Finnish prospect Katja Kankaanpää will look to keep her unbeaten record intact when she faces England’s Simona Soukupova at Botnia Punishment 12 on September 14th in Seinäjoki, Finland. The featured bout is expected to be contested at 115 pounds and will serve as the night’s co-main event.
Kankaanpää most recently earned an impressive Unanimous Decision win over final Valkyrie Featherweight Champion “V.V” Mei Yamaguchi at Botnia Punishment 11 in March. Soukupova is coming off of a competitive decision loss to fellow striker Felice “Lil’ Bulldog” Herrig at XFC 19 earlier this month.
Kankaanpää (6-0-0) first made waves by handing Spain’s Karla Benitez the first loss of her pro career in October, but it was the win over Yamaguchi that established Kankaanpää as a top-ten competitor in the 115-pound strawweight division. Kankaanpää used her size and strength advantage to power out of Yamaguchi’s submission attempts and she dominated the striking exchanges on the feet and from top position on the ground. Kankaanpää showed in the bout with Yamaguchi that she is one of the most well-rounded competitors at 115 pounds. She now competes under the Botnia Punishment banner for the fourth time and looks to secure another impressive win in front of her hometown supporters.
Soukupova (2-2-0) kicked off her career with a pair of dominant TKO victories in her first two fights, but she now finds herself in the midst of a two-fight losing skid after decision defeats against Benitez and Herrig. The talented kickboxer had a solid showing in the fight with Herrig and was particularly effective with knees in the final round, but ultimately came up short on the judges’ scorecards. A move down to the 105-pound atomweight division may be in Soukupova’s future, but she will remain at 115 pounds in search of a much-needed win over Kankaanpää next month.
Botnia Punishment 12 takes place on September 14th at the Rytmikorjaamo in Seinäjoki, Southern Ostrobothnia, Finland.
(Photo Credit: Sherdog.com)