Kozin crowned unified light-middleweight world champion
Boxer Ema Kozin in the ring. Photo: Nebojša Tejić/STA
Slovenia's Ema Kozin was crowned unified light-middleweight champion of the World Boxing Council and the World Boxing Organization after beating Scot Hannah Rankin in Manchester on 18 November.
Kozin and Rankin appeared rather matched and the 24-year-old Slovenian won on a split decision after ten rounds of boxing, with the judges' scorecards reading 96-94, 98-92 and 94-96.
"I don't know if I've ever been this happy after a fight, but I think I'm going to be even happier tomorrow," Kozin said after the match. "It was a tough fight, but I remained focused, I maintained control and I knew already during the match that I would win. That's why I really enjoyed the fight."
What is Kozin's 24th victory as a professional boxer is also a milestone for martial arts in Slovenia in general. Her manager Rudi Pavlin was very happy: "The fight was rough, as we expected. But Ema wowed people, she showed great progress and potential. We've proved that mission impossible is possible after all."
During her professional career, Kozin has only been defeated once: by the American Clarissa Shields, a legend in women's boxing. Before Kozin, only one Slovenian boxer held the world title: Dejan Zavec won the IBF belt in 2009.
