Emiko Raika

Emiko Raika (来家 恵美子, born January 24, 1975 in Kyoto, Japan) is a Japanese female professional boxer and mixed martial artist.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]} The former WIBA Featherweight Champion of the World, Raika is considered one of the greatest Japanese female boxers of all time.^[7]

Although more Japanese women have taken up traditionally male sports such as karate, kickboxing and wrestling in recent years, many in Japan still believe that women should not box, because of the injury risk. Raika, who has suffered a broken nose and an eye socket fracture in fights, shrugs off the possibility of injuries. "When I told friends that I want to become a boxer, they were surprised and put down my decision because I am a woman," said Raika. "But I had to resist. I like boxing and I wanted to do it. In fact, I am expressing myself through boxing. I am fighting not to beat the opponent, but for myself."

Biography

Early life

Raika lived with her grandmother until she was three. After her grandmother died, she spent the next 15 years in the Karyo-en children's home in Kyoto. Raika was a good student, among the top of her high school graduating class. She studied at Ogaki Women's College and became a licensed dental hygienist, later working at a dental clinic. She quit the job after a month, because she did not like the uniform. She tried other jobs, but they did not make her happy.

"I felt as if I were not living and felt myself destroying." said Raika, "I was very weak mentally. I could choose to have an ordinary life, but I wanted more than just that - to become strong."

Boxing career

Always enjoying rough sports such as wrestling and rugby, Raika joined a local boxing gym that she found while commuting to work at a battery manufacture, and trained to compete as an amateur boxer.

Raika had three wins in three amateur fights, and was named the most outstanding woman in a local amateur tournament, where she was spotted by Toshihiro Yamaki, a Tokyo gym owner.

With a growing number of Japanese women becoming interested in boxing, a group of gym owners had organized a women's boxing association in 1999, with Yamaki as its secretary general, called the Japanese Women's Boxing Commission (JWBC).

Yamaki was impressed by Raika, and asked her to join his gym and turn professional. She now devotes full-time to boxing.

Raika won the WIBA Featherweight World title from Australian Sharon Anyos in 2001, and successfully defended the title in a 2002 rematch. After destroying an overmatched Shelby Walker in two rounds for her second title defence on May 23, 2004, Raika made her 3rd title defence against the rugged (and undefeated) brawler Melissa Fiorentino on September 18, 2004, in Kyoto, Japan. It was called the WIBA 2004 Fight of the Year, Raika again successfully defended her crown via 10 round decision in a brutal toe-to-toe slugfest.

Raika then vacated her world title at featherweight (126 pounds) to move up in weight to the super featherweight division (130 pounds).

On March 13, 2005, in Tokyo, Japan, Raika lost a 10 round decision to Chevelle Hallback for the vacant WIBA Super Featherweight World Title.

On October 1, 2005, in Tokyo, Japan, Raika won an 8 round decision over Belinda Laracuente.

On May 20, 2006, in Cholla Province, Korea, Raika moved up another 2 weight classes, to 140 pounds, where she won a 10 round unanimous decision over Won Mi Chung, for the IFBA Light Welterweight World Title.

On June 10, 2006, in Tokyo, Japan, Raika knocked out Yoko Takahashi in the 4th round with a body shot.

On December 15, 2006, in Tokyo, Japan, Raika won a 10 round unanimous decision over Terri Blair to win the vacant WIBA Lightweight World Title.

