5'1" bantamweight "The Heat" Mary Elizabeth Ortega born in Kansas City, Missouri, began her boxing career by competing in the amateurs.

Some of the highlights of her amateur career was winning the Missouri State Silver Gloves and Kansas City Golden Gloves twice, and in addition the junior Olympic regionals, going as far as female boxers were allowed to go in each tournament at this time in the sport. 

Ortega made her pro debut on July 14, 1997 in Kansas City, winning by a unanimous decision over Shelly Walden.  Ortega went on to box professionally up to 2014.  During her long veteran career she accumulated an impressive boxing record of 32-6-2 (9KO). 

Some of her highlights as a pro was when she fought in 2005,  at the Harrah's Hotel and Casino in North Kansas City, Missouri, and TKO'd Terri Moss  of Athens, Georgia at 1:40 in the second round of a scheduled 10-rounder winning the  IWBF Junior Flyweight world title. 

During Ortega's professional boxing career she was ranked with the top female boxers worldwide with WBAN and other world ratings.  WBAN had her ranked in the top ten in the world for many years.