Sumya Anani (born February 12, 1972) is a retired American professional female boxer nicknamed "The Island Girl." She was 5'6" and boxed as a junior welterweight.^[2] She is best known for a 1996 bout which left her opponent severely injured and may have served as an inspiration for the film Million Dollar Baby.^[3] Outside the ring, she is a yoga instructor and holistic healer.

Anani was born in Minnesota and raised in Kansas. She competed as a weightlifter in 1995 and 1996. She took up boxing for self-defense and started boxing professionally because she was "short on cash."^[4] She began to box professionally in the summer of 1996.

She began by boxing against relatively unknown opponents. Her fourth professional bout was in St. Joseph, Missouri against Katie Dallam, a novice welterweight who had only gotten her pro boxing license the day before^[2] — a pairing described as "an obvious mismatch." In four rounds she landed 119 blows to Dallam's head. Dallam collapsed in her dressing room afterward and required brain surgery. Anani was so upset she considered quitting boxing.^[4]

She came to prominence in the boxing world on September 30, 1997, when she defeated former WIBF lightweight champion Stacy Prestage by a knockout. On March 28, 1998 she scored "the sport's biggest upset" with a unanimous six-round decision over veteran Andrea DeShong, considered "the standard bearer for the sport."^[4] On December 18, 1998, she fought boxing star Christy Martin and won the match, handing Martin her first defeat since November 1989.^[2]

In 2016, Anani was inducted into the Women's International Boxing Hall of Fame in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The IWBHF was created and founded by Sue TL Fox.^[5]

No.	Result	Record	Opponent	Type	Round, time	Date	Location	Notes
29	Loss	25–3–1	Terri Blair	TKO	9 (10)	May 27, 2006	Louisville Gardens, Louisville, Kentucky, USA	For IBA Female welterweight title
28	Loss	25–2–1	Terri Blair	TKO	10 (10)	Mar 25, 2006	Grand Victoria Casino, Rising Sun, Indiana, USA	Lost IBA Female welterweight title
27	Win	25–1–1	Belinda Laracuente	UD	10	Jan 22, 2005	Coushatta Casino Resort, Kinder, Louisiana, USA	Retained IBA Female welterweight title
26	Win	24–1–1	Stephanie Jaramillo	UD	10	Dec 4, 2004	Municipal Auditorium, Kansas City, Missouri, USA	Retained IBA Female super lightweight title
25	Win	23–1–1	Lisa Holewyne	UD	6	Apr 24, 2004	Staples Center, Los Angeles, California, USA
24	Win	22–1–1	Fredia Gibbs	RTD	1 (8)	Apr 18, 2003	Palace Indian Gaming Center, Lemoore, California, USA
23	Win	21–1–1	Lisa Holewyne	KO	5 (10)	Nov 2, 2002	The Palace, Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA	Won vacant IBA Female welterweight title
22	Win	20–1–1	Jane Couch	TKO	4 (10)	Jun 21, 2002	Convention Center, Waco, Texas, USA	Won vacant Female IBA super lightweight title
21	Win	19–1–1	Britt Van Buskirk	UD	8	Feb 1, 2002	Coca-Cola Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
20	Draw	18–1–1	Fredia Gibbs	PTS	10	Nov 16, 2001	Convention Center, Austin, Texas, USA	For vacant Female IBA super lightweight title
19	Win	18–1	Britt Van Buskirk	UD	10	Oct 20, 2001	Seven Feathers Hotel & Casino Resort, Canyonville, Oregon, USA	Won vacant Female IBF and Global Boxing Union Female welterweight titles
18	Win	17–1	Elizabeth Mueller	UD	10	May 11, 2001	Convention Center, Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA	Won vacant IBA Female lightweight title
17	Loss	16–1	Britt Van Buskirk	SD	6	Sep 17, 2000	Harrah's Casino, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA
16	Win	16–0	Vicki Woods	UD	8	Jun 25, 2000	Majestic Star Casino, Gary, Indiana, USA
15	Win	15–0	Dora Webber	UD	10	Jun 11, 1999	Bossier City, Louisiana, USA
14	Win	14–0	Dora Webber	UD	8	Mar 23, 1999	KC Market Center, Kansas City, Missouri, USA
13	Win	13–0	Denise Moraetes	UD	8	Mar 12, 1999	Roseland Ballroom, New York, New York, USA
12	Win	12–0	Christy Martin	MD	10	Dec 18, 1998	Memorial Auditorium, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA
11	Win	11–0	Alicia Sparks	TKO	1 (6)	Sep 18, 1998	Flamingo Casino, Kansas City, Missouri, USA
10	Win	10–0	Andrea DeShong	UD	6	Mar 28, 1998	KC Market Center, Kansas City, Missouri, USA
9	Win	9–0	Loretta James	TKO	1 (4)	Jan 31, 1998	Convention Center, Des Moines, Iowa, USA
8	Win	8–0	Charlotte Esparza	KO	1 (4)	Nov 13, 1997	Ramada Inn, Jefferson City, Missouri, USA
7	Win	7–0	Stacey Prestage	KO	4 (6)	Sep 30, 1997	KC Market Center, Kansas City, Missouri, USA
6	Win	6–0	Ashley Needham	UD	4	Apr 2, 1997	Station Casino, Kansas City, Missouri, USA
5	Win	5–0	Shelley Walden	TKO	4 (4)	Mar 19, 1997	Omaha, Nebraska, USA
4	Win	4–0	Katherine Dallam	TKO	4 (4)	Dec 11, 1996	O'Fireman's Local 77, Saint Joseph, Missouri, USA
3	Win	3–0	Valerie Almack	TKO	2 (4)	Oct 16, 1996	Beaumont Club, Kansas City, Missouri, USA
2	Win	2–0	Jessica Breitfelder	UD	4	Aug 26, 1996	Midnight Rodeo, Springfield, Missouri, USA
1	Win	1–0	Jessica Breitfelder	UD	4	Aug 12, 1996	Beaumont Club, Kansas City, Missouri, USA

• List of female boxers

• Sumya Anani at Awakening Fighters