Duda Yankovich ( sr, Душица Јанковић, Dušica Janković, born September 27, 1976) is a Serbian-born former boxer and

mixed martial arts Mixed martial arts (MMA), sometimes referred to as cage fighting, no holds barred (NHB), and ultimate fighting, and originally referred to as Vale Tudo is a full-contact combat sport based on striking, grappling and ground fighting, inc ...

fighter. She has been living in Brazil since 1999. Yankovich was the

Women's International Boxing Association The Women's International Boxing Association (WIBA) is a sanctioning body for women's professional boxing came into existence in July 2000, and quickly grew into a major force in the sport. History The WIBA was officially founded by American Rya ...

(WIBA) 2006 light welterweight world champion.

Martial arts

Involved in martial arts since the age of 11, Yankovich was the youngest black belt in the history of Shotokan karate in Serbia. In 1994, she competed in the European Championships in Prague, winning a silver medal. That same year, she also won the bronze medal at the Junior World Championships in Zakopane, Poland. She also became involved in kickboxing and became Serbia Kickboxing Champion in 1996–1999, and Balkan Champion in 1998 and 1999. Yankovich moved to Brazil in 1999, as a result of the Yugoslav civil war, and became Brazilian Kickboxing Champion in 2001–2003.

Boxing

In 2002, she became involved with amateur boxing, training for four months with the team of former world champion, Acelino Freitas. In 2005, Yankovich represented Brazil in the First Pan-American female boxing amateur championship in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She took third place and a bronze medal in the 138-lb division. On 23 July 2005, she made her professional boxing debut against Argentinian, Wilhelmina Fernandez. She won on in fourth round by knockout. Then she brought three more fights, winning all by knockout. During this time, Yankovich chose to abandon kickboxing competitions and to dedicate her time to reaching a World Title race in Boxing.

World champion

After two more international victories, Yankovich become a contender for a

(WIBA) title in the category of super light. She won this World Title dispute by a unanimous decision. After the world title win in November 2006, Yankovich made her first defense of the World Title on March 17, 2007, against American

Belinda Laracuente Belinda Laracuente (born 1980) is a women's boxing competitor from Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, where she lived from 1989 to 1998. Her nickname is ''Brown Sugar''. Laracuente debuted as a professional boxer on 12 February 1997 in a match against Kar ...

, winning by points in a challenge that lasted 10 rounds. Soon after she won against Colombian Paola Rojas in São Paulo and then also won against the Colombian Liliana Palmera in Campo Grande – MS. In April 2008 Yankovich gave a rematch to Darys Pardo and again beat the Colombian. On July 5, 2009, Yankovich fought with the US and WIBA champion

Holly Holm Holly Rene Holm (born October 17, 1981) is an American mixed martial artist, who competes in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. She is the former UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion, and a former professional boxer. She was a multiple-time wor ...

(a category above her weight) and suffered her first loss in boxing, by doctor's stoppage. On May 29, 2010, after nearly a year away from the ring due to injury suffered in the last fight held in the United States, Yankovich eventually lost her World Champion title to

Esther Phiri Esther Phiri (born June 14, 1987) is a Former World Female Boxing Champion Zambian boxer. Esther was stripped of her title after her retirement. Esther is the first female Zambian boxer to get international recognition and accolades. She became ...

in Lusaka, Zambia, in a defeat on points by a unanimous decision. On April 29, 2011, Yankovich tried to win the WBC World Title. She lost the fight to

Anne Sophie Mathis Anne Sophie Mathis (born 23 July 1977) is a French former professional boxer who competed between 1995 and 2016. She held world titles in two weight division; the WBA female super-lightweight from 2006 to 2008; the WBC female super-lightweig ...

in Paris, France, in a defeat by TKO.

Mixed martial arts

Yankovich trains at Team Nogueira, and made her MMA debut on September 8, 2012, at Bitetti Combat 12 against

Jéssica Andrade Jéssica Fernanda da Costa Andrade (born September 25, 1991) is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist. Andrade is currently signed to the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where she competes in the women's Flyweight division and is a ...

. She lost by submission with a guillotine. In search of her first win in MMA, Yankovich faced Daniela Cristina on March 9, 2013, at Bitetti Combat 14. She won by submission with an Americana. Yankovich has fought in promotions such as Invicta.

''A Fazenda 4''

Yankovich attended the fourth edition of reality television show ''

A Fazenda ''A Fazenda'' (, English: ''The Farm'') is a Brazilian reality television game show based on the Swedish television series of the same name that was originally created in 2001 by Strix and produced in association with Sony Entertainment and E ...

'' (The Farm), where she was expelled after assaulting the participant Thiago Gagliasso during a test, in which participants competed in a basketball mini-championship in the pool. At one point, Yankovich argued that Thiago pulled her bikini, after which she slapped his head. According to the rules of ''

'', any kind of aggression is punished with immediate elimination.

Professional boxing record

Mixed martial arts record

, - , Loss , style="text-align:center;", 1–3 , Viviane Pereira , TKO (punches) , Bitetti Combat 17 , , style="text-align:center;", 2 , style="text-align:center;", 2:49 ,

Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro ( , , ; literally 'River of January'), or simply Rio, is the capital of the state of the same name, Brazil's third-most populous state, and the second-most populous city in Brazil, after São Paulo. Listed by the GaWC as a ...

, Brazil , , - , Loss , style="text-align:center;", 1–2 , Miriam Nakamoto , TKO (knee and punches) , Invicta FC 6: Coenen vs. Cyborg , , style="text-align:center;", 1 , style="text-align:center;", 2:08 , Kansas City, Missouri, United States , , - , Win , style="text-align:center;", 1–1 , Daniela Cristina , Technical Submission (americana) , Bitetti Combat 14 , , style="text-align:center;", 2 , style="text-align:center;", 3:59 ,

, Brazil , , - , Loss , style="text-align:center;", 0–1 ,

, Submission (guillotine choke) , Bitetti Combat 12 , , style="text-align:center;", 1 , style="text-align:center;", 3:02 ,

, Brazil ,

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Yankovich, Duda 1976 births Living people Bantamweight mixed martial artists Mixed martial artists utilizing boxing Mixed martial artists utilizing karate Brazilian women boxers Brazilian female karateka Brazilian female mixed martial artists Sportspeople from Jagodina Lightweight boxers Participants in Brazilian reality television series Serbian women boxers Serbian emigrants to Brazil Serbian female karateka Serbian female mixed martial artists World boxing champions