Lucia Rijker
Unbeaten as a pro in kickboxing and boxing
- Born
- December 6, 1967, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Nationality
Netherlands- Height
- 168 cm (5′6″)
- Stance
- Orthodox
- Style
- Orthodox power puncher
- Weight
- Super Lightweight, Welterweight
- Active
- 1982–1994, 1996–2004
- Status
- Retired · age 58
The record
Wikipedia infobox; the article text, the International Women's Boxing Hall of Fame and WBAN give 36-0 (25 KO). A 1994 exhibition knockout loss to male Muay Thai fighter Somchai Jaidee is not counted. Pro boxing 17-0 (14 KO). record
The story
ucia Rijker grew up in Amsterdam doing judo, softball and fencing before taking up kickboxing at 15. As a teenager she knocked out American champion Lilly Rodriguez, Benny Urquidez's sister, in about 30 seconds, and she went on to hold WKA and ISKA women's world titles until 1994 without a professional loss. In 1996 she switched to boxing in the United States, worked with trainer Freddie Roach and won all 17 of her pro fights, 14 by knockout, including world titles at super lightweight. A 2005 fight with Christy Martin was cancelled when she ruptured an Achilles tendon. The press called her the most dangerous woman in the world, and in 2019 she was among the first women elected to the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
- WKA women's world champion (1985–1994)
- ISKA women's world champion (1989–1994)
- IWBA women's world champion (1988–1989)
- WIBF super lightweight world champion (1997, boxing)
- WIBO junior welterweight world champion (1998, boxing)
- International Women's Boxing Hall of Fame (2014)
- International Boxing Hall of Fame (elected 2019)
Defining fights
- 1984WINvs Lilly Rodriguez (KO in 30 seconds, kickboxing)
- 1998WINvs Marcela Acuña (KO 5, boxing)
- 2003WINvs Jane Couch (unanimous decision, boxing)
- 2004WINvs Deborah Fettkether (unanimous decision, boxing, final bout)
Keep your punches straight and compact, turn the hips on every cross, and use the jab to line up the power hand instead of searching for one big shot, the boxing base Rijker brought to kickboxing.
1977–2000
1976–1995
