Choi Hyun-mi


Choi Hyun-mi 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.

Biography

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. 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".
Choi entered the amateur ranks in South Korea in 2006, winning five domestic titles before turning professional. In her pro-debut on October 11, 2008, Choi became the first female and one of only six boxers ever to fight for a world title in their debut. She would join Pete Rademacher, Rafael Lovera, Joko Arter, Joves De La Puz & Arturo Mayan in accomplishing this feat and the first to actually win it. She would do this by beating Xu Chunyan of China to win vacant WBA featherweight title.
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. She was subsequently upgraded to full champion status.
She won the vacant WBF female super-featherweight World title on 21 May 2016, defeating South Africa's Unathi Myekeni by unanimous decision.
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.
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.

Professional boxing record

No.ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes
23Loss21–1–1Jessica CamaraSD10Apr 27, 2024Ajou University Suwon, South KoreaFor vacant WBA Gold lightweight title
22Win21–0–1María MadernaUD10Jul 15, 2023Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon, South Korea
21Win20–0–1Vanessa BradfordUD10Oct 19, 2022SK Olympic Handball Gymnasium, Seoul, South KoreaRetained WBA female super-featherweight title
20Win19–0–1Simone Aparecida da SilvaKO9, 1:15Sep 18, 2021Dongducheon Sports Center, Dongducheon, South KoreaRetained WBA female super-featherweight title
19Win18–0–1Calista SalgadoUD10Dec 18, 2020Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Hollywood, Florida, U.S.Retained WBA female super-featherweight title
18Win17–0–1Wakako FujiwaraUD10Jun 29, 2019East Incheon middle school, Incheon, South KoreaRetained WBA female super-featherweight title
17Win16–0–1Mayra Alejandra GomezUD10Jul 15, 2018Prince Hotel, Daegu, South KoreaRetained WBA female super-featherweight title
16Win15–0–1Jessica GonzalezTD6, 1:05Nov 18, 2017Seoun Park Tennis Gymnasium, Incheon, South KoreaRetained WBA female super-featherweight title
15Win14–0–1Kimika MiyoshiUD10Apr 15, 2017Siheung Gymnasium, Siheung, South KoreaRetained WBA female super-featherweight title
14Win13–0–1Unathi MyekeniUD10May 21, 2016Pearl Gymnasium, Jinju, South KoreaWon vacant WBF female super-featherweight title
13Win12–0–1Diana AyalaUD10Mar 27, 2016Gwangmyeong Cave, Gwangmyeong, South KoreaRetained WBA female super-featherweight title
12Win11–0–1Siriwan ThongmanitKO3 Dec 6, 2015Seogu Public Sports Center, Daegu, South Korea
11Win10–0–1Chika MizutaniUD10May 23, 2015Mungyeong Gymnasium, Mungyeong, South KoreaRetained WBA female super-featherweight title
10Win9–0–1Keanpetch SuperchampsTKO8, 1:19May 10, 2014SeoulTech, Seoul, South KoreaRetained WBA female super-featherweight title
9Win8–0–1Emiko RaikaUD10Aug 15, 2013Wolmido, South KoreaWon Interim WBA female super-featherweight title
8Win7–0–1Shannon O'ConnellUD10May 5, 2013KBS Sports World, Seoul, South KoreaRetained WBA female featherweight title
7Win6–0–1Rocio CastilloUD10May 4, 2012KBS Sports World, Seoul, South KoreaRetained WBA female featherweight title
6Win5–0–1Sainumdoi SuperchampsTKO5, 1:19Dec 17, 2011SeoulTech, Seoul, South KoreaRetained WBA female featherweight title
5Win4–0–1Sandy TsagourisKO3, 1:39Apr 29, 2011Chungeui Temple, Yesan Gun, South KoreaRetained WBA female featherweight title
4Win3–0–1Claudia Andrea LópezSD10Apr 30, 2010Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, South KoreaRetained WBA female featherweight title
3Win2–0–1Tenku TsubasaUD10Nov 21, 2009Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, South KoreaRetained WBA female featherweight title
2Draw1–0–1Kim Hyo-minSD10May 30, 2009Seoul National [University of Science and Technology|SeoulTech], Seoul, South KoreaRetained WBA female featherweight title
1Win1–0Xu ChunyanUD10Oct 11, 2008Gymnasium, Jinan Gun, South KoreaWon vacant WBA female featherweight title