Emiko Raika

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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]^[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

Template:BLP unreferenced section 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.

Mixed martial arts record

Professional record breakdown
26 matches	13 wins	11 losses
By knockout	2	1
By submission	2	3
By decision	9	7
Draws	1
No contests	1

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Professional boxing record

Template:BoxingRecordSummary

No.	Result	Record	Opponent	Type	Round	Time	Date	Location	Notes
34	Loss	25–8–1	Template:Flagicon Choi Hyunmi	UD	10	2:00	Aug 15, 2013	Template:Flagicon Wolmido, Icheon	For WBA interim female super featherweight titleScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
33	Win	25–7–1	Template:Flagicon Cristina Sanchez	UD	8	2:00	Mar 12, 2013	Template:Flagicon Korakuen Hall
32	Win	24–7–1	Template:Flagicon Bas Sor Tammajak	KO	2	1:10	Oct 28, 2012	Template:Flagicon Furukawa Sogo Gym, Osaki, Miyagi
31	Win	23–7–1	Template:Flagicon Cynthia Munoz	UD	6	2:00	Jul 11, 2012	Template:Flagicon Korakuen Hall, Tokyo
30	Loss	22–7–1	Template:Flagicon Jelena Mrdjenovich	UD	10	2:00	Sep 22, 2011	Template:Flagicon Korakuen Hall, Tokyo
29	Win	22–6–1	Template:Flagicon Chika Mizutani	KO	4	1:54	Apr 4, 2011	Template:Flagicon Korakuen Hall, Tokyo
28	Win	21–6–1	Template:Flagicon Bronwyn Wylie	UD	10	2:00	Sep 24, 2010	Template:Flagicon Korakuen Hall, Tokyo	Won vacant OPBF female lightweight titleScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
27	Win	20–6–1	Template:Flagicon Lamduan Superchamps	KO	3	2:09	Apr 1, 2010	Template:Flagicon Korakuen Hall, Tokyo
26	Win	19–6–1	Template:Flagicon Pantip Muangubon	KO	4	1:48	Dec 6, 2009	Template:Flagicon ATC Hall, Osaka, Osaka, Japan
25	Loss	18–6–1	Template:Flagicon Layla McCarter	UD	10	2:00	Jul 3, 2009	Template:Flagicon South Point Hotel Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada	For WBA and GBU female lightweight titlesScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
24	Loss	18–5–1	Template:Flagicon Olivia Gerula	SD	8	2:00	Mar 3, 2009	Template:Flagicon Korakuen Hall, Tokyo
23	Loss	18–4–1	Template:Flagicon Ann Saccurato	UD	10	2:00	Aug 11, 2008	Template:Flagicon Korakuen Hall, Tokyo	For vacant WBC female lightweight titleScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
22	Win	18–3–1	Template:Flagicon Natalie Brown	MD	6	2:00	May 9, 2008	Template:Flagicon Korakuen Hall, Tokyo,
21	Win	17–3–1	Template:Flagicon Ann Saccurato	MD	10	2:00	Nov 10, 2007	Template:Flagicon Shinjuku FACE, Tokyo	Retained WIBA lightweight titleScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
20	Loss	16–3–1	Template:Flagicon Jelena Mrdjenovich	UD	10	2:00	Apr 7, 2007	Template:Flagicon Shaw Conference Centre, Edmonton, Alberta	For WBC female super featherweight titleScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
19	Win	16–2–1	Template:Flagicon Terri Blair	UD	10	2:00	Dec 15, 2006	Template:Flagicon Tokyo	Won vacant WIBA lightweight titleScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
18	Win	15–2–1	Template:Flagicon Yoko Takahashi	KO	4	1:30	Jun 10, 2006	Template:Flagicon Shinjuku FACE
17	Win	14–2–1	Template:Flagicon Won-Mi Jung	UD	10	2:00	May 20, 2006	Template:FlagiconJeongeup, South Korea	Won vacant IFBA super lightweight titleScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
16	Win	13–2–1	Template:Flagicon Belinda Laracuente	PTS	8	2:00	Oct 1, 2005	Template:Flagicon Roppongi Velfarre, Tokyo
15	Loss	12–2–1	Template:Flagicon Chevelle Hallback	UD	10	2:00	Mar 13, 2005	Template:Flagicon Velfarre, Roppongi, Tokyo	Lost WIBA featherweight titleScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
14	Win	12–1–1	Template:Flagicon Melissa Fiorentino	UD	10	2:00	Sep 18, 2004	Template:Flagicon Kyoto	Retained WIBA featherweight titleScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
13	Win	11–1–1	Template:Flagicon Shelby Walker	TKO	2	1:59	May 23, 2004	Template:Flagicon Kyoto	Retained WIBA featherweight titleScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
12	Win	10–1–1	Template:Flagicon Sharon Anyos	UD	10	2:00	Nov 30, 2003	Template:Flagicon Tokyo	Retained WIBA featherweight titleScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
11	Win	9–1–1	Template:Flagicon Jeri Sitzes	MD	8	2:00	Jun 25, 2003	Template:Flagicon Tokyo
10	Win	8–1–1	Template:Flagicon Sharon Anyos	SD	10	2:00	Dec 18, 2002	Template:Flagicon Tokyo	Won WIBA featherweight titleScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
9	Win	7–1–1	Template:Flagicon Lauren Bennett	TKO	2	0:27	Sep 7, 2002	Template:Flagicon Tokyo
8	Win	6–1–1	Template:Flagicon Mika Harikae	TKO	3		Jun 9, 2002	Template:Flagicon Tokyo
7	Loss	5–1–1	Template:Flagicon Layla McCarter	MD	8	2:00	Apr 29, 2002	Template:Flagicon Shimokita Town Hall, Tokyo
6	Win	5–0–1	Template:Flagicon Miki Kikukawa	UD	10	2:00	Feb 3, 2002	Template:Flagicon Shimokita Town Hall, Tokyo
5	Win	4–0–1	Template:Flagicon Mika Harikae	TKO	3	1:15	Jul 20, 2001	Template:Flagicon Shimokita Town Hall, Tokyo
4	Win	3–0–1	Template:Flagicon Miki Kikukawa	SD	6	2:00	Mar 2, 2001	Template:Flagicon Shimokita Town Hall, Tokyo
3	Win	2–0–1	Template:Flagicon Ann Jihe	MD	6	2:00	Dec 12, 2000	Template:Flagicon Shimokita Town Hall, Tokyo
2	Template:DrawDraw	1–0–1	Template:Flagicon Kaori Koizumi	MD	6	2:00	Sep 21, 2000	Template:Flagicon Shimokita Town Hall, Tokyo
1	Win	1–0	Template:Flagicon Keiko Onuma	TKO	3	1:17	May 8, 2000	Template:Flagicon Shimokita Town Hall, Tokyo

References

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Emiko Raika

Contents

Biography

Early life

Boxing career

Mixed martial arts record

Professional boxing record

References

External links

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Emiko Raika

Biography

Early life

Boxing career

Mixed martial arts record

Professional boxing record

References

External links

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