Boxing is just the start for rising star Jennah Creason

Jennah Creason, known as “The Gem,” sparkled in the ring on October 13 in Stockton, California. The 18-year-old welterweight from Visalia has faced challenges early in her career, including eight opponents backing out of scheduled fights with her.

Yet, as the saying goes, pressure makes diamonds, and Creason finally got another chance to show her worth in a technical decision victory over Roshetta Vatuvei. The bout, a late change due to her original opponent withdrawing, saw Creason step up in weight. She weighed in at 148.8lbs, while the 33-year-old Vatuvei, 0-3, tipped the scales at 154.8lbs.

“If they’re backing out of fights because they don’t want to face me as a fighter, then it’s good because I get to climb faster,” Creason told BoxingScene. “I went in there smaller than this girl tonight. She had way more experience. She was older, and I knew it was going to be a tough fight.”

Creason’s debut – a split decision victory over Kelsey Wickstrum – may have been a learning curve, but this time, she left no doubt. Creason, 2-0, won every round on all three judges’ scorecards, though the fight ended when an unintentional blow caused a cut that the ringside doctor ruled too severe for Vatuvei to continue. It wasn’t the way Creason imagined it, but the win pushed her forward.

“My first fight, I felt sloppy,” Creason said when comparing her latest outing to her debut. “This time, I felt grounded, fast, snappy. I felt ready for this, no matter who the opponent was. I felt strong, I felt fast, and I felt like I was pushing the pressure the whole time.”

Despite her success in the boxing ring, Creason views the sport as a stepping stone. Her ultimate goal is to transition into mixed martial arts –  after becoming a titleholder in boxing. She even walked out to the UFC’s iconic intro song, “Face The Pain” by Stemm.

Ultimately she wants to make clear she’s more than just a gem – she’s a rising star.

“I like to go after the big dogs because I know that’s what’s supposed to make me better, win or lose,” Creason said. “It’s all about proving to everyone, proving to yourself, that I’m here to be a fighter.”

Lucas Ketelle is a proud member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and author of “Inside The Ropes of Boxing” (available on Amazon). Contact him on X @LukieBoxing.