Duda Yankovich (Diamond) pugile

Duda Yankovich (Serbian: Душица Јанковић, romanized: Dušica Janković, born September 27, 1976) is a Serbian-born former boxer and mixed martial arts fighter. She has been living in Brazil since 1999. Yankovich was the Women's International Boxing Association (WIBA) 2006 light welterweight world champion.Involved in martial arts since the age of 11, Yankovich was the youngest black belt in the history of Shotokan karate in Serbia. In 1994, she competed in the European Championships in Prague, winning a silver medal. That same year, she also won the bronze medal at the Junior World Championships in Zakopane, Poland. She also became involved in kickboxing and became Serbia Kickboxing Champion in 1996–1999, and Balkan Champion in 1998 and 1999. Yankovich moved to Brazil in 1999, as a result of the Yugoslav civil war, and became Brazilian Kickboxing Champion in 2001–2003.In 2002, she became involved with amateur boxing, training for four months with the team of former world champion, Acelino Freitas. In 2005, Yankovich represented Brazil in the First Pan-American female boxing amateur championship in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She took third place and a bronze medal in the 138-lb division.On 23 July 2005, she made her professional boxing debut against Argentinian, Wilhelmina Fernandez. She won on in fourth round by knockout. Then she brought three more fights, winning all by knockout. During this time, Yankovich chose to abandon kickboxing competitions and to dedicate her time to reaching a World Title race in Boxing.After two more international victories, Yankovich become a contender for a Women's International Boxing Association (WIBA) title in the category of super light. She won this World Title dispute by a unanimous decision.After the world title win in November 2006, Yankovich made her first defense of the World Title on March 17, 2007, against American Belinda Laracuente, winning by points in a challenge that lasted 10 rounds. Soon after she won against Colombian Paola Rojas in São Paulo and then also won against the Colombian Liliana Palmera in Campo Grande – MS. In April 2008 Yankovich gave a rematch to Darys Pardo and again beat the Colombian.