Fil-Am boxer hopes to make mark in Mexican reality show

American-born Filipina boxer Crystal Hoy is looking to make a name for herself as she represents the Philippines on the first-ever female boxing reality show Todas Contra Mexico, which begins filming next week in Chiapas, Mexico. Hoy, whose professional record is 5-4-3 (2 KO), will fly south from her current training base in Las Vegas, NV to compete in the show, which is produced by MapiTV and hosted by female boxing star Maureen "The Real Million Dollar Baby" Shea. The show will be aired in Mexico and the United States, with some of the best female boxers from around the world facing a team of Mexican female boxers over a six-week period. "I feel confident, like now I can begin to display my skills and show the real me, not the 'watered-down' me," says the 30-year-old Hoy, whose mother is a native of Cebu, Philippines. "It's a great responsibility to represent the Philippines because we've got Nonito Donaire, Pacman (Manny Pacquiao), and even Ana Julaton and Elena Reid. I feel like this is an opportunity for me to push us further and be in against some of the best fighters in the world." "I'm very happy to have one of the females representing the Philippines on our show," said Shea, who is the current NABF female featherweight champion. "I think there is a lot of boxing talent in the Philippines. This is a country that has risen to its place in boxing on hard work and courage, and that says a lot about the character of its people." Hoy, who is now trained by Roger Mayweather, had a solid start to her career after relocating from her native Wichita, Kansas to Las Vegas to start her boxing career. Hoy started her career at 3-0-2, but was medically suspended in 2005 for a retinal tear. After career-saving surgery and battling it out with the commissions, Hoy was granted a license to fight again and couldn't have faced a tougher opponent in her first fight back. "I wasn't going to go in there and be anybody's opponent," said Hoy in reference to her 2008 NABF super-flyweight title match with 11-1 Monica Lovato in New Mexico. Hoy admittedly gave away the first half of the fight as she struggled to shed her ring rust, but scored two knockdowns in the seventh as she tried to rally down the stretch. Hoy lost a razor-thin eight-round decision. Hoy's career has been up and down since then, but with the help of this show, she hopes to show the true potential of Filipina boxers on the world stage. "My record doesn't really reflect my abilities, in my opinion," said Hoy. "The lack of experience sitting on the shelf for a little bit kinda ruined me, so I have to start over and this show is step one." – JVP, KY, GMA News