Duda Yankovich for the Latest in Women Boxing

duda yankovich

5'6" welterweight Duda "The Cameleon" Yankovich was born Deusica Yankovich on September 27, 1976 in the small city of Jagodina, Yugoslavia (now Serbia and Montenegro),

Duda was interested in sports and got involved with Martial Arts at an early age. She trained in Karate (Shotokan-ITKF) from age 11 to 18, competing at both the junior and adult levels while still a junior. She earned her Black Belt at age 14, becoming the youngest Black Belt in Serbia. Between the ages of 16 and 18,, Duda was part of the National female team. In April 1994, She competed in the European Championship in the City of Prague, Czech Republic, taking second place and winning a silver medal. In May of the same year, Duda took third place and won the bronze metal in the Junior World Championship in Zakopane, Poland.

Duda began taking kickboxing training (WAKO Federation), and quickly became a national champion at 135 lbs., for the first time in 1996 and again in 1997, 1998, and 1999. During that time, Duda also competed in the 1996 European championships in Yugoslavia, the 1997 world championships in Poland, the 1998 European championships in Germany), and the 1999 world championships in Italy. In April 1998, Duda became the Mediterranean Champion and a month later, champion of Balkans in Kickboxing/Full Contact.

1999 brought war to Belgrade. After 77 days of war, the situation in the country was not good for sports, so Duda decided - after almost a year of waiting - to move out of her native country. She had won two fights in Brazil in January 1998, and had made some contacts there. Duda decided to move to Brazil, and became the Brazilian kickboxing champion in 2001, 2002, and 2003.

She won the gold medal in the 2000 Pan-American open amateur kickboxiing championship, and gold medals in the South American Amateur Kickboxing Championship in both 2001 and 2003.

Duda got involved in amateur boxing in 2003. A coach from one of the Brazilian national male teams saw her in an exhibition match and invited her to train as a boxer. Duda went on to become the Brazilian 140-lb amateur boxing champion for the first time in 2002, then repeated her success in 2003 and 2004.