Th distinction between pro and amteur seems illusory in women's KB.
I have seen "pros" fight amateurs.

think about this.

a person can have 20-25 amateur fights before they buy a license from the state athletic commissions and then 'offically" turn pro.

OR alternatively, a fighter can have NO amateur experience, purchase the same license from the state athletic commissionand also be be a "pro"

so it often happens that you have a fighter with 15-20 fights making her "pro debut" and thus she is introduced to the fans as having a record of 0 wins and 0 losses. Yet, she may be fighting a person who has NO amatuer expereince but whoo may have fought two or three times as a "pro". So she is introduced as having 3 wins 0 losses. Who does everyone expect to be the favorite? the one who is presented to them as as having a professional record of 3 wins and o losses. or maybe even 2 wins against 1 loss.

Then, the "0-0" fighter tkos the one we think is the more expereinced (3-0) fighter, and everyone says, what an amazing performance for a debut fighter!!

as someone on this board observed, the difference between an amateur and a professional is one wears a head gear the other does not.

To answer the question, both Loyce and Rivera-Parr were amateurs when they fought. Linda Is still an amateur, but Angela I think is pro.

when Angela turned "pro" is confusing. when she fought Nava?

Is an amature somewhat who has fought against pro? no, it is when they buy a state license and fill out the paperwork, and procur a federal id.

Jacqui Nava has NEVER been an amateur because they don't have amateur status in Mexico or lots of other countries. So the first time she ever stepped into a ring she was a "professional".

This is why the WIBA rates women Muay Thai and Kickboxers based on the number of fights they have actualy had period-when evaluating their experience,and whether or not to rank them.

whether they choose to buy a license and turn pro can be made, the day of the schedued fight in some states. in some others a few days before to get a physical and blood work. it varies.

suffice it to say, The amateur vs pro label is not very useful when predicting which fighter is the more accomplished and experienced. In fact it is often downright deceptive. And can lead to horrendous mismatches.


dan