You’ve come
a long way, Baby

The sport of boxing has
helped Hawaii's Noel Domen
stay out of trouble

Associated Press

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Noel Domen has come further than any other woman in the 1997 Women's Boxing National Championships, and not just in distance.

Domen, a 17-year-old from Waianae, Hawaii, was getting into trouble and failing in school before she found boxing.

"It was the discipline that really helped me," said Domen, who lost, 5-0, last night to Leona Brown of New York. "I was a 1.0 (GPA) student and boxing really helped me get my life onto the right track. It gave me the discipline to accomplish what I want."

Associated Press
Hawaii's Noel Domen, left, mixes it up with Leona Brown
in the 119-pound class of the Women's National Boxing
Championships in Augusta, Ga., yesterday. Domen, 17,
was eliminated after losing a three-round decision to Brown.

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Domen, one of only two 17-year-olds in the tournament, has a 4-1 career record.

Her coach, Bruce Kawano, said when he first saw Domen he didn't think she would ever get in the ring.

"She really didn't look like a boxer, but she kept coming. She was persistent," said Kawano, of Waianae Boxing Club.

Domen used her high school graduation money to finance a trip to this week's championships. She plans to attend Leeward Community College in the fall, and hopes to someday fight at the international level.