspondent. Guidi's record improved to 12-1-1 with the win, while Valley slipped to 5-3-2.

On December 3, 1999 On December 3, 1999 at the Pechanga Center in Temecula, California she weighed in at 156 lbs and battled Summer DeLeon (152 lbs) for a third time, this time to a six-round draw.

On February 11, 2000 at the Treasure Chest Casino in Kenner, Louisiana, Marsha moved her pro record to 6-3-3 with a unanimous six-round (59-55, 59-55, 60-53) decision over Patricia Demick of Chile, who slipped to 3-2. Valley's 5'10" height and ring skills were too much for Demick to overcome in this bout. (See the full fight report by Sue TL Fox).
 

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