Boxer Mariah Bahe wins 2016 Ringside World Championship title

FRUITLAND, N.M.

Winning a world title unopposed isn’t exactly what Mariah Bahe hoped for when she entered the 2016 Ringside World Championships.

But it didn’t matter how she won, just that she did.

“I should have fought for it instead of just going right through it,” Bahe said. “But I worked hard for it and I was in it for my grandpa.”

The work Bahe put into earning her first world title, that ranks her No.1 in her division, started long before this season. It was Bahe’s fourth appearance at the event held in Independence, Missouri in late July.

Her father and coach, John C. Bahe, Jr., who coaches the Damon-Bahe Boxing Team out of Chinle said it was a long time coming for his daughter.

He said just because she went unopposed, it doesn’t mean she didn’t earn the title. He said the times she fought at Ringside World she came close, but little mistakes got in her way.

“It’s a long-deserve fight because the three times she went before, to me, she should have won all three of those bouts,” he said.

“She would have won it regardless; she worked hard. For her to win this year, it’s real big for me because it’s my daughter, my only daughter. I’m very happy and proud of her,” he said.

The win earned Mariah her ninth belt. She said her recent one is the one that stands out the most because it is the smallest.

Each belt means something special to Mariah. They remind her of the work she put in and of why she boxes in the first place.

Her grandfather J. Cal Bahe helped coach boxing and kept it alive on the reservation, and she simply wants to carry that on.

She said it’s frustrating at times to win unopposed but when she looks into her room at her hardware, she is reminded that nothing went unearned.

“It’s still exciting because I have another belt,” she said.

While winning her first Ringside World title was exciting, nothing made Mariah happier than competing alongside family.

Her brother James Bahe, 14, also competed and finished the reserve champion in his division.

James defeated the No. 6 ranked boxer in the nation from Texas, before moving on to meet his competition from Ohio. Midway through the championship match, Bahe ended the fight due to injury.
He suffered a blow to the back of his head and decided the best thing to do was to stop the fight. He said he was proud of himself regardless.

“I didn’t want to continue, I might have gotten hurt,” James said. “But (overall) it was pretty good, it means a lot, I did it for my grandpa.”

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