Last January, Samantha (Scott) Pill was named champion in the women’s middleweight division at the 37^th Annual Budweiser Toughman Contest at Clarksburg’s Nathan Goff Armory. She claimed that victory in two fights – one with a knockout and the other in a unanimous 6-0 decision.

 

She’s back in action at this year’s contest.

 

“I’m so excited. It seems like forever,” said the six-foot, 155-pound Pill, Lincoln High School graduate and 10-year employee of the United Hospital Center emergency room.

 

Pill’s last fight was April 22, when she faced and defeated strong area competitor Haley Bishop at the Rumble in the Rec event at Fairmont State University; her first experience in going two-minute rounds.

 

“I was a little nervous for a longer fight, working at a different pace,” she said. “It was a very rough and tough fight and Haley has a lot of grit.”

 

The fight went all three rounds. Pill won by unanimous decision of the judges.

 

The fight was a great opportunity for Pill, who since then has worked to improve her weaknesses and condition for longer fights. She said she’s always looking for a new opportunity – and a new opponent.

 

“I like the idea of facing new opponents – from other places and with different views and styles,” she said. “Everyone fights different and styles make fights. I look forward to the next one.”

 

In the featured fight at the 38^th Annual Toughman, Pill will face Laura Byrns from southern West Virginia.

 

“I think she might be my first opponent who also has kids,” said 29-year-old Pill, the mother of 7-year-old Collen and 4-year-old Remy. “So I have huge respect for her. I know she is working as hard as I am. We’re both doing something we enjoy, so I look forward to getting that chance."

Byrns is of much smaller stature than Pill - who, has in the industry been nicknamed "LeggZ." But size is certainly not the only thing that matters. In fact, Pill said she wants to be known for more than just her lengthy limbs. 

 

“I’ve changed my style since I was last in the ring. I’ve learned a lot and I’m building very much on my foundation and I think it’s changed a lot of my style.”

 

She said she has been able to alter her orientation and movements by sparring in the ring with some pretty experienced people with whom she has trained.

 

“Each time I get the chance to grow and learn from my opponents,” she said. “I want people to notice something different from me every time I fight. I am constantly learning.”

 

In addition to last year’s Toughman, Pill took part in the 2015 contest in Elkins, defeating Sam Kimbrel in the women’s middleweight division. Though that was also a good experience and a step in the ladder to her career, Pill said she especially likes the annual Clarksburg contest, held at the Nathan Goff Armory.

 

“It’s such a big show – the biggest of Jerry Thomas’s shows,” she said. “It’s a big venue and always a packed house with people coming year after year.”

 

Pill’s fight will take place the second night of the tournament, Jan. 28. There’s no set time, but it will likely precede the men’s heavyweight title fight. If she defeats her opponent, she will be awarded a championship belt, rather than a jacket, she said.

 

She said she actually prefers a featured fight with a set opponent.

 

“Otherwise, it’s pot luck. You weigh in and you’re matched with people who up randomly,” she said. “If you win the first night, you go to the second night so it’s a waiting game and you don’t really know until you get there. This way, you have a little more time to prepare and there’s not really as much suspense. Especially with the women’s division, some opponents don’t even show up.”

 

That very scenario happened in the 2015 Clarksburg Toughman.

Pill was signed up to fight the middleweight division, but didn’t have an opponent.

 

She also regularly participates in 5K runs and other area races and continues to train at her Oak Dale home and farm, where she and her husband Jesse and their kids live and raise animals including chickens, goats and horses.

 

“I still have the heavy bag in my basement that I use more frequently when I get closer to a fight, so for the last two weeks I’ve been doing two-a-day sessions at home and sessions at the gym.

 

In the late-summer of 2016, Pill underwent some physical therapy for a shoulder injury.

 

“It wasn’t specifically related to boxing, but Mountain State Physical Therapy in Shinnston has rebuilt me,” she said. “I feel much stronger now than before.”

 

Pill said her day job as an ER nurse has somewhat curtailed her recent training time.

 

“It’s flu season so I’ve been pretty busy, committed to more shifts,” she said. “I’ve also picked up some extra hours because my husband recently went back to school.”

 

Pill continues to work with trainer Keith Barr who will be in her corner next Saturday night. Husband Jesse and various members of her family and support team will be there in her support. Toughman isn’t the right setting for her children, but she will be sharing some video clips with them, she said.

“I’m just super excited about it,” she said. “It’s very important to me that they all be proud of me and my so-called hobby.”

 

Pill said she tries not to look too far into the future, but she feels that women’s boxing is making a comeback.

 

“Claressa Shields won her second gold medal and Showtime just aired the first women’s pro fight for the first time in almost 10 years,” she said. “I look forward to continuing to be active in this sport and hopefully at some point help local kids who want to participate and learn, as well.”

 

This past fall, Pill had the opportunity to meet and mingle with pro boxer – and Mullins, WV native Christy Martin, further fueling her fire for the sport.

 

“She was very encouraging and motivating to me,” Pill said.

 

Known as “The Coal Miner’s Daughter,” Martin, too, got her start at a West Virginia Toughman Contest. 

 

Read the February 2016 story about Samantha Pill, which includes more about her boxing background  HERE.

 

Editor's Note: Pictured from top are Pill and her Jan. 28 Toughman opponent Laura Byrnes; Pill getting instruction from Keith Barr and Eric Lopez at the 2016 Rumble in the Rec; Pill with family (left to right) dad Joe, husband Jesse, brother Justin, uncle Fred and mom Pam; Pill sparring at Ground Zero in Morgantown with friend Callie; Pill with Eric Lopez and Keith Barr; Pill helping with 4-year-old daughter Remy do pull-ups; Pill with Christy "The Coal Miner's Daughter" Martin and Pill with 7-year-old son Collen, practicing combinations.