Mäkinen aims for Olympic spot amid international match concerns in Kankaanpää, Finland

Teresa Mäkinen, a boxer from Kankaanpää, Finland, is aiming for a spot in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, but she is facing concerns due to a lack of international matches. This situation arose after the Finnish Boxing Federation (SNL) withdrew from the International Boxing Association (IBA) last fall over its ties to Russia. The IBA allows Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under their national flags, contrary to the recommendations of the International Olympic Committee. Consequently, SNL has joined a new international body, the World Boxing Federation, which includes 43 nations, but the number of international competitions remains limited.

To gain competitive experience, Mäkinen is looking to participate in professional bouts. She is set to face Spanish boxer Clara Lopez at the end of the month in Spain. This does not erase her Olympic aspirations, as she navigates between amateur and professional boxing.

Both amateur and professional boxing exist in Finland, with amateur boxing governed by SNL and professional boxing by the Finnish Professional Boxing Federation (SAN). Recently, SAN revised its regulations to allow athletes to compete in both formats if there is a minimum of 28 days between matches. However, Mäkinen’s busy schedule means she cannot meet this requirement and will be competing under a license from the Valencian region in Spain.

Mäkinen is focused on training with her coach, Veli Koota. She recently overcame uncertainty about her future after undergoing heart surgery last fall and has since returned to the ring, winning the international GeeBee tournament. She has future matches slated in Rovaniemi, Ireland, and the Tammer Tournament in Tampere ahead of her professional debut. Mäkinen is eager to showcase her skills regardless of match status, stating she will enter the ring with the same mindset in Spain as she would in Finland.