Choi Hyun-mi (Korean최현미; born November 7, 1990) is a South Korean female professional boxer. She is a two-weight world champion, having held the WBA female super-featherweight title from 2013 to 2023 and previously the WBA female featherweight title from 2008 to 2013.[1]

Choi Hyun-mi
Choi Hyun-mi boxer
Born (1990-11-07) November 7, 1990 (age 33)
Pyongyang, North Korea[1]
Nationality
  • South Korean (since 2004)
  • North Korean (until 2004)
Other namesDefector Girl Boxer[1]
Statistics
Weight(s)Featherweight, Super-featherweight, Lightweight
Height170 cm (5 ft 7 in)[1]
Reach166 cm (65 in)[1]
StanceOrthodox[1]
Boxing record[2]
Total fights23
Wins21
Wins by KO5
Losses1
Draws1

Biography

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At age 13, Choi was asked to prepare to compete in the 2008 Olympics as a member of the North Korean team; eventually the International Olympic Committee decided against including women's boxing in the competition.[3] In 2004 her father, a successful businessman in North Korea, fled the country, followed by his family, who traveled first through China, then were smuggled through Vietnam before settling in South Korea, where Choi's promoters advertised her as the "Defector Girl Boxer".[3]

Choi entered the amateur ranks in South Korea in 2006, winning five domestic titles before turning professional.[3] In her pro-debut on October 11, 2008, Choi won the vacant WBA female featherweight World championship by beating Xu Chunyan of China.[3]

Choi won the vacant interim WBA female super-flyweight title thanks to a unanimous decision win over Emiko Raika from Japan on 15 August 2013.[4] She was subsequently upgraded to full champion status.[5] [6]

She won the vacant WBF female super-featherweight World title on 21 May 2016, defeating South Africa's Unathi Myekeni by unanimous decision.[7]

In December 2023, the WBA made Choi "Champion in Recess" after she filed a medical exemption and was ruled unfit to defend her title by the sanctioning body’s annual convention in Orlando, Florida, USA.[5]

After 22 fights unbeaten spanning almost 16 years, Choi suffered the first defeat of her professional boxing career on 27 April 2024, losing to Canada's Jessica Camara by split decision in a contest for the vacant WBA female lightweight Gold title at Ajou University, Suwon, South Korea.[8] [9]

Professional boxing record

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23 fights 21 wins 1 loss
By knockout 5 0
By decision 16 1
Draws 1
No. Result Record Opponent Type Round, time Date Location Notes
23 Loss 21–1–1   Jessica Camara SD 10 Apr 27, 2024   Ajou University Suwon, South Korea Lost challenge for the vacant WBA female lightweight Gold title
22 Win 21–0–1   Maria Elena Maderna UD 10 Jul 15, 2023   Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon, South Korea
21 Win 20–0–1   Vanessa Bradford UD 10 Oct 19, 2022   SK Olympic Handball Gymnasium Seoul, South Korea Retained WBA female super-featherweight title
20 Win 19–0–1   Simone Aparecida da Silva KO 9 (10), 1:15 Sep 18, 2021   Dongducheon Sports Center Dongducheon, South Korea Retained WBA female super-featherweight title
19 Win 18–0–1   Calista Salgado UD 10 Dec 18, 2020   Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood, Florida, U.S. Retained WBA female super-featherweight title
18 Win 17–0–1   Wakako Fujiwara UD 10 Jun 29, 2019   East Incheon middle school, Incheon, South Korea Retained WBA female super-featherweight title
17 Win 16–0–1   Mayra Alejandra Gomez UD 10 Jul 15, 2018   Prince Hotel, Daegu, South Korea Retained WBA female super-featherweight title
16 Win 15–0–1   Jessica Gonzalez TD 6 (10), 1:05 Nov 18, 2017   Seoun Park Tennis Gymnasium, Incheon, South Korea Retained WBA female super-featherweight title
15 Win 14–0–1   Kimika Miyoshi UD 10 Apr 15, 2017   Siheung Gymnasium, Siheung, South Korea Retained WBA female super-featherweight title
14 Win 13–0–1   Unathi Myekeni UD 10 May 16, 2016   Jinju Arena, Jinju, South Korea Won vacant WBF female super-featherweight title
13 Win 12–0–1   Diana Ayala UD 10 Mar 27, 2016   Gwangmyeong Cave, Gwangmyeong, South Korea Retained WBA female super-featherweight title
12 Win 11–0–1   Siriwan Thongmanit KO 3 (10) Dec 6, 2015   Seogu Public Sports Center, Daegu, South Korea
11 Win 10–0–1   Chika Mizutani UD 10 May 23, 2015   Mungyeong Gymnasium, Mungyeong, South Korea Retained WBA female super-featherweight title
10 Win 9–0–1   Keanpetch Superchamps TKO 8 (10), 1:19 May 10, 2014   Seoul National University of Science and Technology, Seoul, South Korea Retained WBA female super-featherweight title
9 Win 8–0–1   Emiko Raika UD 10 Aug 15, 2013   Wolmido, Incheon, South Korea Won WBA interim female super-featherweight title
8 Win 7–0–1   Shannon O'Connell UD 10 May 5, 2013   KBS Sports World, Seoul, South Korea Retained WBA female featherweight title
7 Win 6–0–1   Rocio Castillo UD 10 May 4, 2012   KBS Sports World, Seoul, South Korea Retained WBA female featherweight title
6 Win 5–0–1   Sainumdoi Superchamps TKO 5 (10), 1:19 Dec 17, 2011   Seoul National University of Science and Technology, Seoul, South Korea Retained WBA female featherweight title
5 Win 4–0–1   Sandy Tsagouris KO 3 (10), 1:39 Apr 29, 2011   Chungeui Temple, Yesan Gun, South Korea Retained WBA female featherweight title
4 Win 3–0–1   Claudia Andrea Lopez SD 10 Apr 30, 2010   Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, South Korea Retained WBA female featherweight title
3 Win 2–0–1   Tenku Tsubasa UD 10 Nov 21, 2009   Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, South Korea Retained WBA female featherweight title
2 Draw 1–0–1   Kim Hyo-min SD 10 May 30, 2009   Seoul National Univ. of Technology, Seoul, South Korea Retained WBA female featherweight title
1 Win 1–0   Xu Chunyan UD 10 Oct 11, 2008   Gymnasium, Jinan Gun, South Korea Won vacant WBA female featherweight title

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f "Boxrec profile of Hyun Mi Choi". Boxrec.com. Retrieved 2024-05-21.
  2. ^ "Boxing record for Choi Hyun-mi". BoxRec.
  3. ^ a b c d Sang-Hun, Choe (26 October 2008). "New York Times, 10-26-08". New York Times.com. Retrieved 2008-10-26.
  4. ^ "Hyun Mi Choi vs Fujin Raika". boxrec.com. Retrieved 2024-05-21.
  5. ^ a b "Alycia Baumgardner-Hyun Mi Choi: WBA Reorders Junior Lightweight Championship Fight". Boxing Scene. Retrieved 2024-05-21.
  6. ^ "WBA orders Hyun-Mi Choi-Alycia Baumgardner title fight". ESPN. Retrieved 2024-05-21.
  7. ^ "Fight Results May 2016". womenboxing.com. Retrieved 2024-05-21.
  8. ^ "Camara is the new WBA Gold Champion". wbaboxing.com. Retrieved 2024-05-10.
  9. ^ "Hyun Mi Choi vs Jessica Camara". boxrec.com. Retrieved 2024-05-10.

Notes

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