Terri  “Belter” Harper, is a history-making British professional boxer

Terri  “Belter” Harper, is a history-making British professional boxer who has captured major world championships in three different weight classes. Standing 5 feet 8½ inches tall with an orthodox stance, she became the second British woman in boxing history—following Nicola Adams—to secure a major world title. Known for her elite technical discipline, tactical intelligence, and physical resilience, Harper has continually reinvented herself across the super featherweight, light middleweight, and lightweight divisions.

Born and raised in the working-class village of Denaby Main in South Yorkshire, Harper discovered boxing at the age of 12. Her curiosity sparked after watching Jack Osbourne box on the reality television show Jack Osbourne: Adrenaline Junkie.

She soon joined a local gym, displaying an innate aptitude for the sport. Across a brief but highly efficient 17-fight amateur career, Harper captured three national titles. Her crowning amateur achievement came in 2012 when she secured a Silver Medal at the European Junior Championships in Poland, losing a narrow decision in the finals to Russia’s Maria Potorokina.

Following the tournament, Harper temporarily stepped away from boxing to focus on her education. After a brief, senior amateur comeback that left her disillusioned following two losses, a chance message from boxing promoter and manager Stefy Bull convinced her to bypass the amateur ranks entirely and turn professional.

Harper made her professional debut in November 2017. Moving swiftly through domestic opposition, she captured the vacant IBO super featherweight title in March 2019.

Her breakthrough on the global stage occurred on February 8, 2020. At just 23 years old, Harper dethroned long-reigning champion Eva Wahlstrom via a dominant unanimous decision to capture the WBC Female Super Featherweight World Title.

She successfully defended the WBC belt in a historic all-British fight against Natasha Jonas (which ended in a split-decision draw) and secured a 9th-round TKO over Katharina Thanderz. However, a severe hand injury requiring two surgeries and a 12-month layoff made cutting to 130 lbs unsustainable. In November 2021, a weight-depleted Harper lost her title to American star Alycia Baumgardner via a 4th-round TKO.

Rather than gradually climbing the divisions, Harper made a staggering and unprecedented move, skipping the lightweight and welterweight limits entirely to leap 24 pounds higher.

On September 24, 2022, she challenged Scotland’s Hannah Rankin at the Nottingham Arena. Utilizing her superior footwork and quick jabs to counter the larger champion, Harper baffled ringside pundits by cruising to a unanimous decision to capture the WBA and IBO Female Light Middleweight (Super Welterweight) World Titles.

Seeking further multi-divisional glory, Harper continued to adjust her physical framework. In March 2024, she challenged Sandy Ryan for the WBO welterweight crown but found the 147-pound power of Ryan too taxing, retiring on her stool in the fourth round.

Rebuilding her camp, Harper dropped down to her optimal modern weight: the 135-pound lightweight limit. She captured the WBO Female Lightweight World Title by outpointing veteran former champions. This set up a massive domestic unification clash on April 5, 2026, at London’s Olympia against undefeated WBC champion Caroline Dubois. Despite showing immense heart and surviving a flash knockdown in the sixth round and a severe cut from a head clash in the eighth, Harper lost a highly competitive unanimous decision

Complete Professional Fight Record

The following table provides the archived chronicle of Terri Harper’s professional bouts, highlighting her fluid weight adaptations across the weight classes:

Outside the Ring and Advocacy

Harper is a prominent figure in the UK community. She founded the Terri Harper: Believe and Achieve Boxing Foundation, which funds free community boxing sessions to help keep underprivileged youth off the streets. Additionally, as an openly gay athlete, Harper was appointed as a Stonewall Sport Champion. She uses her platform to heavily champion the Rainbow Laces campaign, actively fighting to increase LGBTQ+ inclusion, safety, and visibility within combat sports. 

With an upcoming bout against Miranda Reyes on August 29, 2026, Harper is actively moving up to 140 lbs to target a fourth weight division. Let me know if you would like to explore her current training camp strategy or review the scouting report on Miranda Reyes.