Mary Jo Sanders

5’7” Mary Jo “KO” Sanders from Detroit, Michigan is the daughter of former Detroit Lions great Charlie Sanders. She is a naturally gifted athlete who participated in track and field, basketball, gymnastics, and bodybuilding before entering the world of combat sports through kickboxing and Tough Woman contests.

Mary Jo won the heavyweight division in the Miss Natural Michigan bodybuilding championship in 1998.

She entered the Tough Woman competition in 1998 and won the Detroit championships in 1998, 1999, and 2000. She went on to win a world championship in the open-weight Tough Woman division in 2000 (despite being the smallest entrant at 138 lbs and giving away 90 pounds to the opponent). Mary Jo also won her division in the 2002 Detroit Golden Gloves.

Finding it increasingly difficult to get other amateurs into the ring with her, Mary Jo turned to her manager/trainer, Jimmy Mallo, and they decided the time had come for her next challenge, professional world championship boxing!

She made her pro boxing debut on February 7, 2003 at the Palace in Auburn Hills, Michigan, winning a first round TKO over Willicia Moorehead of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Moorehead went to the canvas twice before the referee halted the bout.

On May 23, 2003 at Gray’s Armory in Cleveland, Ohio, Mary Jo won a four round unanimous decision over Terri Blair of Louisville, Kentucky.

On June 5, 2003 at the State Theatre in Detroit, Michigan, Mary Jo weighed in at 141 lbs and won a clear unanimous decision (40-35, 40-35, 40-35) over Shadina Pennybaker, 142 lbs, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Sanders had a clear edge in speed and power, and staggered the more experienced Pennybaker several times on the way to a convincing decision. Pennybaker’s only other loss was to Laila Ali.

On July 1, 2003 at Cafaro Field in Niles, Ohio, Mary Jo (140 ½ lbs) won a hard fought four round majority decision (38-38, 39-37, 40-36) in a rematch with Shadina Pennybaker (144 ½ lbs), who fell to 7-3-1 (2 KOs).

On July 15, 2003 at the Playboy Mansion in Los Angeles, California, Mary Jo (141 lbs) outworked and outhit veteran Cynthia Prouder of Los Angeles for a clear four round unanimous decision in a junior welterweight bout. Prouder could not match the hand speed and aggressiveness of Sanders, especially at close quarters and against the ropes. Sanders threw punches in bunches throughout the fight. While Prouder occasionally landed a few hard straight shots to Sanders’ head, these didn’t knock the unbeaten newcomer off her game plan at all. Prouder fell to 8-11-1 (3 KOs).

On July 31, 2003 at Kewadin Casino in Sault Saint Marie, Michigan, Mary Jo weighed in at 138 ½ lbs and won a four round unanimous decision over Terri Blair (137 lbs) of Louisville, Kentucky. This was Blair’s second loss to Sanders.

This fast pace of competition was interrupted when Mary Jo injured her left wrist while training and could not spar or workout on the heavy bag.

Mary Jo was named “Top Rookie of the Year” by WBAN in 2003

On January 30, 2004 at the Palace of Auburn Hills, Michigan, Mary Jo advanced to 7-0-0 (2 KOs) with a first round TKO over Jamie Whitcomb of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Whitcomb began aggressively trying to catch Sanders early with a bomb but Sanders evaded Whitcomb’s attack, and used her jab to set up a devastating right uppercut that put Whitcomb down just 40 seconds into the fight. Whitcomb got up and continued but was decked by a right to the side of her head. Whitcomb got up again but Sanders dropped her with a three-punch combination followed by another right uppercut, triggering the TKO call by referee Ron Cunningham at the 1:29 second mark.

Jackie Kallen, who was at ringside to help promote her movie Against The Ropes based on her career as a boxing manager, stated “This girl is unbelievable, her speed, her power. That’s the kind of girl that can make women’s boxing.”

Jamie Whitcomb agreed, telling me “Mary Jo will be the next champ, mark my words. What a force. Tough isn’t even the right word to use! I have fought grown men who don’t even compare. She’s going all the way to the top. It goes much deeper than a champion in the making because as a fighter when you look into people’s eyes and see that desire and dedication….that “eye of the tiger”…you just know from one fighter to another there are few and far between that have that look. Believe me, she’s got the look.”

On April 16, 2004, Mary Jo took on world champ, Layla McCarter, at the Gund Arena in Cleveland, Ohio for a non-title six round bout. Most would have thought this was a stretch for Mary Jo considering she had only 7 professional fights in her short 14 month career against Layla’s 30 professional fights in seven years. However, Mary Jo completely dominated McCarter and no one from Hall of Fame promoter, Don Chargin, to Layla’s trainer could believe what they saw. Sanders won the fight by unanimous decision and continues to carve a swath through the ranks of professional female boxers as a junior welterweight.

On May 20, 2004 at the Kewadin Casino in Sault Ste Marie, Michigan, Mary Jo stepped into the ring as the underdog again. A standing-room-only crowd witnessed first hand as Sanders, 9-0, faced IBA World Lightweight champ, Chevelle Hallback, 20-4, for the vacant IBA Women’s Continental Junior Welterweight Championship. Hallback moved up in weight and viewed this fight as a stepping stone for a second world title. Sanders viewed this fight as a prelude for her world title fight. Both viewed themselves winning the fight. The crowd viewed the fight as one of the best they have ever seen. When it was over Sanders became the new IBA Continental champ on scores of 96-94, 97-93 and 97-95. Sanders is the new name in women’s boxing.

On August 19, 2004 at the Aldrich Arena in St. Paul Minnesota, Mary Jo 10-0-2KOs defended her IBA Junior Welterweight Title when she entered the ring with the current WIBF Welterweight World Champion Lisa Holewyne, 19-14-1-5KOs. From the opening bell, Mary Jo dominated the veteran Holewyne. In the 8th round Mary Jo put together a five punch combination, ending with a right hand to the head, that dropped her opponent to one knee. In the 9th round, Mary Jo came out strong and threw a left to the body, and a devastating right to the head, which dropped Holewyne, this time for good. The fight was ruled as a 9th round Knock Out. Mary Jo retained her IBA Title and moved to 11-0-3KOs.

Mary Jo was featured on the PPV undercard of Mike Tyson "VS" Clifford Etienne, she has been featured in The Ring Magazine December 2004, World Boxing Magazine December 2004, and Playboy Magazine November 2003. She has fought on Showtime, ESPN, and Showbox the new generation.

The Ring Magazine named Mary Jo 2005 Female Fighter Of The Year

Mary Jo is 25-0, 8 KOs and currently the IBA Continental Junior Welterweight Champion, IBA Continental Welterweight Champion, and the WBC Welterweight World Champion.

Mary Jo is a crowd pleaser, a great boxer, and a solid puncher. Mary Jo is beautiful and powerful and willing to stand toe-to-toe with the toughest. Along with her skills, Mary Jo’s personality and playful good looks are winning her praise in and out of the ring. Whether you’re a boxing fan or not, you can’t help but love this girl. What you see is what you get. She’s a “shoot-from-the-hip” type of person. Her motto is “dream big, believe in yourself, and treat others the way you wish to be treated”. This complete package is leading to endorsement opportunities beyond the sport of boxing.

Where most fear to tread, Mary Jo has found a home.