| Noriko Kariya | |
| Weight: | Lightweight |
| Nationality: | Canadian |
| Birth Date: | 12 June 1979 |
| Birth Place: | Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada |
| Style: | Orthodox |
| Total: | 11 |
| Wins: | 9 |
| Losses: | 3 |
| Draws: | 1 |
Noriko Ann Kariya (born June 12, 1979) is a Canadian professional female boxer.[1] [2]
Noriko Kariya grew up interested in becoming a hockey player. Her brothers, Steve Kariya, Martin Kariya, and Paul Kariya, whom she looked up to as a child, were professional hockey players.[1] When Kariya moved to the United States to study at the University of Maine,[3] she became a member of the women's field hockey team, and joined the local boxing gym to keep in shape.[4]
Kariya's presence at the gym was difficult for the gym's other patrons; many felt uncomfortable with having a woman train next to them. Kariya did not feel welcome but came to love the sport of boxing and wanted to pursue it as a career. Kariya moved to Jersey City, New Jersey, where she began training with Mike Skowronski and Teddy Cruz, who have also worked with Arturo Gatti.
In May 2006, a photo of Kariya, with the nickname "Lady Bang", appeared on Ring Magazine. The nickname is a spin-off from her brother, Paul's, winning of the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy in both 1996 and 1997 for the most gentlemanly player of the year.
Noriko Kariya had ten amateur bouts, winning 9 and losing 1.
Kariya debuted as a bantamweight fighter on May 29, 2005, beating Cindy Christian by a four-round decision at Hull, Quebec. Her next fight, and her first professional bout outside of Canada, took place on August 19 of the same year. She defeated Camille Casson in Whippany, New Jersey by another four-round decision.
On January 28, 2006, Kariya defeated Maria Contreras on points at Atlantic City,[5] and on May 24, 2006, she fought the undefeated Amanda Knight in New York City. The bout was declared a draw (tie) after four rounds, and both women remained undefeated. On December 13, 2007, Kariya fought Salina Jordan at the Roseland Ballroom with a third round referee decision of Kariya being the outright winner. A punch at the end of the first round by Kariya broke Salina Jordan's cheekbone.
Kariya has 9 wins, 3 losses and 1 draw, with 2 knockout wins.[6]
| Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round, time | Date | Location | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | Loss | 9–3–1 |  Ava Knight | KO | 5, 0:20 | Jul 31, 2008 | Schuetzen Park, North Bergen, New Jersey, USA | |
| 12 | Win | 9–2–1 | Jessica Mohs | UD | 5, 2:00 | Apr 30, 2008 |  River Rock Casino, Richmond, Canada | |
| 11 | Win | 8–2–1 | Salina Jordan | TKO | 3, 0:28 | Dec 13, 2007 | Roseland Ballroom, New York, USA | |
| 10 | Win | 7–2–1 | Dawn Reynolds | UD | 4, 2:00 | Oct 18, 2007 | Hammerstein Ballroom, New York, USA | |
| 9 | Loss | 6–2–1 | Eileen Olszewski | SD | 6, 2:00 | Feb 17, 2007 | Hammerstein Ballroom, New York, USA | |
| 8 | Win | 6–1–1 | Elisha Olivas | UD | 6, 2:00 | Nov 15, 2006 | The Grand Ballroom, New York, USA | |
| 7 | Win | 5–1–1 | Michelle Herron | UD | 4, 2:00 | Aug 5, 2006 | Madison Square Garden, New York, USA | |
| 6 | Win | 4–1–1 | Kerri Hill | TKO | 3, 1:07 | Jun 10, 2006 | Madison Square Garden, New York, USA | |
| 5 | Draw | 3–1–1 | Amanda Knight | PTS | 4, 2:00 | May 24, 2006 | Hammerstein Ballroom, New York, USA | |
| 4 | Loss | 3–1 | Suzannah Warner | MD | 4, 2:00 | Mar 18, 2006 | Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA | |
| 3 | Win | 3–0 |  Maria Contreras | UD | 4, 2:00 | Jan 28, 2006 | Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA | |
| 2 | Win | 2–0 | Camille Casson | UD | 4, 2:00 | Aug 19, 2005 | Hanover Marriott, Whippany, USA | |
| 1 | Win | 1–0 | Cindy Christian | MD | 4, 2:00 | May 28, 2005 | Casino Lac Leamy, Hull, Canada | |