LFA flyweight Chey Bowers returns to action on Friday at LFA 217 in Prior Lake, Minnesota against Maritza Sanchez on the main card.
Bowers (6-2) is the former interim LFA flyweight champion. A title she lost in January at LFA 200 in what can only be described as a very close controversial split decision loss.
‘The Boss’ had to put in a bit of work to get past the loss she believed she didn’t earn.
“I definitely lingered on it maybe a couple weeks. I actually work with a sports psychologist so I booked a session with her right away and was like we need to talk about this,” Bowers told Cageside Press.
“She helped me work through some things and just kind of like figure out what all of my emotions were kind of doing. Deep down I still believe I won the fight, but at the end of the day it comes down to making three specific people believe that I won that fight.”
Bowers doesn’t hold anything against her opponent that night, Shannon Clark, but the lack of activity from the champion is annoying to say the least. Clark has not fought since LFA 200. Bowers fought four months later scoring a first round submission victory over Elizabeth Rodriguez at LFA 207.
“I didn’t do my job that night. I think for me the only frustrating thing I have left about that whole situation is that Shannon has yet to fight since then. I’m trying to hopefully get another one in before the end of the year,” she said.
Now Bowers faces Sanchez on the main card of LFA 217 on Friday night. Always looking to improve throughout her career Bowers put together a very professional camp for this fight.
“My training has always been top notch. I’m not putting any less time now than I ever have, but the nutrition, the sleep, the recovery, the sports psych. I’m fine-tuning all of these things so I feel like mentally, physically, emotionally, I’m just continuing to improve each camp,” she said.
That doesn’t mean she doesn’t have a bone to pick with some of the critics. With a 6-2 record 5 of those wins were finishes with only one decision to her name. The label of ‘boring fighter’ does not sit well with Bowers.
“On the other side I feel like even though I’ve built this stellar reputation of lost of finishes against high-level opponents, there’s still a lot of disrespect out there. I feel like a lot of people still kind of call me a boring fighter or they just don’t think I have what it takes to get to the next level,” said Bowers.
“I kind of feel like this is my Contender Series fight even though it’s not. We’re both 6-2, we’re both right on the cusp. Whether that’s UFC or PFL, whoever that major league is, I’m kind of viewing this as my Contender Series.”
With the big leagues up next for Bowers she’s focusing on this fight with Sanchez and scoring a victory. Whether it comes by finish or an entertaining three-round war, ‘The Boss’ is coming for it all.
“Coming in with that same aggression. We’re shooting for a first round tap out. If not you can expect so gritty inside boxing for three rounds,” she said.
Watch the entire interview with Chey Bowers above. She takes on Maritza Sanchez at LFA 217 on Friday night in Prior Lake, Minnesota.
