Terri Harper, born on 2 November 1996 in Denaby Main, is a British professional boxer who has achieved significant success in the sport. She was raised in Yorkshire with her two brothers and sister.
Harper has held world championships in three weight classes, marking her as a versatile and accomplished fighter. These include:
- World Boxing Organization (WBO) female lightweight title since September 2024
- World Boxing Council (WBC) female super featherweight title from 2020 to 2021
- World Boxing Association (WBA) and International Boxing Organization (IBO) female light middleweight titles from 2022 to 2024
Early Life and Amateur Career
She got into boxing at the age of 12 after watching Jack Osbourne box on the TV show Jack Osbourne: Adrenaline Junkie.
After winning a silver medal as an amateur at the 2012 European Junior Championships, Harper stepped away from the sport to concentrate on her education. She returned to amateur boxing after completing her GCSEs, only to become disillusioned with the sport after losing her first two bouts.
Turning Professional
While deciding whether or not to continue with boxing, Harper received a call from a boxing promoter with an offer to turn over to the professional side of the sport.
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Early Professional Fights
After four more fights in 2018-PTS wins over Borislava Goranova in February and Bojana Libiszewska in April, and stoppage wins over Bec Connolly in October and Feriche Mashauri in December-she faced undefeated Commonwealth super-lightweight champion Nina Bradley on 8 March 2019, at the Barnsley Metrodome in Barnsley, with the vacant WBC International female lightweight title on the line.
Following a stoppage win against Claudia Lopez in May, Harper faced former world title challenger Nozipho Bell on 19 July for the vacant IBO female super-featherweight title at the Magna Centre in Rotherham.
Signing with Matchroom Boxing
It was announced in September 2019 that Harper had signed a promotional contract with Eddie Hearn's Matchroom Boxing, with her first fight under the new promotion to take place on 2 November against former two-time world title challenger Viviane Obenauf at the Manchester Arena. The fight was televised live on Sky Sports as part of the undercard of Katie Taylor's world title bout against Christina Linardatou.
Harper successfully retained her IBO title via unanimous decision (UD) over ten rounds, with the judges' scorecards reading 99-91, 99-92, and 97-93.
Winning the WBC Title
On 20 December it was announced that Harper would challenge Wahlström on 8 February 2020, at the FlyDSA Arena (formerly Sheffield Arena), with Harper's IBO and Wahlström's WBC titles on the line. The fight was aired live on Sky Sports in the UK and DAZN in the US as part of the undercard for Kell Brook vs. Mark DeLuca.
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Harper knocked Wahlström down in round seven en-route to a UD victory, adding the WBC to her IBO title to become the second British female boxer, after Nicola Adams, to capture a major world title.
She defended her titles against former Olympian Natasha Jonas on 7 August 2020, at the Matchroom Sport headquarters in Brentwood, Essex.
Title Defenses and Challenges
In the second defence of her WBC title and fourth of her IBO, Harper faced former European female super-featherweight champion Katharina Thanderz on 14 November 2020. The bout served as part of the undercard for Katie Taylor's world title defence against Miriam Gutiérrez at The SSE Arena in London.
Thanderz suffered an injury to her nose after an accidental clash of heads in the ninth round before being hurt with a punch to the body, causing her to bend over in pain.
In April 2021, it was announced that Harper would face WBA female super-featherweight champion Hyun Mi Choi on 15 May, at the AO Arena (formerly known as Manchester Arena).
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Recent fights and WBO Lightweight Title
Sandy Ryan eliminated Terri Harper in four rounds to retain her title on March 23, 2024.
In September 2024, Terri Harper dethroned Rhiannon Dixon to win the WBO female lightweight title. Terri Harper defeats Rhiannon Dixon to become world champion.
Terri Harper retained her WBO title against Natalie Zimmermann in Doncaster. Terri Harper takes on Natalie Zimmermann in Doncaster!
Terri Harper's Professional Boxing Record
The table below summarizes Terri Harper's professional boxing record, highlighting key fights and outcomes:
| Date | Opponent | Result | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| February 8, 2020 | Eva Wahlström | Win (UD) | WBC and IBO Super Featherweight Titles |
| August 7, 2020 | Natasha Jonas | Draw (SD) | WBC and IBO Super Featherweight Titles |
| November 14, 2020 | Katharina Thanderz | Win (TKO) | WBC and IBO Super Featherweight Titles |
| September 28, 2024 | Rhiannon Dixon | Win (UD) | WBO Lightweight Title |
| Recent | Natalie Zimmermann | Win (UD) | WBO Lightweight Title |
AND STILL? - TERRI HARPER v KATHARINA THANDERZ- WBC & IBO WORLD TITLES ON LINE! / OFFICIAL WEIGH IN
Terri Harper should have some notable opportunities in the near future under MVP.