By Rey Danseco
Former world title fight veteran Sarah Ann Goodson of the Philippines has remained undefeated in her last eight fights with a recent unanimous decision win against American Amy Hollan in a huge card at Word Class Fitness Center in Fort Smith, Arkansas.
Goodson, a 5-foot workhorse nicknamed “Thrilla from Manila”, dominated Amy Hollan from in their four-round rumble.
The 31-year old is a native of Lomboy, Banawa, Cebu in Central Philippines but is based in Paris, Arkansas. She lives with husband-trainer Stacy and their three and two year old kids. She has won six of her past eight fights which include a 4-round draw in one of her three bouts with the more experienced Stephanie “All Action” Dobbs on June 5, 2004 at the Leggett & Platt Center in Joplin, Missouri. She also had a no contest verdict against her stablemate and future Women’s International Boxing Association (WIBA) minimumweight titlist Hollie Dunaway (12-3, 8 KOs) 10 months later at the Mid America All Indian Center in Wichita, Kansas.
Fighting in the paid ranks since June 1999, Goodson improved her overall record to 14 victories with five knockouts against 14 loses and a draw.
She is the reigning Women’s WEBA strawweight champ since taking her second decision win over 8 rounds in a third fight against Dobbs in Aug. 2003 at Tucson, Arizona. She is currently ranked No. 5 in the world by Atlanta, Georgia-based Women’s International Boxing Council (WIBC), No. 5 by the Hollywood-based Women’s International Boxing Association (WIBA) and No. 9 by the Mexico-based World Boxing Council (WBC).
After posting 4-11 record until 2001, Goodson turned her career around, she has not lost since 2002 to anyone except three collisions against the same person, Las Vegas-based Canadian Vaia "Vicious" Zaganas
Her last defeat happened in November 2003 when she went in a full distance over six rounds against Zaganas.
Zaganas’ other victories against the Filipina included an technical knockout at 0:36 seconds into the eight round when Goodson quit after being penalized twice for dirty tactics for the vacant IFBA strawweight title in June 2002. That bout was the main event at Sky Ute Casino in Ignacio, Colorado. Zaganas also holds a unanimous decision win in a non-title bout over 6 rounds in July of 2003 at the Creek Nation Gaming Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
The Goodson couple has a three-year-old son named Sergio and another child who is a year younger.
Sarah, whose maiden name is “Rama”, has the distinction as the first female professional fighter from Southeast Asia.
