Female Boxer Dies After Bout

Believed To Be First Woman In U.S. To Die In Sanctioned Amateur Fight

(CBS/AP)  A woman who won a regional boxing title three years ago died from a head injury sustained in a Golden Gloves competition. She is believed to be the first woman to die in a sanctioned amateur match in the U.S.

Becky Zerlentes, 34, of Fort Collins died Sunday afternoon, said Howard Daniel of the Denver County coroner's office. A preliminary cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head, but results from an autopsy conducted Monday were not immediately available.

Zerlentes was hit by a punch by her opponent, Heather Schmitz, and despite wearing protective headgear fell unconscious to the canvas during the third round of her match late Saturday, USA Boxing spokeswoman Julie Goldsticker.

The fatal blow, captured by CBS station KCNC-TV, shows a right hook landing on Zerlentes' left temple.

Ringside physicians jumped into the ring but Zerlentes never regained consciousness and died several hours later at a hospital.

Detectives from the Denver Police Department were reviewing videotape of the boxing match and so far detectives say nothing looks out of the ordinary.

"I am looking for at what point the fight was stopped," said Det. Tyrone Campbell. "I would have to review it a little further but at the time I don't see anything glaring."

Interviewed by the station shortly after the fight and before Zerlentes died, Schmitz said she felt horrible.

"You know, you don't go in there with the idea 'I want to hurt this person,' you go in there with the idea 'I want to win,'" Schmitz said.

"She came up to me, introduced herself, I introduced myself. She seemed friendly intelligent, respectful woman and we were friends instantly," Schmitz told KCNC.

Zerlentes, who had a 6-4 record, was married. She worked at as an instructor at Front Range Community College in Larimer County, teaching economics and geography.