Gracious in defeat, Porter shifts focus to Miss America pageant

If Allison Porter is as gracious on the Boardwalk in Atlantic City at the Miss America Pageant as she was after her performance in the U.S. Women’s National Boxing Tournament, she will get serious consideration for Miss Congeniality.

Porter, the newly crowned Miss Washington, lost an 8-3 decision to San Francisco’s Cynthia Talmadge in a 119-pound bout Wednesday at the Spokane Fairgrounds.

With only 11 total points awarded in three rounds, the bout score was hardly representative of the quality of the fight, and the judge’s decision was surprising to the understandably pro-Porter crowd ringside.

Wearing basic black with red trim, Porter boxed three tough rounds, looking to score with punches to Talmadge’s head.

“When I got back to my corner, I honestly wasn’t sure if I’d won or not,” Porter said. “I feel that I boxed well. I don’t feel that I did a bad job at all. That’s what matters to me. I feel that I’m a better boxer now that I have this experience behind me.

“Every time she went to the body, she would get three shots in on me. Every time I went to the head, I would get two. That was probably the difference.”

As a national tournament, all bouts are scored using an electronic system. Five judges sit ringside, and in order for a point to be awarded a majority must push a button within one second.

For her part, Porter said she will now go to work full-time preparing for the Miss America Pageant – in particular she will focus much of her energy on developing her platform: Going Three Rounds In The Fight Against Cancer.

Porter said she has been inspired by her aunt, Crystal Porter, and her long battle with ovarian cancer.

“If I become Miss America I’m ready to devote the entire year to developing that platform,” she said. “I have a long history of advocacy for the American Cancer Society.”

Spokane’s Andrea Kallas also had her aspirations for a national 119-pound championship stopped. Kallas, in just her ninth amateur fight, dropped a surprising 21-12 decision to Leonie Hall of Vista, Calif.

Kallas was ahead after two rounds and appeared to win the third round.

“I knew when I lost that one fight,” Kallas said. “I thought I won this one.”

Kallas used her trademark aggression to push Hall in each round, and came away secure in the knowledge that she belonged in the tournament.

“The girl I fought had three years of experience,” she said. “I’m just beginning. I want to come back next year and win it. I want to win a national championship.”

The favorite in the 119-pound division heading into tonight’s semifinals is five-time national champion Chris Martinon, an 18-year-old from San Jose, Calif. Martinon, a black belt in Tai Kwan Do, stopped Sarah Garcia of Los Angeles.

Martinon will battle Talmadge in one semifinal tonight. Hall will face New Yorker Stella Nijhof, who scored a 13-4 win over Cara Castronuova, from Elmont, N.Y.

The 132-pound division also saw its semifinal round set Tuesday.

Washington, D.C., boxer Kendra Davis earned one berth when the referee stopped her bout with Christina Boilard, from Fort Huachuca, Ariz., in the second round.

Lissette Medel, from Maywood, Calif., advanced to face Davis by stopping Rachel Greenbaum, from Ventura, Calif., also in the second round.

Maimunah Holland, a second-degree black belt from South Nyack, N.Y., scored a 37-12 decision over Maple Valley”s Dana Tucker.

Caroline Barry, from Cement City, Mich., won her second straight fight in the tournament to advance to meet Holland in tonight’s second semifinal bout, scoring a 16-5 win over Nicole Silveira, from Peabody, Mass.,

Allana Huggins, from Fort Worth, Texas, completed the semifinal bracket at 165 by scoring a 20-11 victory over Dawne Thomas, from Westbury, N.Y.