A RING OF THEIR OWN.

Byline: Fred Shuster Staff Writer

The women float like butterflies and sting like, well, butterflies at a Thousand Oaks sports bar where chicks rule in friendly ``Foxy Boxing'' matches and fighters become fast friends.

Let's get ready to rumble!

When the clock at the Yucatan Sports Bar hits 10:30 p.m. on a recent Tuesday, Paul Schell, the DJ and resident girl-fight referee, clears the dance floor and calls out the night's first adversaries - LeeAnne Nelson, 24, and Tiffany Treadwell, 23.

They're just regular women out for a good time. The battling daughters of Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier have nothing to worry about.

Donning Everlast headgear and slipping on heavy, oversize yellow and red padded gloves, Nelson and Treadwell face off for three one-minute rounds of grappling so harmless only their egos are in any danger of bruising.

As the last round comes to a close, Nelson nudges Treadwell's shoulder and a loud whistle blows. Raising the hands of each contestant, Schell judges the winner based on the hoots and hollers of the beer-sipping crowd ringing the dance floor.

Nelson, a Westlake Village receptionist, is declared champ. Prizes include female-oriented gifts provided by local merchants - facials, waxes, health club memberships, pedicures.

``It's an adrenalin rush,'' Nelson says. ``You can really get your frustrations out having fun with boxing gloves.''

Adds Treadwell, who works at a Simi Valley car dealership, ``It's very, very exciting. There's all this noise and the music's loud and you're right in the center of it. I don't think anybody could really get hurt because the gloves are so heavy.''

So far, the clean, well-behaved suburban Yucatan is the only joint around to offer Foxy Boxing, an oddity that may be a twist on the rise of female kick-boxing, Tae Bo and regular boxing as mainstream exercise.

Or is this karaoke taken to painful new heights?

``Women like it because it's not sexist,'' insists Yucatan owner Robert Simonetti. ``It's equal time. The average woman can do this and have fun. That's one reason why it's so appealing.''

It's certainly caught on at the Yucatan, where Foxy Boxing draws crowds of 200 - quite an improvement over the usual Tuesday-night turnout of 50 drinkers, Simonetti said.

``The phone starts ringing off the hook in the afternoon,'' he says cheerily. ``They always say if you provide good entertainment people will come. I'm just blown away by this.''

Most agree on one thing - Foxy Boxing starring guys would get too macho.

``You put men out there and it could get real ugly,'' Schell said. ``The testosterone levels would be through the roof. It might start out as a good time, but eventually it might turn real and people could end up getting hurt.''

Foxy Boxing arrived in Thousand Oaks just weeks ago by way of Las Vegas, where Schell and Simonetti caught a demonstration at a convention for bar and club owners. It wasn't free. The initial outlay included $2,000 for the gloves, plus dough for a lawyer to draft a waiver each boxer signs absolving the Yucatan of potential liability.

The activity has taken off in Florida but hasn't yet made inroads in California night spots. It comes at a time when female boxing has achieved a higher profile, thanks in part to films like last year's ``Girlfight,'' in which a troubled teen finds respect at a gritty Brooklyn gym, eventually winning a championship for female boxers.

And have you noticed those (800) 4-BOXING billboards? That's to sign up for coed boxing at gyms all over town. Don't worry, couples, the idea is to hit the heavy bag, not each other.

Maybe this new acceptance for the sweet science is among the reasons Northridge nanny Shannon Frakes, 21, makes the drive to Thousand Oaks to pull on the comically large 9-pound gloves and unleash her inner Ali.

``I broke up with my boyfriend and need to get my aggression out,'' she explained. ``Last week, I didn't play by the rules and now nobody wants to fight me. But I'm a real nice girl. I don't have a temper, but if pushed, I'll get into it. I'm probably the strongest one here and that scares my opponents. I try and hug them and they get really worried. Like tonight, some girls in the bathroom said, 'Please don't fight me.' ''

After a 30-minute break while the bar moves $1.99 drinks and chicken tacos, fight No. 2 approaches. ``Are you ready for some boxing tonight?'' Schell asks as Motley Crue's ``Girls, Girls, Girls'' rises on the sound system. ``Let's get ready to rumble!''

He lays out the rules - no biting and kicking, and ``bras must stay on,'' he adds to yowls from the guys.

This time, it's Simi elementary school teacher Michele Barnett vs. Westlake administrator Jennifer Hassell. The whistle blows, the women start toward each other, meeting for a clinch.

Is it hug fest or slug fest?

``Sometimes, we need a rodeo clown to break 'em up,'' Schell jokes.

Barnett, 25, grabs the gold and the loudest yelps. It's her first and only time in the ring.

``I wouldn't do it again,'' she says later. ``I mean, it was fun and I made friends. And it's more fun than violent. But one time was enough.''

Hassell, 27, sums it up later as ``an experience. My arms were killing me the next day. I'd do it again.''

In another foxy bout, Westlake real estate worker Jessica Parkes, 24, meets Newbury Park dental student Mary Jane Pullins, 22. Parkes has fought twice before - and learned a valuable ring lesson.

``The first time I fought a friend and we were laughing so hard it was ridiculous,'' she said. ``She got in a couple of good licks and I lost. The thing is, you have to get a good start in the first round because the gloves are so heavy, you get pretty tired swinging.''

This time, Parkes won. Pullins, however, took it well.

``It's made me interested in the sport,'' the future dentist reflects. ``I've been watching it on TV and would even like to go see a fight in person sometime.

``But I don't think I'd like to try it for real.''

``FOXY BOXING''

Where: Yucatan Sports Bar, 3835 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks.

When: 10:30 p.m. Tuesdays.

Information: [phone].

CAPTION(S):

6 photos

Photo:

(1 -- cover -- color) FIGHT CLUB

When girls face off in the ring, they don't get the white -glove treatment

(2 -- color) 'The thing is, you have to get a good start in the first round because the gloves are so heavy, you get pretty tired swinging.'

- Jessica Parkes

(3 -- color) Parkes of Westlake, left, goes toe-to-toe with Mary Jane Pullins of Newbury Park at ``Foxy Boxing,'' held every Tuesday night at Yucatan Sports Bar in Thousand Oaks. Parkes won the relatively harmless donnybrook.

(4 -- 5 -- color) Yucatan DJ Paul Schell, above, declares LeeAnne Nelson, left, the victor of her foxy boxing match against Tiffany Treadwell. At left, Michele Barnett, left, and Jennifer Hassell battle.

(6 -- color) Bar patrons who have quadrupled in number since the matches began, choose the winner with their applause.

Gus Ruelas/Staff Photographer