Woman boxer knows potential

      Cynthia Prouder doesn't have a large boxing resume, but that doesn't mean she's inexperienced.
      The 33-year-old Prouder has just one fight to her credit, a four-round unanimous decision over Albuquerque, N.M.'s Odilia Rodriguez, the woman she fights on a six-bout card tonight at 7:30 at Arizona Charlie's.
      This is more, however, than a battle of two fighters in their second professional bout. Prouder, who owns a karate studio in Los Angeles, is a six-time former world champion in different professional karate organizations.
      She has been sparring, training and fighting in either kick boxing, karate or boxing for nearly half her life.
      "Oooh, I couldn't say, but I know it's been a lot," Prouder said when asked how many fights she's had. "I've been doing this a long time."
      Competing in karate and kick boxing may be gratifying, but it can't compare to boxing when it comes to earning potential and notoriety. Christy Martin recently signed a lucrative contract with promoter Don King and women's bouts are gaining increased attention nationwide.
      Prouder said the chance to follow in Martin's footsteps and earn a large purse is attractive, but it's not the sole reason she turned to boxing. Her brother, Alvin, made the transition several years ago and it is something she has long considered.
      The problem has been that until recently, promoters and trainers haven't been particularly interested in women boxers.
      "Before (Martin) and all these other girls came along, promoters just weren't willing to promote women boxers," she said. "It was hard to stay busy and hard to have fights. They looked at it as more of a game, than anything. My trainer, he'd say, `I'll try to fit you in,' after he was done with his guys. That's discouraging.
      "I'm sure that happened to a lot of the girls out there. I've talked to some who did it before and they said that it was always treated like it was a joke or something. They weren't treated the same as the men, they didn't get paid the same and they didn't get the same glory. From what they told me, you had to do it because you loved it because there wasn't any (fame or money) in it."
      But women's bouts are becoming increasing popularity. The first fight between Prouder and Rodriguez, at Reseda Country Club in Reseda, Calif., brought the fans to their feet.
      And Prouder, who said she spars frequently with men, said tonight's bout promises to be just as entertaining.
      "She's a good fighter and I think for sure she's going to come straight forward, full blast," Prouder said. "That's her style of fighting and that kind of fight tends to get people into it. I've worked very hard and I think I can mix in a little boxing and some punching. I don't have to go boom, boom, boom all the time, but if the opportunity is there, I'll take it.
      "I've worked hard on my skills and I think now, I'm a lot more ready to go in and take advantage of the situation. I understand what needs to be done."
      In other bouts tonight, Roberto Cobos takes on Steve Quinonez in a 10-round lightweight bout; Pierre Karam and Juan Mesa meet in a six-round super middleweight bout; Frank Williams and Casey Evans square off in a six-round middleweight affair; Mark Chang and Jason Hall face off in a four-round lightweight bout and in a four-round heavyweight match, Sherman Williams takes on Alex Desir.