Serbian boxer (born 1985)
Jelena Janićijević (Serbian Cyrillic: Јелена Јанићијевић, born 7 March 1985) is a Serbian professional boxer who is a former European female lightweight champion. She is the first female boxer from her country to win a senior medal at an International Boxing Association sanctioned competition, having won bronze at the 2022 Women's European Amateur Boxing Championships.
Career
A former kickboxer, Janićijević switched to boxing in 2015.[4] She lost on her professional debut suffering a points decision defeat to Nahed Kharchi in a six-round contest in Drap, France, on 29 September 2018.[5]
Three victories and a no contest followed before, on 24 September 2021, Janićijević fought Oleksandra Sidorenko for the vacant European female lightweight title with the contest in Oborniki, Poland, ending in a draw.[6] A rematch was held on 5 March 2022 in Dzierżoniów, Poland, with Janićijević winning the bout, and the title, by split decision. Two judges scored 96-94 and 97-93 respectively for Janićijević and the third gave the contest 96-94 for Sidorenko.[7]
Taking advantage of a change in rules that allowed professionals to take part in previously amateur-only competitions, Janićijević competed at the 2022 IBA Women's World Boxing Championships in Istanbul, Turkey in May 2022, going out in the light-welterweight quarter-finals to the eventual gold medalist, Ireland's Amy Broadhurst.[8]
In October 2022, she won the first ever senior medal for a Serbian female boxer at an International Boxing Association sanctioned event when she took bronze at the 2022 Women's European Amateur Boxing Championships in Budva, Montenegro.[9][4] Competing in the welterweight category, she beat Shahla Allahverdiyeva from Azerbaijan by third-round stoppage in the quarter-finals[10] before losing to Germany's Stefanie Von Berge in the final four.[11] Just as had been the case at the world championship, her conqueror went on to win the gold medal.[12]
At the 2023 IBA Women's World Boxing Championships in New Delhi, India, Janićijević lost in the light-welterweight category round of 16 to Uzbekistan's Khadichabonu Abdullaeva.[13][4]
Janićijević looked set to get an opportunity to become a professional world champion when the IBF ordered negotiations to take place between her and Brazil's Beatriz Ferreira to fight for the female lightweight title vacated by Katie Taylor.[14] However, she was removed from the IBF's rating for undisclosed reasons after terms for the contest were not agreed before the negotiation period expired.[15][16]
Personal life
Janićijević has a PhD in English literature and is a taekwondo black belt.[4]
Professional boxing record
| 8 fights
|
5 wins
|
1 loss
|
| By knockout
|
2
|
0
|
| By decision
|
3
|
1
|
| Draws
|
1
|
| No contests
|
1
|
| No.
|
Result
|
Record
|
Opponent
|
Type
|
Round, time
|
Date
|
Location
|
Notes
|
| 8
|
Win
|
5–1–1(1)
|
Sarah Weidmann
|
UD
|
10 (10)
|
5 January 2023
|
Zlatibor, Serbia
|
|
| 7
|
Win
|
4–1–1(1)
|
Oleksandra Sidorenko
|
SD
|
10 (10)
|
5 March 2022
|
Hala Osrodka Sportu, Dzierżoniów, Poland
|
Won the vacant European female lightweight title
|
| 6
|
Draw
|
3–1–1(1)
|
Oleksandra
Sidorenko
|
SD
|
10 (10)
|
24 September 2021
|
Hala Sportowa, Oborniki, Poland
|
For the vacant European female lightweight title
|
| 5
|
Win
|
3–1(1)
|
Karina Szmalenberg
|
UD
|
6 (6)
|
9 August 2020
|
Eisstadion, Braunlage, Germany
|
|
| 4
|
Win
|
2–1(1)
|
Joanna Ekedahl
|
KO
|
5 (6)
|
22 June 2019
|
Forum, Horsens, Denmark
|
|
| 3
|
NC
|
1–1(1)
|
Licia Boudersa
|
NC
|
5 (6)
|
23 February 2019
|
Palais des Sports Saint-Sauveur, Lille, France
|
Injury. Originally Janicijevic win by TKO. Changed to no contest on 17 December 2020[1]
|
| 2
|
Win
|
1–1
|
Donya Darouiche
|
KO
|
3 (4)
|
3 November 2018
|
Complexe de la Busserine, Marseille, France
|
|
| 1
|
Loss
|
0–1
|
Nahed Kharchi
|
PTS
|
6 (6)
|
29 September 2018
|
Espace Jean Ferrat, Drap, France
|
|
References
