On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with Leslie Koroma, the chairman and CEO of the African Sports Media Network, and the founder of the digital and print magazine African Sports Monthly (http://www.africansportsmonthly.com).

http://nhbnews.podomatic.com/entry/2012-02-12T08_11_53-08_00.

While African Sports Monthly started as an online magazine in 2010, the first print edition is due out in late February 2012. The African Sports Media Network is also in the process of developing African sports television and radio networks..

We spoke with Leslie Koroma, who is currently based in Houston, Texas, by phone Thursday afternoon, about the history-making general growth of sports in Africa. We began, however, by noting the tragic deaths of over 70 people at the recent football riots in Egypt, what that signified, and why that was the biggest sports story in the world in the past week.

Africa is the birthplace of the combat sports, and we focused on
recent developments in the combat sports there. Leslie Koroma
explained that while there are several mixed martial arts
organizations in Africa as well as a number of prominent boxers and
boxing events, the biggest form of combat sports in Sub-Saharan Africa
is Senegalese wrestling.

Based on the traditional style of wrestling in Senegal, Senegalese
wrestling has developed into a major professional sport which is
widely televised in the region, and has produced colorful stars with
nicknames like Tyson and Yekini, with many of their matches available
on YouTube.

We also discussed the need for Senegalese wrestling to have a more
formal structure than it has now, the rise of new MMA groups in South
Africa and Egypt, the enormous talent in Africa that deserves
worldwide exposure, the improving economic climate in Africa, the
possibility of Africa overtaking Asia in growth sometime later this
century, and much more.


♔EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess♔, See you at the Fights and Thank You for your time.EL Boxing Empress Online @ Twitter http://www.twitter.com/Keishamorrisey ©®™ 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 All photos other than specified by "EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess" Keisha Morrisey, for ♔Empire Morrisey Photo-Studios♔, KCKMT for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and ★Starlite★ Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved.

Georgia Boxing Championship July 15th at The Buckhead Theatre; Nicole Woods featured‏

Nicole Woods fights for a living and for a good cause.

Woods, ranked No. 4 in the light welterweight division with a 12-6-1 record, divides her time between boxing professionally and fighting fires in Fulton County.

“Being a firefighter gives you one of the best schedules to have if you fight,” said Woods, who has been responding to emergencies for more than a year.

The 32-year-old Brooklyn, New York native has been boxing much longer (seven years) than she has been fighting fires and even though the two professions are similar, in a sense, Woods got drawn to each in a different manner.

“After college, I still wanted to pursue something athletically,” said Woods, who attended South Carolina State on a basketball scholarship. “I was watching boxing on television and figured ‘hey let me go and give that a try.’ Because I was already athletic, I kind of picked it up pretty quickly and I’ve been doing it every since.”

However, putting out hazardous fires began by way of a personal recommendation.

“I was working as a human resource manager but I was just bored,” said Woods, who also has a master’s degree. “A girl that boxed with me was a firefighter said ‘you would love it, you should try it.’ So initially I was like ‘no’ then I was like ‘let me give it a try.’ I did and I love it.”

Competing in the ring has also been beneficial to Woods since it has allowed her to travel to Uruguay, Germany and Argentina.

“Nicole is not like a lot of fighters,” Barry Richardson said. “She goes into hostile territory.”

“…At the end of the day I want to be able to say I went and I fought with all my heart and I’m the best in the world not just because I stayed in one place and I was safe,” Woods said. “I want to be able to beat you in your house because I’m just that good.”

Five to six days a week, Woods has been training with Richardson at Metro Fitness in East Point. This month, she will begin sparring three days a week to continue to prepare for a bout on July 15 at the Buckhead Theatre, which is being promoted by Shea Bailey and Greg Barckoff.

Woods also thanked her sponsors Vixente Boxing Apparel, Mix 1, Belts and Money, and AA Boxing.

EL Boxing Empress See you at the Fights and Thank You for your time.EL Boxing Empress Online @ Twitter http://www.twitter.com/Keishamorrisey ©®™ 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 All photos other than specified by "EL Boxing Empress" Keisha Morrisey- Empire Morrisey Photo-Studios, KCKMT for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved