Bianca Daimoni upset former WBC worldwide bantamweight and EBU European tremendous flyweight champion Ashley Brace in a bare-knuckle boxing match at BYB in February, beating the professional boxer in enemy territory in Cardiff, and already felt like a winner by getting again in motion.
Daimoni’s BYB Naked Knuckle debut occurred almost 5 years after her final skilled bout, a one-night event underneath the Shooto Brazil banner in Rio de Janeiro. Since then, Daimoni has a near-death expertise through the COVID-19 pandemic, and survived to appreciate her mom didn’t make it.
The 38-year-old veteran was devastated after struggling the primary knockout lack of her profession by the arms of Mariana Morais, who was awarded a shot at light-weight star Kayla Harrison underneath the PFL banner instantly after the win. Daimoni thought that getting completed like that might be the top of her profession, after which the pandemic hit.
A 12 months later, and with no hopes of getting fighter booked within the foreseeable future, Daimoni examined constructive for COVID-19 in February 2021. And so did her mom, who lived in the identical home.
“My mother was 63, and she or he was somewhat bit cussed, so she didn’t wish to go to the hospital,” Daimoni advised MMA Preventing. “We stayed at dwelling for 3 days, however the it solely bought worse. I bear in mind telling her I might solely go to the hospital if she went with me, and by the point we bought there, it was fairly dangerous. I misplaced 70 % of my lungs in three days.”
The native hospital was full, and mom and daughter needed to share a room. They each bought worse, and the docs needed to make a tricky determination after one mattress was made out there within the ICU.
“They opted to take me to the ICU as a result of I used to be youthful, and the percentages of me popping out of the ICU have been greater,” Daimoni stated. “It was a really, very tough second. I had no concept it was that dangerous. I mainly had no lungs. I had no concept what a intubation was, and it form of helped keep calm. The primary day within the ICU, I used to be so dangerous they needed to revive me. They thought I wouldn’t make it. My household says [the doctors] have been like, ‘Let see if she makes it by way of the night time.’”
Daimoni was in coma for eight days. She awakened feeling higher, however solely till she went returned to room.
“I awakened, and my mother wasn’t there,” Daimoni stated. “I went again to the room on a wheelchair and began in search of her. Once I bought there, there was one other girl on the mattress. [The doctors said] ‘Your mom handed away two days in the past.’ It was a really, very tough course of, as a result of I didn’t see something. I virtually don’t even consider it occurred. I’ve to consider the issues they advised me and that’s it. There was no funeral, nothing.”
Daimoni was cleared from the hospital the subsequent day and went again dwelling, however her life wasn’t the identical. She fought for her life and survived an induced coma, however misplaced a part of her love for all times together with her mom gone.
“That affected my psychological state,” Daimoni stated. “That’s why I used to be away [from fighting] for therefore lengthy. I saved suspending my return as a result of there was no pleasure in doing it. I had some presents, and I all the time agreed to it, however then got here up with an excuse to not come again.”
On prime of that, an outdated again harm from her Invicta FC days returned and pressure her to have surgical procedure in 2023. Launched from hospital post-surgery, Daimoni stated her husband and coach, alongside with teammates and pals, incentivized her to place the gloves again on to compete. It’s been years with no fights, and the one provide that got here truly had her take away the gloves to compete.
Watch the match beneath.
Daimoni thought-about arising with one other excuse to tug out of the BYB match towards Brace, however made it by way of for the win through break up determination. With three extra fights underneath contract with the promotion — and doorways open for a MMA return —, Daimoni desires to remain energetic in 2025.
“Invicta is , however we additionally loved naked knuckle boxing,” stated Daimoni, who holds a MMA document of 8-4 with 5 knockouts to her credit score. “I needed to combat myself in an effort to come again and win. I knew that. And my husband helped me all through this complete course of. We reside in a small city, and all people just about is aware of one another, so all people supported me and that meant so much.”
