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All The Right Reasons | Roxy Verduzco

Ahead Of Her Third Professional Fight on Hollywood Fight Nights: Akhmedov Vs Espadas, Boxing Prospect Roxy Verduzco Discusses Family, Love For Los Angeles, And Women In Combat Sports
By Austin Morales • Apr. 16, 2025

Better known as “Right Hook Roxy,” 23-year-old Iyana Verduzco is much more than her 3-0 professional boxing record. The California native boasts an amateur career that includes three international gold medals, 21 national titles, and a 101-6 record that gives her more ring time than some fighters twice her age. 

Verduzco quickly gave credit to family for her early success, a bloodline that undoubtedly passed down a love and drive for the martial arts.

“I am a fourth-generation fighter, so it runs in my family,” Verduzco explained. “My uncle was an undefeated kickboxer, Benny ‘The Jet’ Urquidez, a legend in kickboxing and one of the pioneers. My aunt, Lily Rodriguez, she was in the Hall of Fame for kickboxing and boxing. I guess it just runs in the family, so I've been doing boxing since I was four years old. I started really training at six years old, and my first fight was at eight years old.”

COVID-19 put a pause to the momentum of Right Hook Roxy’s career. After taking a multi-year break to examine the future, Verduzco turned pro in October 2023. 

“I had my debut at The Forum,” Verduzco said. “It’s history-making because I don't think a female has ever had a debut at the forum; it's a very historical place in Los Angeles.”

Verduzco would then sign with 360 Promotions’ Tom Loeffler, the promoter for Hollywood Fight Nights. Under the California-based organization, Verduzco has further pushed the narrative that she is boxing’s next superstar. 

January’s Hollywood Fight Nights: Trinidad vs Plania set the stage for Verduzco to put on a show for her hometown. With fires laying waste to large portions of the Los Angeles area, Right Hook Roxy gave locals a much-needed light.

“We had the LA fires happening,” Verduzco explained. “I had to evacuate my house. I got it done and I did a whole Dodger theme. I felt like it got a lot of traction because I was fighting in Los Angeles and the Dodgers had just won the World Series. I think about themes to my fights, as well, and with everything going on in Los Angeles, I felt like it was a good representation of who we are.”

A third-round TKO of Lindsey Ellis showed boxing fans that there are levels to the sport, and Verduzco is on a level of her own. 

Having a rapidly growing platform and a highlight-reel skillset, Verduzco advocates for a brighter light on women’s combat sports. 

“As women, we fight hard,” Verduzco emphasized. “You can only imagine in boxing how much we have to prove to the men. This is a man's world. Whether it's MMA, boxing, or combat sports, in general, we have to work extra hard and all the support is needed and appreciated for women's boxing to grow.”

Verduzco also gave credit to some of mixed martial arts’ biggest stars for their role in establishing women in the combat sports world. 

“Amanda Nunes, Holly Holm, those are just people that I really like to watch,“ Verduzco said. “Ronda Rousey, too. She was the pioneer for any martial art, and (Cris) Cyborg, because those women, they were able to open doors for a lot of us. Cyborg and Holly Holm, they were MMA, but it made people watch combat sports, and watch women. They did movies and they opened the doors for movie acting. They’re some of the pioneers of combat sports and they've helped open the eyes for men to be like, ‘Wow, you know what? I'm going to start following women's sports and women's martial arts.’”

Right Hook Roxy has made a name for herself in the ring, and is fighting for more than just a belt. Her family has a new fighter, Los Angeles has a new star, and boxing has someone who won’t pull any punches in advocating for her spot in combat sports history. 

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Hollywood Fight Nights: Akhmedov vs Espadas is LIVE on UFC Fight Pass on Saturday, April 19!