Photos : Denis Germain & Vincent Ethier.
Born in Cape Croker, Ontario, Mary Spencer is a proud representative of the Ojibway nation, with over 160,000 members in Canada, the second-largest Indigenous group after the Cree. Mary speaks Anishinaabemowin, French, and English. A prominent Canadian, she has made significant contributions to her community and the sport in Canada. Winning three amateur world championships, she became a pioneer of women’s boxing in Canada. However, Mary Spencer aspires to add a professional world title to her three gold medals.
The path of her last chance begins against Sonya Dreilling (6-3, 2 KOs). Mary Spencer (7-2, 5 KOs) didn’t take her second loss to Femke Hermans lightly. No room for self-pity or giving up; she quickly returned to the gym to work with Samuel Décarie-Drolet. Women’s boxing differs from the men’s, and the two-minute rounds aren’t the main difference.
The culture of perfection is less prevalent among women. They offer the best fights repeatedly and hide less behind the obligation to maintain an undefeated record compared to men. Opportunities to become a world champion come quickly and often.
Some striking examples
You can think of Jelena Mrdjenovich, the best Canadian female boxer in history, with a record of 42-12-2. Miyo Yoshida became IBF champion with a record of 17-4. Jessica McCaskill, holding all the belts, has a record of 12-3-1.
Women’s boxing is like the UFC; records matter less. The best face the best, without the culture of perfection. Promoter or TV network stories haven’t affected women’s boxing much, and that’s a good thing. With this mindset, Mary Spencer returns to the ring against Sonya Dreilling on January 25. Personally, I admire Mary Spencer; to me, she’s a great Canadian. Her three amateur world championships, advocacy against drunk driving, and her teaching profession highlight her accomplishments. In 2012, Proctor & Gamble chose her as a CoverGirl ambassador, joining Drew Barrymore and Taylor Swift. The Châtelaine magazine featured her in 2016. I would even dare to say that Spencer is very popular in English Canada.
Her opponent, Sonya Dreilling from Alabama, transitions between boxing and bare-knuckle fighting. At 33, she is a private trainer, a yoga and meditation coach. Dreilling made a name for herself by defeating Marie-Eve Dicaire’s title challenger, Chevelle Hallback.
“Dreiling is a small right-hander involved in both boxing and bare-knuckle fighting. She has never protected her record. She moves well but lacks speed. She’s not someone who exchanges blow for blow; she prefers boxing at a distance and working explosively,” described Marie-Ève Albert of the 120-second podcast.
Third time’s a charm
I watched the world championship fight between Ema Kozin and Hannah Rankin, and I don’t see either causing any problems for Spencer. Cecilia Braekhus wouldn’t withstand the blows from our boxer either. Trilogies are in fashion; Femke Hermans sees no interest in returning to Quebec to face Mary Spencer unless multiple titles are at stake. This might be the plan: securing a title early in 2024 to go all-in for a third fight with Femke Hermans. I believe in the skills and genius of Samuel Décarie-Drolet to find a solution to this issue from Belgium.
Rumor: According to my sources, if all goes well, we’ll see Mary Spencer back in the ring on March 7. The french saying goes, « jamais deux sans trois »; in English, “third time’s a charm.” If I translate everything into boxing language, Mary Spencer will be the world champion in 2024.
