Elin Cederroos (8-2, 4 KOs), a former soccer player who transitioned into boxing and gradually became the unified IBF and WBA Female Super Middleweight Champion, has decided to hang her gloves up at the age of 38.
A former footballer for Swedish clubs Hammarby and Djurgården, Cederroos made a pretty late start in boxing when she became an amateur in 2013. Four years later, the pugilist turned professional after a short, 14 fights, 8-6 career as an amateur.
Despite the delayed entry into the sport, it didn’t take much time for Cederroos to rise to prominence in the sport of sweet science, as within just two years of turning pro, she defeated Femke Hermans in 2019 to become the IBF champion at 168, followed by a win over Alicia Napoleon Espinosa to add the WBA belt to her name.
It was in 2022 when Cederroos’ undefeated streak in the squared circle came to an end, as she suffered her maiden professional defeat to Franchón Crews-Dezurn in April 2022 at the Madison Square Garden in New York City, also losing her WBA and IBF belts in the process.
In February this year, Cederroos suffered another setback, losing to Shadasia Green for the WBC Silver belt. Seven months after the second consecutive loss, the Swede took to Instagram to announce her retirement.
“You haven’t received any updates in a long time. I have taken time to reflect and think. There is much that I can be proud of in my career, but now I am also putting the gloves together with the football boots on the shelf after 22 years as an elite athlete. It is with great sadness but also with curiosity and excitement for the future,” wrote Cederroos.
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