Female Boxer Knocks Down Stereotypes Soft-Spoken Risoy Bringing Hard-Hitting Act To Worley

Helga Risoy’s nickname is “Snowcat.” She has been a world champion kick boxer and is currently a professional boxer.

She lost her last fight, but broke her opponent’s nose, left her eyes badly swollen and sent her to the hospital.

Let the stereotypes begin.

And end.

“The last article made me out like a wild person,” said Risoy, who will fight San Diego’s Donna Davis tonight at the Coeur d’Alene Tribal Bingo/Casino in Worley, Idaho, the debut of women’s boxing in the region.

“Most people see me, say ‘She’s a boxer,’ and that’s all she is,” said Risoy, who also has a black belt in karate. “But most women boxers are educated. I’m a soft-spoken person. I don’t say all the things boxers say.”

While she may not be your average Helga, she is simply trying to make a living in a sport she enjoys for the physical challenge. The only difference is she prefers boxing, while most women are steered toward volleyball, tennis or basketball.

Those sports weren’t for Risoy, though she’s adequately built for them at 5-foot-8-1/2 and 140 pounds. Four years ago, she left the fjords of Norway for Los Angeles and eventually Las Vegas to pursue pro boxing.

“That’s the reason why I came,” said Risoy, who used to own an advertising agency in Norway. “I was an amateur boxer. Pro boxing wasn’t legal in Norway.”

Why the love of boxing?

“It’s a long story. When I was 9 years old, I watched TV and the program was kick boxing. It was very fascinating and went straight to my heart. I tried different sports - handball, volleyball - but I always went back to the boxing gym.

“I think I’m fascinated by it because you take a risk. I used to scuba dive, hang glide - things that are a little risky.”

However, she’s not driven by inflicting pain. She has seven knockouts in 10 pro wins, but she, too, has had her nose broken in a fight. She fought on an undercard in Las Vegas on a night a male fighter died.

“Of course that was very sad,” she said, “but whatever you do, it’s a chance, a risk, whatever the sport, skiing or whatever.

“I never actually think about hurting anybody. It’s a game you’re playing, you’re jabbing trying to get points.”

There’s risk and reward, though not a lot of the latter is financial. When she moved to Los Angeles, Risoy signed with promoter Bob Arum for several fights, but the money isn’t great. She supplements her fight income by doing promotional work for her manager, Emanuel Steward. She said she’ll make about $1,200 tonight.

Risoy, 29, had difficulty finding fights in her first year in Los Angeles.

“People just looked at me, ‘What’s wrong with her?’ Now they’re excited about boxing. I was teaching an aerobic boxing class in Beverly Hills and 200 women came.”

To show that the sport is becoming more popular, there are already two women’s boxing organizations. That’s a far cry from the gazillion IBCs, WBAs, etc., for men, but it’s a start.

USA Network’s Tuesday Night Fights recently televised a women’s fight and 80 percent of callers to a tele-poll said they’d like to see more women’s boxing.

Risoy began kick boxing in 1981 in Norway. She became a national champion in 1985 and a world champion in 1991 before quitting to box.

“I’d been doing kick boxing so many years, it was hard on the body,” said Risoy, a well-known sports figure in her homeland. “To spare myself, I took up boxing.”

She fought for a pro title last year, but lost in the bout in which her opponent suffered a broken nose. Risoy, who has a 10-3-1 record, injured her hands in the fight - “I spent seven rounds just moving around” - and is hopeful they’ve healed for tonight’s match.

Risoy’s never been knocked down in a fight, but she’s been stunned several times. She believes the caliber of female fighters is improving.

“It’s growing,” said Risoy, who plans to fight for a couple more years before retiring. “I respect people’s views of boxing; it’s actually women that don’t like boxing. Everybody has their own opinion. But they can’t just stop us from doing it because that’s not right…

“I can tell you most of the time the women come in the ring, they’re there to fight and they’re more aggressive than the men.”

That, obviously, includes Risoy.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color Photo

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: TONIGHT’S CARD Card at CdA Tribal Bingo/Casino. Fights begin at 7:30 p.m. Feature bout: 178 pounds - Montell Griffin (Chicago) vs. Melvin Wynn, 10 rounds. Undercard: 155 - Robert Perez (Caldwell, Idaho) vs. Rowdy Welch (Spokane), 8 rounds. 140 - Helga Risoy (Las Vegas) vs. Donna Davis (San Diego), 6 rounds. 187 - Frank Vassar (Spokane) vs. Scott Jones (Springfield, Mo.), 6 rounds. 185 - Rick Welliver (Spokane) vs. Austin Johnson (Seattle), 4 rounds.