Choi Hyunmi
Encyclopedia
Choi Hyun-Mi is a South Korean female boxer
fighting in the featherweight
division, and a World Boxing Association
champion.
At age 13 Choi was asked to prepare to compete in the 2008 Olympics
as a member of the North Korean team; eventually the International Olympic Committee
decided against including women's boxing in the competition. In 2004 her father, a successful businessman in North Korea, fled the country, followed by his family, who traveled first through China
, then were smuggled through Vietnam
before settling in South Korea
, where Choi's promoters advertised her as the "Defector Girl Boxer".
On the 23rd and 30th of January, Choi featured in episodes of the popular Korean variety show Infinity Challenge, where she successfully defended her WBA Featherweight Women’s title against Tenku Tsubasa.
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
fighting in the featherweight
Featherweight
Featherweight is a weight class division in the sport of boxing. There are similarly named divisions under several Mixed Martial Arts organizations and in Greco-Roman wrestling.-Professional boxing:...
division, and a World Boxing Association
World Boxing Association
The World Boxing Association is a boxing organization that sanctions official matches, and awards the WBA world championship title at the professional level. It was previously known as the National Boxing Association before changing its name in 1962...
champion.
At age 13 Choi was asked to prepare to compete in the 2008 Olympics
Summer Olympic Games
The Summer Olympic Games or the Games of the Olympiad are an international multi-sport event, occurring every four years, organized by the International Olympic Committee. Medals are awarded in each event, with gold medals for first place, silver for second and bronze for third, a tradition that...
as a member of the North Korean team; eventually the International Olympic Committee
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
decided against including women's boxing in the competition. In 2004 her father, a successful businessman in North Korea, fled the country, followed by his family, who traveled first through China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, then were smuggled through Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
before settling in South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, where Choi's promoters advertised her as the "Defector Girl Boxer".
Pro Boxing Career
Choi entered the amateur ranks in South Korea in 2006, winning 5 domestic titles before turning professional in 2007. On October 11, 2008, Choi won the vacant women’s featherweight championship of the World Boxing Association by beating Xu Chun Yan of China.On the 23rd and 30th of January, Choi featured in episodes of the popular Korean variety show Infinity Challenge, where she successfully defended her WBA Featherweight Women’s title against Tenku Tsubasa.