27 year old Jeannine Garside (3-0) of Windsor, Ontario faced Toronto’s Lisa "Bad News" Brown (12-2-4) in "A Ring of Their Own" World Title Wave in Edmonton on November 18. 10 rounds later, Jeannine emerged from the bout 4-0 and the new WIBA Jr. Featherweight champion. Not only did Jeannine thoroughly dominate Brown, she echoed a bit of women’s boxing history- her trainer Margaret Sidoroff-Canty also won a title in her 4th professional fight.
Canty has trained Jeannine since 2001 and as an amateur she compiled a 40-5 record. A long, successful way from watching Christy Martin make women’s boxing history on a Mike Tyson undercard. Soon after watching the Martin bout, Jeannine began her boxing career in Duncan, British Columbia . Jeannine was the British Columbia champion in 1998 and 1999 and was named British Columbia Boxer of the Year in 1998.
On January 24, 1999, in the 57-kg final of the 1999 Canadian National Championships held in Sudbury, Ontario Jeannine defeated Danielle Bouchard of Quebec by a 5-3 score to win her first national title and earn a place on the Canadian National Women's Boxing team that would soon pit her against some of the best female fighters in the world at her weight.
Jeannine relocated to Windsor, Ontario after watching the women’s Canadian National Team under the guidance of Margaret Sidoroff.
After the move to Windsor Ontario Jeannine began boxing at the Border City Boxing Club and gained a spot on the Canadian National Team.
As she turned professional in 2004, Canty wisely advised Jeannine that with her amateur background it would be difficult to get her fights, "so we’ve got to step it up." And step up she did in her November 18 fight, earning her first title.
Going into the fight, Canty described her protégé. "She’s aggressive. Has NO care about who she’s in the ring with or what’s going on. It doesn’t matter to if it’s her mother in there, she’s gonna whip their ass. And Jeannine’s got the heart of a lion."
Says Jeannine of her title win and her performance, "For people that didn’t know me, now they know who I am. And that I deserved a shot at this. I knew a lot of people believed in me. I trained and stayed focused and did what I had to do. I owe it to "A Ring of Their Own" for giving me this chance. My dad was there, and everybody at home was proud. The factory workers that come in the bar where I work were like "you made a lot of us men cry tonight." IT WAS AWESOME. I FELT AWESOME. My husband is ecstatic. The first time I watched the tape I thought I did OK, but I was looking at the mistakes I made and where I could improve. The second time, I watched it for what it was. I saw all the things I worked on and I stayed in my game plan. I got a little careless near the end then reminded myself to stay focused. I finally reached my goal- AND THERE IS NO BETTER FEELING. Being prepared, in shape and working hard made it easier. I was ready to use all the things Margaret worked with me on and whipped my butt with. My coaches are the best."
Jeannine’s big smile will charm the crowd outside the ring but in the ring, that smile is still in place because Jeannine is only to happy fight and come away with another victory. The hard work and dedication Jeannine devotes to sport also has earned her the distinction of being WBAN’s December Fighter of the Month.