Eva Wahlström
Wahlström in 2006
Born
Eva Ulrika Birgitta Wahlström

(1980-10-30) 30 October 1980
Loviisa, Finland
NationalityFinnish
Statistics
Weight(s)
Height1.68 m (5 ft 6 in)
StanceOrthodox
Boxing record
Total fights27
Wins23
Wins by KO3
Losses2
Draws2
Medal record
Women's amateur boxing
Finnish national championships
Gold medal – first place 1999–2008 (10×) Lightweight
Representing  Finland
Nordic Championships
Gold medal – first place 2003–05 (3×), 2007 Lightweight
European Championships
Silver medal – second place 2004 Riccione Lightweight
Silver medal – second place 2005 Tønsberg Lightweight
Bronze medal – third place 2001 Saint-Amand-les-Eaux Light-welterweight

Eva Ulrika Birgitta Räsänen (née Wahlström; born 30 October 1980)[1] is a Finnish former professional boxer who competed from 2010 to 2020.[2] She held the WBC female super-featherweight title from 2015 to 2020 and at regional level the European female super-featherweight title from 2012 to 2015. As an amateur she won a silver medal in the lightweight division at the 2004 and 2005 Women's European Championships, and represented Finland at the 2006 Women's World Championships. She is the most successful professional boxer from Finland to date, being the first and only Finn to have won a world title from one of the four major boxing sanctioning bodies.[3]

Amateur career

Wahlström began boxing from around the age of 15–16, representing Loviisan Riento sports club. She went on to have a highly successful amateur career, winning ten consecutive gold medals at the Finnish national championships (1999–2008), gold four times at the Nordic Championships (2003–05, 2007) and silver twice at the European Championships (2004 and 2005).[4]

Professional career

After her lengthy amateur career, Wahlström made her professional debut on 26 March 2010, scoring a third-round stoppage over Irina Boldea.[5] On 21 May 2011, Wahlström fought Milena Koleva to a six-round split draw.[6] Wahlström won her first major regional championship—the vacant European female super-featherweight title—on 31 March 2012, defeating Agota Ilko via a ten-round unanimous decision (UD).[7]

During the summer of 2012, Wahlström was struck with a pulmonary embolism, which required career-threatening medication.[8] Having spent most of 2013 recovering, she returned to the ring on 7 December to face decorated former kickboxing, K-1 and Muay Thai medallist Anna Sikora,[9] whom she defeated with ease in a six-round UD.[10] Wahlström made one defence of her European title on 16 August 2014, winning a ten-round UD over Djemilla Gontaruk.[11]

On 25 April 2015, Wahlström defeated Natalia Vanesa del Valle Aguirre in a ten-round UD. In doing so, she won the vacant WBC female super-featherweight title and became the first Finnish boxer in history to win a major world title.[3] Her first defence of the title was a successful one, as she won a ten-round UD over Dahiana Santana on 18 March 2016.[12]

In September 2018, it was announced that Walhström would face Firuza Sharipova in defence of her WBC title, as well as Sharipova's IBO title.[13] However, due to Sharipova's injury, the fight was pushed back until eventually canceled.[14] Instead, Wahlström faced Irish Katie Taylor on 15 December 2018 at Madison Square Garden in the New York City. Taylor defended her WBA and IBF female lightweight titles against Wahlström, who had to change her weight class for the match and thus did not have her WBC super-featherweight title on the line.[15] Taylor won all ten rounds.[16]

In August 2019, Wahlström retained her WBC super-featherweight title in a close match with Ronica Jeffrey.[17]

Wahlström lost her title to Terri Harper in February 2020.[18]

In March 2020, Wahlström confirmed media reports that she had retired. Out of 27 professional fights, she had won 23, lost two and two were draws.[19]

Personal life

Wahlström is a Finland-Swede. She has two older brothers.[20]

Wahlström married Finnish professional boxer, Niklas Räsänen, in September 2016. They have a son (born 2021) and both have a child from their previous relationships.[21] Eva's older son, Leon (born 2009), won a bronze medal at the national junior boxing championships. The family resides in Porvoo.[1]

Outside of boxing, Wahlström made an appearance as a personal trainer to contestants in the Finnish reality television series Suurin pudottaja (in the spring 2006 and autumn 2007 seasons), a Finnish version of The Biggest Loser, with swimmer Jani Sievinen.

