Female boxing icon Esther Phiri on Friday night won the non-title bout against South Africa’s Sandra Almeider via unanimous decision in Lusaka.
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‎Phiri and Almeider drew in 2015 in a disputed fight for WIBA/WBF belts.
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‎Phiri said she came out of retirement to fight for community empowerment.
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‎The WBC champion’s previous fight was in 2015, while her opponent, Almeider stepped up in the boxing ring back in 2017.
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‎Phiri is Zambia’s most famous female boxer – a former multi-time world champion who went from selling vegetables in Lusaka’s Mtendere Market to international fame.
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‎She started boxing in 2003 after meeting coach Anthony Mwamba and turned pro in 2005
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‎Phiri holds a record of 19 fights – 14 wins (5 by KO), 1 loss, 3 draws, 1 no contest.
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‎She won WIBA welterweight world title in 2010 by beating Duda Yankovich and held GBU intercontinental belts and WIBF titles. She became a 7-time world champion
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‎Phiri dropped out of school after 6th grade and became a mother at 16, selling fruit/veggies to support her family.
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‎Boxing was her way out of poverty. Her success made boxing popular again in Zambia and opened doors for women’s boxing in the region – after her rise, Zimbabwe allowed women to compete professionally for the first time.
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‎Phiri has retired after this match.
Esther Phiri wins exhibition bout
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Are exhibition bouts won and lost? I thought they were just for playacting
She never won a world title. Zambia has only produced one world champion in Catherine Phiri who briefly held the WBC title.