Career
Emery had a significant amateur women"s boxing career, winning various state and national championships, sparking interest when she announced she was to become a professional. Her second bout was on January 6 of "98, when she met Cinthya Prouder. Emery suffered her first career defeat when outpointed by Prouder over four rounds.
On February 11, she met the very experienced Gloria Ramirez at Fort Worth, Texas, losing by a four-round split decision.
In March of that year, Emery traveled halfway across the Pacific, to meet Colleen Smith in a rematch, at Honolulu, Hawaii. She defeated Smith for a second time, this time by knockout in round three.
Next for Emery was Angelica Villain, on May 1, back in Emery"s home state. With a knockout 24 seconds into the first round, Emery scored one of the quickest wins in male or female boxing history.
Only seven days later, she made her Las Vegas debut, when she knocked out the highly touted Valerie Troike in three rounds.
That was Troike"s first career defeat, after six fights without a loss. That fight was also held in Las Vegas. Emery went to Worley, Idaho, a city where women"s boxing is a main attraction, to meet Theresa Arnold on November 23, and she lost a close, eight-round split decision (scores of 75-78, 75-77 and 77-76).
Curiously, this would be the last fight both for Emery and for Arnold, as the two rivals announced their retirement soon after the fight.
Sonya Emery compiled a lifetime record of five wins and four losses, with four wins by knockout. She was never KOed herself.