Professional boxing record

27 fights 23 wins 2 losses
By knockout 3 0
By decision 20 2
Draws 2
No. Result Record Opponent Type Round, time Date Location Notes
27 Loss 23–2–2 Terri Harper UD 10 8 Feb 2020 FlyDSA Arena, Sheffield, England Lost WBC female super-featherweight title;
For IBO female super-featherweight title
26 Win 23–1–2 Consolata Musanga UD 8 30 Nov 2019 Salohalli, Salo, Finland
25 Draw 22–1–2 Ronica Jeffrey SD 10 2 Aug 2019 Thomas & Mack Center, Paradise, Nevada, US Retained WBC female super-featherweight title
24 Loss 22–1–1 Katie Taylor UD 10 15 Dec 2018 Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, US For WBA and IBF female lightweight titles
23 Win 22–0–1 Melissa St. Vil UD 10 6 Apr 2018 Kulttuuritalo, Helsinki, Finland Retained WBC female super-featherweight title
22 Win 21–0–1 Irma Balijagic Adler UD 8 26 Aug 2017 Olavinlinna, Savonlinna, Finland
21 Win 20–0–1 Mayra Alejandra Gomez UD 10 6 May 2017 Gatorade Center, Turku, Finland Retained WBC female super-featherweight title
20 Win 19–0–1 Anahí Ester Sánchez UD 10 17 Dec 2016 Hartwall Arena, Helsinki, Finland Retained WBC female super-featherweight title
19 Win 18–0–1 Jasmina Nadj UD 8 13 Aug 2016 Olavinlinna, Savonlinna, Finland
18 Win 17–0–1 Dahiana Santana UD 10 18 Mar 2016 Barona Areena, Espoo, Finland Retained WBC female super-featherweight title
17 Win 16–0–1 Gina Chamie UD 8 21 Nov 2015 Töölö Sports Hall, Helsinki, Finland
16 Win 15–0–1 Everline Odero UD 8 8 Aug 2015 Savonlinna, Finland
15 Win 14–0–1 Natalia Vanesa del Valle Aguirre UD 10 25 Apr 2015 Hartwall Arena, Helsinki, Finland Won vacant WBC female super-featherweight title
14 Win 13–0–1 Fatuma Zarika UD 8 15 Nov 2014 Steveco Areena, Kotka, Finland
13 Win 12–0–1 Halanna Dos Santos UD 6 20 Sep 2014 Hartwall Arena, Helsinki, Finland
12 Win 11–0–1 Djemilla Gontaruk UD 10 16 Aug 2014 Olavinlinna, Savonlinna, Finland Retained European female super-featherweight title
11 Win 10–0–1 Karina Kopinska UD 6 9 May 2014 Urheilutalo, Helsinki, Finland
10 Win 9–0–1 Anna Sikora UD 6 7 Dec 2013 Barona Areena, Espoo, Finland
9 Win 8–0–1 Agota Ilko UD 10 31 Mar 2012 Barona Areena, Espoo, Finland Won vacant European female super-featherweight title
8 Win 7–0–1 Zsofia Bedo UD 8 21 Jan 2012 Seinäjoki Areena, Seinäjoki, Finland
7 Win 6–0–1 Marisol Reyes TKO 7 (8), 0:25 23 Sep 2011 Ice Hall, Helsinki, Finland
6 Draw 5–0–1 Milena Koleva SD 6 21 May 2011 Seinäjoki Areena, Seinäjoki, Finland
5 Win 5–0 Kristine Shergold UD 6 4 Mar 2011 Hartwall Arena, Helsinki, Finland
4 Win 4–0 Nacera Baghdad UD 6 27 Nov 2010 Hartwall Arena, Helsinki, Finland
3 Win 3–0 Nadezhda Manakova RTD 5 (6), 0:01 4 Sep 2010 Töölö Sports Hall, Helsinki, Finland
2 Win 2–0 Zsofia Bedo UD 4 11 May 2010 Varuboden Areena, Kirkkonummi, Finland
1 Win 1–0 Irina Boldea TKO 3 (4), 0:47 26 Mar 2010 Töölö Sports Hall, Helsinki, Finland

