Erin Toughill Profile and Images

Erin Toughill Profile

Erin Toughill was born on June 13, 1977 in Chicago, Illinois.  She competes as a professional boxer and in mixed martial arts (freestyle) and Brazilian jiu jitsu.

She began kickboxing at age 18 and Brazilian jiu jitsu at age 20.  She says that she started training to get a good work out and to learn self-defense, then realized that she was very good at what she was doing and agreed to compete when her trainer asked her if she was interested.
She had her first professional MMA fight on September 27, 1999 battling Irma Verhoef of Holland to a draw at the WVC 9-World Vale Tudo Championship at the Havana Beach Club in Aruba. Erin says that this was her hardest MMA bout. Verhoef had had only two or three MMA fights but had a long experience as a kickboxer.  Erin told  Benny Henderson of Doghouse Boxing: "She was a brute. We fought for one 15-minute round and ... I was happy that I did so well with someone of that caliber. It was a great learning experience and I knew I had a future in this sport. I also knew that if I wanted to keep doing this, I would actually have to train!"
Erin made her debut as a pro boxer on July 20, 2000 at the Marriot Hotel in Irvine, California, weighing in at 166 lbs and losing a four-round unanimous (40-36) decision to another debut fighter, Elizabeth Rumpf (163¾ lbs). Of her inauspicious debut, Toughill said later "Along with not training properly, I also had a kick boxer teaching me how to box. The training for boxing is so different compared to MMA. I think, no I know, I just wasn't prepared".
On August 26, 2000 at the Selland Arena in Fresno, California, Erin (164 lbs) won a four-round unanimous (40-36,40-36,40-35) decision over pro debut fighter Coreena Grizoffi (169½ lbs) of Fresno.
On October 7, 2000 at Centennial Garden Arena in Bakersfield, California, Erin (168 lbs) won a four-round majority  (38-38, 39-37,40-36) decision over pro debuter Veronica Sanchez (178 lbs) of Los Angeles. Toughill used her reach advantage to keep Sanchez away with snapping left jabs early in the fight. When Sanchez worked her way past Toughill's jab, she was unable to do much with the opportunity, according to a ringside correspondent.

 Erin Toughill

 Erin Toughill

 Erin Toughill

 Erin Toughill

 Erin Toughill

 Erin Toughill

Erin Toughill