By: Sean Crose
Crystina Poncher said: “I am honored to be a part of this historic card. There’s a lot for Poncher to be honored with. This Saturday, the perennially top-rated broadcaster and broadcaster ESPN will host the highly anticipated undisputed middleweight bout between Claressa Shields and Savannah Marshall. “These women have worked hard for this moment,” added Poncher, “and I feel so blessed to help bring their stories into your home and calls to action on what should be. was a great night of fighting in London.” What really makes Poncher stand out isn’t the fact that she’s a female boxing broadcaster – it’s the fact that the 38-year-old mother-of-two is brilliant at what she does.
A longstanding problem of boxing journalism has been the occasional need for broadcasters and publishers to attract outspoken individuals who are unqualified for the job (Frank Sinatra works as Life Magazine photographer). for the 1971 Muhammad Ali-Joe Frazier match is the clearest example of this). While Poncher has a solid background as an NFL journalist, there’s no denying Californians know boxing inside and out. In short, Poncher is an expert in her field. Unfortunately, that’s not always guaranteed among sports media. “I was a regular fan growing up,” admitted Poncher. “My parents would throw fight parties for bigger events, but I didn’t really take a deep interest in the sport until I graduated from college.”
Few people think that Poncher is not deeply interested in fighting games at the moment. Simply put, she’s everywhere in the boxing world. Of course, that’s not easy for anyone. As a wife and mother of two young children, Poncher has always been interested in finding work/life balance. “It was definitely a juggling act,” admits Poncher, “but I feel blessed to have my help, starting with my wonderful husband, niece Jaida, and our close family. . I couldn’t have done it without them. My kids are my driving force, so knowing I’m doing this for them helps me get through the tougher times. ”
Poncher will have good reason to get motivated on Saturday. There she will be at the O2 Arena in London, thousands of miles away from her family, hosting what could be the biggest fight in women’s boxing history. However, no matter how great the ordeal, the veteran broadcaster will have her family – and supporters – pulling her back home. Hard work, both inside and outside the media industry, has its rewards.