Professional boxing record

No.	Result	Record	Opponent	Type	Round, time	Date	Location	Notes
34	Loss	25–8–1	Choi Hyunmi	UD	10, 2:00	Aug 15, 2013	Wolmido, Icheon, South Korea	interim WBA World female super featherweight title
33	Win	25–7–1	Cristina Sanchez	UD	8, 2:00	Mar 12, 2013	Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
32	Win	24–7–1	Bas Sor Tammajak	KO	2, 1:10	Oct 28, 2012	Furukawa Sogo Gym, Osaki, Miyagi, Japan
31	Win	23–7–1	Cynthia Munoz	UD	6, 2:00	Jul 11, 2012	Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
30	Loss	22–7–1	Jelena Mrdjenovich	UD	10, 2:00	Sep 22, 2011	Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
29	Win	22–6–1	Chika Mizutani	KO	4, 1:54	Apr 4, 2011	Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
28	Win	21–6–1	Bronwyn Wylie	UD	10, 2:00	Sep 24, 2010	Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan	vacant OPBF female lightweight title
27	Win	20–6–1	Lamduan Superchamps	KO	3, 2:09	Apr 1, 2010	Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
26	Win	19–6–1	Pantip Muangubon	KO	4, 1:48	Dec 6, 2009	ATC Hall, Osaka, Osaka, Japan
25	Loss	18–6–1	Layla McCarter	UD	10, 2:00	Jul 3, 2009	South Point Hotel Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA	WBA World female lightweight title Global Boxing Union Female World lightweight title
24	Loss	18–5–1	Olivia Gerula	SD	8, 2:00	Mar 3, 2009	Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
23	Loss	18–4–1	Ann Saccurato	UD	10, 2:00	Aug 11, 2008	Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan	vacant WBC World female lightweight title
22	Win	18–3–1	Natalie Brown	MD	6, 2:00	May 9, 2008	Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
21	Win	17–3–1	Ann Saccurato	MD	10, 2:00	Nov 10, 2007	Shinjuku FACE, Tokyo, Japan	Women's International Boxing Association World lightweight title
20	Loss	16–3–1	Jelena Mrdjenovich	UD	10, 2:00	Apr 7, 2007	Shaw Conference Centre, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada	WBC World female super featherweight title
19	Win	16–2–1	Terri Blair	UD	10, 2:00	Dec 15, 2006	Tokyo, Japan	vacant Women's International Boxing Association World lightweight title
18	Win	15–2–1	Yoko Takahashi	KO	4	Jun 10, 2006	Shinjuku FACE, Tokyo, Japan
17	Win	14–2–1	Won-Mi Jung	UD	10, 2:00	May 20, 2006	Jeongeup, South Korea	vacant International Female Boxers Association World super lightweight title
16	Win	13–2–1	Belinda Laracuente	PTS	8, 2:00	Oct 1, 2005	Roppongi Velfarre, Tokyo, Japan
15	Loss	12–2–1	Chevelle Hallback	UD	10, 2:00	Mar 13, 2005	Velfarre, Roppongi, Tokyo, Japan	Women's International Boxing Association World featherweight title
14	Win	12–1–1	Melissa Fiorentino	UD	10, 2:00	Sep 18, 2004	Kyoto, Japan	Women's International Boxing Association World featherweight title
13	Win	11–1–1	Shelby Walker	TKO	2	May 23, 2004	Kyoto, Japan	Women's International Boxing Association World featherweight title
12	Win	10–1–1	Sharon Anyos	UD	10, 2:00	Nov 30, 2003	Tokyo, Japan	Women's International Boxing Association World featherweight title
11	Win	9–1–1	Jeri Sitzes	MD	8, 2:00	Jun 25, 2003	Tokyo, Japan
10	Win	8–1–1	Sharon Anyos	SD	10, 2:00	Dec 18, 2002	Tokyo, Japan	Women's International Boxing Association World featherweight title
9	Win	7–1–1	Lauren Bennett	TKO	2	Sep 7, 2002	Tokyo, Japan
8	Win	6–1–1	Mika Harikae	TKO	3	Jun 9, 2002	Tokyo, Japan
7	Loss	5–1–1	Layla McCarter	MD	8, 2:00	Apr 29, 2002	Shimokita Town Hall, Tokyo, Japan
6	Win	5–0–1	Miki Kikukawa	UD	10, 2:00	Feb 3, 2002	Shimokita Town Hall, Tokyo, Japan
5	Win	4–0–1	Mika Harikae	TKO	3	Jul 20, 2001	Shimokita Town Hall, Tokyo, Japan
4	Win	3–0–1	Miki Kikukawa	SD	6, 2:00	Mar 2, 2001	Shimokita Town Hall, Tokyo, Japan
3	Win	2–0–1	Ann Jihe	PTS	6, 2:00	Dec 12, 2000	Shimokita Town Hall, Tokyo, Japan
2	Draw	1–0–1	Kaori Koizumi	PTS	6, 2:00	Sep 21, 2000	Shimokita Town Hall, Tokyo, Japan
1	Win	1–0	Keiko Onuma	TKO	2	May 8, 2000	Shimokita Town Hall, Tokyo, Japan

Mixed martial arts record

References

External links

• Raika's homepage
• Emiko's WBAN Bio
• Professional boxing record for Emiko Raika from BoxRec