Boxing Prospect Hanna Suffers First Loss, but Wants More Ring Time

Claudio Hanna cried for nearly 30 minutes after her first defeat in the boxing ring. Then the 14-year-old wiped away her tears and said she wanted to enter even more tournaments.

Hanna lost her opening bout at the Queens Arena women's amateur boxing tournament in Ansan on Aug. 22. Her opponent was 23 and held a professional license. Until then, Hanna had won all eight of her bouts, including two tournament victories. She had also lost about 6 kilograms in preparation for the event.

Kim Jeong-woo, a coach at the Kim Myeong-gon boxing gym, said Hanna had performed well despite facing a much stronger opponent. He said some fights remain unsatisfying even after a win, while a loss can still reflect a strong performance. Experiencing defeat, he added, could ease the pressure Hanna had carried and allow her to box more like herself.

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I wanted to enter even more competitions.

The loss carries particular weight because Hanna cannot enter elite competitions, where top-level athletes compete. She holds Filipino citizenship but was born and raised in South Korea, and she hopes to become a Korean citizen and represent the country. For now, she competes only in amateur events, which mainly attract recreational boxers.

Hanna filed a petition with South Korea's National Human Rights Commission in May, arguing that restrictions on foreign athletes in elite competitions violate human rights. The Korea Boxing Association's registration rules allow foreign athletes to register with approval under international boxing regulations and domestic law, but registration has been blocked amid opposition to foreign participation in elite events. Hanna stayed to watch the tournament after her elimination, her eyes fixed on the ring.

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There are fights that do not feel satisfying even when you win, and fights that are excellent even when you lose. Although Hanna lost because the opponent was too strong, she played her own game.