{{Short description|Canadian boxer (born 1989)}} {{Infobox boxer | name = Melinda Watpool | image = | image_size = | image_border = | alt = | caption = | real_name = | nickname = The Whip<ref name=watpool/> | weight = Middleweight, Super-middleweight | height = 5ft 8ins<ref name=watpool/> | reach = | birth_name = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1989|4|30|df=y}}<ref name=watpool>{{cite web|url=https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/fighters/348394-melinda-watpool|title=Melinda Watpool|publisher=tapology.com|accessdate=26 May 2025}}</ref> | birth_place = Ontario, Canada<ref name=watpool/> | death_date = | death_place = | style = Orthodox | boxrec = 867562 | total = 8 | wins = 7 | KO = 2 | losses = 1 | draws = | no contests = | website = }}
'''Melinda Watpool''' (born 30 April 1989) is a Canadian professional boxer who has challenged for the WBO female super-middleweight title. As an amateur she represented her country at two World Championships.
==Career== After an amateur career featuring more than 60 bouts including representing Canada at two World Championships,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://georginapost.com/2022/08/23/local-boxing-standout-set-to-fight-first-professional-bout/|title=Local boxing standout set to fight first professional bout|publisher=Georgina Post|accessdate=26 May 2025}}</ref> Watpool turned professional in 2022.<ref name=melinda>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/opinion-morgan-campbell-melinda-watpool-boxing-netflix-boxing-1.7376286|title='A lot of eyeballs': Canada's Watpool and Bahdi aim to capitalize on Friday's Paul vs. Tyson spectacle|publisher=CBC|accessdate=26 May 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://bigfightweekend.com/news/melinda-watpool-exclusive-interview-tyson-paul-undercard/|title=Exclusive Interview: Melinda Watpool Eyes WBO Title Glory on Tyson-Paul Undercard|publisher=Big Fight Weekend|accessdate=26 May 2025}}</ref>
With a perfect record of six wins from six pro-fights, she defeated Natasha Spence via unanimous decision at Pickering Casino Resort in Pickering, Ontario, to claim the vacant WBA female International middleweight title on 20 September 2024.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wbaboxing.com/boxing-news/watpool-beats-spence-in-canada|title=Watpool beats Spence in Canada |publisher=wbaboxing.com|accessdate=26 May 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://georginapost.com/2024/09/22/watpool-wins-wba-title-fight-at-pickering-casino/|title=Watpool wins WBA title fight at Pickering Casino|publisher=Georgina Post|accessdate=26 May 2025}}</ref>
Moving up a weight division, she faced Shadasia Green for the vacant WBO female super-middleweight title on the undercard of the Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson contest at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on 15 November 2024.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.co.uk/boxing/story/_/id/41852780/shadasia-green-melinda-watpool-title-bout-added-paul-tyson-card|title=Shadasia Green-Melinda Watpool title bout added to Paul-Tyson card|publisher=ESPN|accessdate=26 May 2025}}</ref> Watpool lost by split decision with one ringside judge scoring the fight 96–94 in her favour, while the other two had it 97–94 and 96–94 respectively for her opponent.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.boxingscene.com/articles/bruce-carrington-dominates-shadasia-green-takes-vacant-title|title=Bruce Carrington dominates, Shadasia Green takes vacant title|publisher=Boxing Scene|accessdate=26 May 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://bigfightweekend.com/recaps/shadasia-green-bruce-carrington-win-on-paul-tyson-undercard/|title=Shadasia Green Crowned Champion in Close Affair With Melinda Watpool|publisher=Big Fight Weekend|accessdate=26 May 2025}}</ref>
==Personal life== Away from boxing, Watpool co-owns a hardware store in the Pefferlaw community in Georgina, Ontario.<ref name=melinda/>
==Professional boxing record== {{BoxingRecordSummary |draws= |nc= |ko-wins=2 |ko-losses= |dec-wins=5 |dec-losses=1 |dq-wins= |dq-losses= }} {|class=wikitable style=text-align:center |- !{{abbr|No.|Number}} !Result !Record !Opponent !Type !Round, time !Date !Location !Notes |- |8 |{{no2}}Loss |7–1 |align=left|Shadasia Green |{{abbr|SD|Split decision}} |10 |15 Nov 2024 |style="text-align:left;"|{{small|AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, USA}} |style="text-align:left;"|{{small|For vacant WBO female super-middleweight title}} |- |7 |{{yes2}}Win |7–0 |align=left|Natasha Spence |UD |10 |20 Sep 2024 |style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Pickering Casino Resort, Pickering Ontario, Canada}} |style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Won vacant WBA female International middleweight title}} |- |6 |{{yes2}}Win |6–0 |align=left|Adriana Dos Santos Araujo |UD |8 |13 Apr 2024 |style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Pickering Casino Resort, Pickering, Ontario, Canada}} | |- |5 |{{yes2}}Win |5–0 |align=left|Natasha Spence |UD |6 |2 Dec 2023 |style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Pickering Casino Resort, Pickering,,Ontario, Canada}} | |- |4 |{{yes2}}Win |4–0 |align=left|Patricia Gonzalez |UD |8 |9 Sep 2023 |style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Pickering Casino Resort, Pickering, Ontario, Canada}} | |- |3 |{{yes2}}Win |3–0 |align=left|Angelica Lopez Flores |{{abbr|RTD|Corner retirement}} |4 (6), {{small|3:00}} |27 May 2023 |style="text-align:left;"|{{small|CAA Centre, Brampton, Ontario, Canada}} | |- |2 |{{yes2}}Win |2–0 |align=left|Sofia Cervantes Leos |{{abbr|TKO|Technical knockout}} |1 (4), {{small|0:47}} |28 Jan 2023 |style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Pickering Casino Resort, Pickering, Ontario, Canada}} | |- |1 |{{yes2}}Win |1–0 |align=left|Silvia Silva Barraza |{{abbr|UD|Unanimous decision}} |4 |9 Sep 2022 |style="text-align:left;"|{{small|CAA Centre, Brampton, Ontario, Canada}} | |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Watpool, Melinda}} Category:Living people Category:1989 births Category:Middleweight boxers Category:Super-middleweight boxers Category:Canadian women boxers Category:21st-century Canadian sportswomen Category:Sportswomen from Ontario