Born: 4 April 1972
Daisy Lang (born 4 April 1972) is a former professional boxer who competed from 1996 to 2004. She is a former three division world champion and was the first Bulgarian woman to capture a world title, having held the WIBF super-flyweight, bantamweight, and super-bantamweight titles between 1999 and 2004.
Early Life:
As a child, Daisy Lang was involved in athletics and had great talent in sprinting, particularly in the 200 and 400 meters. However, she gave up the sport after enduring harsh conditions during training. Lang and her teammates were often forced to wait in sub-zero temperatures for her coach, who sometimes wouldn’t show up. Despite the disappointment, her love for sports continued, leading her to pursue Judo. A few years later, Lang was drawn to Taekwondo and eventually became a black belt and a European champion in the martial art. She also achieved significant success in karate and kickboxing, being crowned World Champion in both disciplines.
Education and Boxing Career:
Daisy Lang pursued higher education, earning physical therapy degrees at the National Sport Academy in Sofia, Bulgaria, and continuing her studies at the German Sport University in Cologne. Her boxing career began in February 1996 when she turned professional in Germany. Living in Düsseldorf and training in Hamburg, Lang quickly made an impact, winning her first three fights in 1996, two of them by knockout.
Lang’s first setback came on 29 November 1997, when she lost to Michele Aboro in a six-round fight. However, she didn’t let this defeat discourage her. In February 1998, Lang triumphed over Krisztina Horvai, winning the vacant WIBF European Bantamweight title in a ten-round battle. Demonstrating her skill and determination, she defended her European championship title by securing a knockout victory in the second round against Anastasia Toktaulova on 27 March 1999.
Lang’s breakthrough moment came on 17 July 1999 when she became a world champion by defeating Gizella Papp for the vacant WIBF Super Flyweight title. This historic victory established her as a dominant force in women’s boxing. From 1999 to 2002, Lang successfully defended her world title against a number of formidable opponents, including Sonia Pereira, Kathy Williams, Oana Jurma, Brenda Burnside, Nadia Debras, Michelle Sutcliffe, and Réka Krempf.
On 14 September 2002, Daisy Lang added another championship belt to her collection. In a ten-round showdown, she emerged victorious against Lisa Foster, earning the GBU world Bantamweight championship. She faced Silke Weickenmeier on 18 January 2003 but the match ended in a draw for the GBU Super bantamweight title. However, Lang didn’t let this result deter her and she avenged the draw on 10 May with a majority decision victory in ten rounds.
Challenges and Legacy:
In her career, Daisy Lang faced numerous challenges, both in and out of the ring. Nevertheless, her resilience and determination enabled her to overcome obstacles and reach unparalleled heights in Bulgarian women’s boxing. She paved the way for future generations of female boxers and was a source of inspiration for women throughout the country.
Although Lang experienced setbacks, such as her loss to Galina Ivanova in a ten-round battle for the WIBF Super Flyweight title on 15 November 2003, her contributions to women’s boxing remain significant. Her skill, courage, and unwavering dedication to her craft made her a respected figure in the sport.
Awards:
– WIBF Super Flyweight World Champion
– WIBF Bantamweight World Champion
– WIBF Super-bantamweight World Champion
– GBU World Bantamweight Champion