References

  1. 1 2 Sirén, Bille (8 May 2022). "Eva Wahlströms mordagsdröm: Mys och kaffe i sängen". Hufvudstadsbladet (in Swedish). pp. 26–27.
  2. ↑ "IS: Eva Wahlström, 39, lopettaa uransa". Iltalehti (in Finnish). 10 March 2020. Retrieved 10 March 2020.
  3. 1 2 "Eva Wahlstrom the first Finn WBC Champion". WBC. 26 April 2015. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
  4. ↑ "Eva Wahlström". Awakening Fighters. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
  5. ↑ "Wahlström tyrmäsi ja kyynelehti" (in Finnish). Helsingin Sanomat. Sanoma. 26 March 2010. Archived from the original on 29 March 2010. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
  6. ↑ "Wahlström kävi tappion partaalla Seinäjoella" (in Finnish). Pohjalainen. Ilkka-Yhtymä. 21 May 2011. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
  7. ↑ "Wahlström Euroopan mestariksi – käsi murtui kesken ottelun" (in Finnish). Helsingin Sanomat. Sanoma. 31 March 2012. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
  8. ↑ "Wahlströmin ura vaakalaudalla" (in Finnish). Iltalehti. Alma Media. 7 November 2012. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
  9. ↑ "Eva Wahlströmille kova paluuvastustaja" (in Finnish). Iltalehti. Alma Media. 4 November 2013. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
  10. ↑ Talja, Juho (7 December 2013). "Eva Wahlström palasi kehään – heti komea pistevoitto" (in Finnish). Yle. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
  11. ↑ Merimaa, Jari (16 August 2014). "Wahlström jatkaa Euroopan mestarina" (in Finnish). MTV3. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
  12. ↑ Persson, Per Ake (18 March 2016). "Edis Tatli, Eva Wahlstrom Retain Belts; Adrian Granat Gets KO". BoxingScene. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
  13. ↑ "Eva Wahlström nousee joulukuussa MM-kehään Venäjällä". Ilta-Sanomat (in Finnish). 9 September 2018. Retrieved 29 September 2018.
  14. ↑ "Eva Wahlströmin uran suurin tilipäivä peruuntui – "Olen niin raivona"". Ilta-Sanomat (in Finnish). 21 November 2018. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
  15. ↑ "Huippuottelu toteutuu! Eva Wahlström pääsee iskemään toivevastustajaa vastaan legendaarisessa Madison Square Gardenissa" (in Finnish). Yle. 4 December 2018. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
  16. ↑ Reddy, Luke (2018-12-16). "Brilliant Taylor outclasses Wahlstrom". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2020-05-17.
  17. ↑ "Judge shockingly scores WBC title fight 100-90 despite close battle". WBN - World Boxing News. 2019-08-04. Retrieved 2020-05-17.
  18. ↑ "Harper wins WBC super-featherweight belt". BBC Sport. 2020-02-08. Retrieved 2020-05-17.
  19. ↑ Kylmänen, Erkki (2020-03-10). "Eva Wahlström vahvistaa HS:lle: Lopetan nyrkkeilyurani". Helsingin Sanomat (in Finnish). Retrieved 2020-05-17.
  20. ↑ Ranto, Jarna (2016-03-18). "Kiinnostava poika avasi Eva Wahlströmin silmät - raskas tie maailman parhaaksi". yle.fi (in Finnish). Retrieved 2020-05-17.
  21. ↑ Marttinen, Mikko (2016-09-03). "Salahäät! Eva Wahlström meni naimisiin – katso tunteikas hääkuva". Ilta Sanomat (in Finnish). Retrieved 2020-05-17.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.