# Sumya Anani

Sumya Anani (born February 12, 1972) is a retired American professional female boxer nicknamed "The Island Girl." She was 5'6" and boxed as a junior welterweight. She is best known for a 1996 bout which left her opponent severely injured and may have served as an inspiration for the film Million Dollar Baby. Outside the ring, she is a yoga instructor and holistic healer.
Anani was born in Minnesota and raised in Kansas. She competed as a weightlifter in 1995 and 1996. She took up boxing for self-defense and started boxing professionally because she was "short on cash." She began to box professionally in the summer of 1996.
She began by boxing against relatively unknown opponents. Her fourth professional bout was in St. Joseph, Missouri against Katie Dallam, a novice welterweight who had only gotten her pro boxing license the day before — a pairing described as "an obvious mismatch." In four rounds she landed 119 blows to Dallam's head. Dallam collapsed in her dressing room afterward and required brain surgery. Anani was so upset she considered quitting boxing.
She came to prominence in the boxing world on September 30, 1997, when she defeated former WIBF lightweight champion Stacy Prestage by a knockout. On March 28, 1998 she scored "the sport's biggest upset" with a unanimous six-round decision over veteran Andrea DeShong, considered "the standard bearer for the sport." On December 18, 1998, she fought boxing star Christy Martin and won the match, handing Martin her first defeat since November 1989.
In 2016, Anani was inducted into the International Women's Boxing Hall of Fame in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The IWBHF was created and founded by Sue TL Fox.

## Professional boxing record

| 29 fights | 25 wins | 3 losses |
| By knockout | 10 | 0 |
| By decision | 15 | 3 |
| Draws | 1 | 1 |
| No. | Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round, time | Date | Location | Notes |
| 29 | Loss | 25–3–1 | Terri Blair | TKO | 9 (10) | May 27, 2006 | Louisville Gardens, Louisville, Kentucky, USA | For IBA Female welterweight title |
| 28 | Loss | 25–2–1 | Terri Blair | TKO | 10 (10) | Mar 25, 2006 | Grand Victoria Casino, Rising Sun, Indiana, USA | Lost IBA Female welterweight title |
| 27 | Win | 25–1–1 | Belinda Laracuente | UD | 10 | Jan 22, 2005 | Coushatta Casino Resort, Kinder, Louisiana, USA | Retained IBA Female welterweight title |
| 26 | Win | 24–1–1 | Stephanie Jaramillo | UD | 10 | Dec 4, 2004 | Municipal Auditorium, Kansas City, Missouri, USA | Retained IBA Female super lightweight title |
| 25 | Win | 23–1–1 | Lisa Holewyne | UD | 6 | Apr 24, 2004 | Staples Center, Los Angeles, California, USA | |
| 24 | Win | 22–1–1 | Fredia Gibbs | RTD | 1 (8) | Apr 18, 2003 | Palace Indian Gaming Center, Lemoore, California, USA | |
| 23 | Win | 21–1–1 | Lisa Holewyne | KO | 5 (10) | Nov 2, 2002 | The Palace, Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA | Won vacant IBA Female welterweight title |
| 22 | Win | 20–1–1 | Jane Couch | TKO | 4 (10) | Jun 21, 2002 | Convention Center, Waco, Texas, USA | Won vacant Female IBA super lightweight title |
| 21 | Win | 19–1–1 | Britt Van Buskirk | UD | 8 | Feb 1, 2002 | Coca-Cola Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA | |
| 20 | Draw | 18–1–1 | Fredia Gibbs | PTS | 10 | Nov 16, 2001 | Convention Center, Austin, Texas, USA | For vacant Female IBA super lightweight title |
| 19 | Win | 18–1 | Britt Van Buskirk | UD | 10 | Oct 20, 2001 | Seven Feathers Hotel & Casino Resort, Canyonville, Oregon, USA | Won vacant Female IBF and Global Boxing Union Female welterweight titles |
| 18 | Win | 17–1 | Elizabeth Mueller | UD | 10 | May 11, 2001 | Convention Center, Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA | Won vacant IBA Female lightweight title |
| 17 | Loss | 16–1 | Britt Van Buskirk | SD | 6 | Sep 17, 2000 | Harrah's Casino, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA | |
| 16 | Win | 16–0 | Vicki Woods | UD | 8 | Jun 25, 2000 | Majestic Star Casino, Gary, Indiana, USA | |
| 15 | Win | 15–0 | Dora Webber | UD | 10 | Jun 11, 1999 | Bossier City, Louisiana, USA | |
| 14 | Win | 14–0 | Dora Webber | UD | 8 | Mar 23, 1999 | KC Market Center, Kansas City, Missouri, USA | |
| 13 | Win | 13–0 | Denise Moraetes | UD | 8 | Mar 12, 1999 | Roseland Ballroom, New York, New York, USA | |
| 12 | Win | 12–0 | Christy Martin | MD | 10 | Dec 18, 1998 | Memorial Auditorium, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA | |
| 11 | Win | 11–0 | Alicia Sparks | TKO | 1 (6) | Sep 18, 1998 | Flamingo Casino, Kansas City, Missouri, USA | |
| 10 | Win | 10–0 | Andrea DeShong | UD | 6 | Mar 28, 1998 | KC Market Center, Kansas City, Missouri, USA | |
| 9 | Win | 9–0 | Loretta James | TKO | 1 (4) | Jan 31, 1998 | Convention Center, Des Moines, Iowa, USA | |
| 8 | Win | 8–0 | Charlotte Esparza | KO | 1 (4) | Nov 13, 1997 | Ramada Inn, Jefferson City, Missouri, USA | |
| 7 | Win | 7–0 | Stacey Prestage | KO | 4 (6) | Sep 30, 1997 | KC Market Center, Kansas City, Missouri, USA | |
| 6 | Win | 6–0 | Ashley Needham | UD | 4 | Apr 2, 1997 | Station Casino, Kansas City, Missouri, USA | |
| 5 | Win | 5–0 | Shelley Walden | TKO | 4 (4) | Mar 19, 1997 | Omaha, Nebraska, USA | |
| 4 | Win | 4–0 | Katherine Dallam | TKO | 4 (4) | Dec 11, 1996 | O'Fireman's Local 77, Saint Joseph, Missouri, USA | |
| 3 | Win | 3–0 | Valerie Almack | TKO | 2 (4) | Oct 16, 1996 | Beaumont Club, Kansas City, Missouri, USA | |
| 2 | Win | 2–0 | Jessica Breitfelder | UD | 4 | Aug 26, 1996 | Midnight Rodeo, Springfield, Missouri, USA | |
| 1 | Win | 1–0 | Jessica Breitfelder | UD | 4 | Aug 12, 1996 | Beaumont Club, Kansas City, Missouri, USA | |