Maria Lindberg

Biography

Maria Lindberg’s path to the top of women’s boxing began almost by accident. In March 1997, at just 19, she wandered into Winning Boxing Club in Malmö, convinced that training was dull and unnecessary. Three days later, she returned—not for a casual visit, but to buy a full-year membership. The sport had already sunk its hooks in.

Nearly 13 years later, on September 19, 2009, Lindberg stepped into a ring in Rülzheim, Germany, and defeated Britain’s Sara Davis over ten rounds to claim the vacant WIBF light middleweight world title. It was a career-defining moment, but she wasn't finished. On November 20, 2010, she added the WIBA belt to her collection, besting Belgium’s Diane Schwachhofer in another ten-round battle.

Now fighting under a German professional license, Lindberg has her sights set on further world titles, with WBC and WBO championships firmly in her crosshairs. Her philosophy is simple: she wants to face the best fighters in her weight class, time and again, so there can be no doubt she is truly the world’s finest.

Away from the ring, Lindberg works as a consultant and coach at Winning Boxing Club, where her longtime trainer, Bert V Johansson-Munk, has guided her since 1997. His belief in her potential remains unwavering. Before boxing consumed her life, she earned a degree in chemical engineering and worked as an engineer for two years. In her spare time, she enjoys coffee with friends, reading, and everything connected to sports.