USD Magazine, Spring 2004

by Krystn Shrieve N oc long after giving birch co twin daughters, Mary Lehman '9 1 (J.D.) , anxious co gee back into shape, went co che gym look– ing for an aerobics class. Instead, she stumbled into a kickbox– ing class and gave it a shoe. Little did she know it would change her life. Lehman loved kick– boxing so much, she decided co cry traditional boxing. Seven years lacer, the 40-year-old San Diego appeals attorney not only is one of about 2,000 female boxers in the United Scates, she's undefeated and ranked No. 12 in che world in her 118-pound weight class. "I don't do anything halfway," says Lehman, who decided co go pro after winning her only amateur fight. "I got into the sport suiccly for fimess. Then I thought it would be fun ro spar. Then I thought ic would be fun co be in one amateur fight. Once I started, I just kept going." Lehman wasn't roo surprised when the boxing bug bit her. The self-described tomboy grew up in a home where her parents empha– sized academics, bur she always found time for spores. As an under-

graduate at Sc. John's College in Santa Fe, N.M., Lehman was a full– back - and the only woman - on the men's soccer team. Over the years, she worked on a ski patrol and search-and-rescue unit, climbed mountains, ran marathons and cook up dire biking. When she decided ro add boxing co her list of accomplishments, she recruited the help of trainer Paul "The Ultimate" Vaden, a San Diego native and former world junior middleweight champion. "Mary e-mailed me on Labor Day 2000 and said she wanted co cake things co che next level, and chat her goal was co compete in one amateur fight, " says Vaden, who holds the highest winning percent– age in amateur boxing history. "I realized, after working with her, char she had a true passion for boxing, char she respected che arc and wanted co be good at it. She was so willing and, lee me cell you, she worked crazy hard." Yaden had her in the gym four rimes a week for two- and three– hour sessions of jumping rope, shadow boxing, sparring, hitting the

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