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
ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes29Loss25–3–1 Terri BlairTKO9 (10)May 27, 2006 28Loss25–2–1 Terri BlairTKO10 (10)Mar 25, 2006 27Win25–1–1 Belinda LaracuenteUD10Jan 22, 2005 26Win24–1–1 Stephanie JaramilloUD10Dec 4, 2004 25Win23–1–1 Lisa HolewyneUD6Apr 24, 2004 24Win22–1–1 Fredia GibbsRTD1 (8)Apr 18, 2003 23Win21–1–1 Lisa HolewyneKO5 (10)Nov 2, 2002 22Win20–1–1 Jane CouchTKO4 (10)Jun 21, 2002 21Win19–1–1 Britt Van BuskirkUD8Feb 1, 2002 20Draw18–1–1 Fredia GibbsPTS10Nov 16, 2001 19Win18–1 Britt Van BuskirkUD10Oct 20, 2001 18Win17–1 Elizabeth MuellerUD10May 11, 2001 17Loss16–1 Britt Van BuskirkSD6Sep 17, 2000 16Win16–0 Vicki WoodsUD8Jun 25, 2000 15Win15–0 Dora WebberUD10Jun 11, 1999 14Win14–0 Dora WebberUD8Mar 23, 1999 13Win13–0 Denise MoraetesUD8Mar 12, 1999 12Win12–0 Christy MartinMD10Dec 18, 1998 11Win11–0 Alicia SparksTKO1 (6)Sep 18, 1998 10Win10–0 Andrea DeShongUD6Mar 28, 1998 9Win9–0 Loretta JamesTKO1 (4)Jan 31, 1998 8Win8–0 Charlotte EsparzaKO1 (4)Nov 13, 1997 7Win7–0 Stacey PrestageKO4 (6)Sep 30, 1997 6Win6–0 Ashley NeedhamUD4Apr 2, 1997 5Win5–0 Shelley WaldenTKO4 (4)Mar 19, 1997 4Win4–0 Katherine DallamTKO4 (4)Dec 11, 1996 3Win3–0 Valerie AlmackTKO2 (4)Oct 16, 1996 2Win2–0 Jessica BreitfelderUD4Aug 26, 1996 1Win1–0 Jessica BreitfelderUD4Aug 12, 1996
See also List of female boxers
References
External links Sumya Anani at Awakening Fighters