Garside began boxing as an amateur in Duncan, British Columbia, Canada after seeing Christy Martin fight Deirdre Gogarty on a Mike Tyson undercard in March 1996. Jeannine was the British Columbia champion in 1998 and 1999 and was named British Columbia Boxer of the Year in 1998.
On January 24, 1999, in the 57 kg final of the 1999 Canadian National Championships held in Sudbury, Ontario Jeannine defeated Danielle Bouchard of Quebec by a 5-3 score to win her first national title and earn a place on the Canadian National Women's Boxing team that would soon pit her against some of the best female fighters in the world at her weight.
On December 4, 1999 in the 57 kg final of the 2000 Canadian National Championships at the Sportsplex in Campbell River, British Columbia, Jeannine defeated Michelle Collins of Alberta by an 11-1 score.
Jeannine tore an ACL in her knee during a touch football game in 2000 and this injury required reconstructive surgery. Undeterred, Jeannine returned to the ring and on January 27, 2001 in the 57 kg final of the 2001 Canadian National Championships in Cap-de-la-Madelaine, Quebec, she defeated Wendy Broad of Quebec by an 11-4 score and was voted the tournament's Best Boxer.
Jeannine began boxing at the Border City Boxing Club where Margaret Sidoroff and Josh Canty have trained her since 2001.
At the Canadian National Senior Championships in St. Catharines, Ontario in January 2002, Jeannine won her fourth straight 57 kg national title with an RSC-2 win over Angie Collins of Ontario.
On August 29, 2002 in Kansas City, Missouri Jeannine won a unanimous decision over USA Champion Jennifer Han of El Paso, Texas in the Women's 126 lb division.
On September 2, 2002 in the 126-lb final of the Ringside National Tournament in Kansas City, Missouri, Jeannine knocked out Sharon Gaines of Belleville, Washington, USA in the third round.
Jeannine finished her amateur boxing career with an impressive 40-5 record.
Data
age 31
division featherweight
height 5′ 5½″ / 166cm
nationality Canada
won 8 (KO 3) + lost 3 (KO 0) + drawn 1 = 12
rounds boxed 90 KO% 25
