Erika (kickboxer)

Erika Gibo (宜保枝里香), more popularly known by her ring name erika♡, is a Japanese professional kickboxer. She is the former RISE Women's Mini Flyweight champion.

As of November 2023, she is the #1 ranked women's strawweight kickboxer in the world according to Beyond Kick.

Early career
erika made her professional debut against Chizuru Nanase at Tenkaichi 92 on November 25, 2018. She won the fight by unanimous decision. erika won all five of her fights in the next two years, amassing an undefeated 5–0 win streak, most notably overcoming Koto Hiraoka at REBELS 65 on August 30, 2020.

erika faced the RISE Women's Mini Flyweight (–49 kg) champion in the quarterfinals of the RISE "Queen of Queens" tournament, held at RISE DEAD OR ALIVE 2020 Yokohama. She lost the fight by a clear unanimous decision.

erika faced MARI in an NJKF Atomweight title eliminator bout at DEEP☆KICK 48 on December 12, 2020. She won the fight by unanimous decision. erika then challenged Momoka Mandokoro for the NJKF Minerva Atomweight (–46 kg) Championship at DEEP☆KICK Minerva Osaka Tournament on January 30, 2021. She won the fight by unanimous decision.

erika made her KNOCK OUT debut against Shoko at KNOCK OUT-EX vol.2 on June 12, 2021. She won the fight by unanimous decision, with three scorecards of 30–27. erika returned to NJKF to face Ayaka in a non-title bout at NJKF 2021 3rd on September 19, 2021. She won the fight by unanimous decision, with three scorecards of 30–28.

Move up in weight
erika moved up to mini-flyweight, following her final fight under the NJKF banner, and was scheduled to face AKARI at RISE 153 on December 12, 2021. The fight was ruled a draw by unanimous decision after the first three rounds were contested. erika was awarded a unanimous decision win after an extra fourth round was fought.

erika, at the time the #1 ranked RISE mini flyweight contender, was booked to face the #3 ranked contender Wakana Miyazaki at RISE Girls Power 6 on February 12, 2022. She lost the fight by majority decision, with scores of 29–28, 29–27 and 28–28.

Mini flyweight champion
On March 25, 2023, it was announced that a mini flyweight tournament would be held to crown a new RISE champion, as the reigning RISE Women's Mini Flyweight (–49 kg) champion Hinata Terayama had vacated her title. erika was booked to face Moe Okura in the tournament semifinals, which were held on April 24, 2023. She won the fight by a second-round knockout. erika faced the one-time RISE Mini Flyweight title challenger AKARI in the tournament finals at RISE 159 on June 24, 2023. She won the fight by unanimous decision, with scores of 50–48, 49–47 and 50–46. erika became the first Okinawa-born champion in RISE history.

erika faced Byun Bo-Kyeong at Tenkaichi 97 on August 20, 2023, following a 14-month absence from professional competition. She won the fight by unanimous decision, with three scorecards of 30–26, having dropped Bo-Kyeong in the second round.

erika made her first RISE Women's Mini Flyweight title defense against the one-time RISE Women's Atomweight title challenger Arina Kobayashi at RISE 173 on November 18, 2023. She lost the fight by a second-round technical knockout.

Championships and accomplishments

 * New Japan Kickboxing Federation
 * 2021 NJKF Minerva Atomweight (–46 kg) Championship
 * RISE
 * 2022 RISE Women's Mini Flyweight (–49 kg) Tournament Winner
 * 2022 RISE Women's Mini Flyweight (–49 kg) Championship

Fight record
! style=background:white colspan=9 |Loses the RISE Women's Mini Flyweight (–49 kg) Championship. ! style=background:white colspan=9 |Wins the RISE Women's Mini Flyweight (–49 kg) Championship. ! style=background:white colspan=9 |Wins the NJKF Minerva Atomweight (–46 kg) Championship.
 * - style="background:#fbb;"
 * 2023-11-18 || Loss||align=left|🇯🇵 Arina Kobayashi || RISE 173 || Tokyo, Japan || KO (Punches) || 2|| 0:11
 * 2023-11-18 || Loss||align=left|🇯🇵 Arina Kobayashi || RISE 173 || Tokyo, Japan || KO (Punches) || 2|| 0:11
 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 2023-08-20 || Win ||align=left|🇰🇷 Byun Bo-Kyeong || Tenkaichi 97 || Okinawa, Japan || Decision (Unanimous) || 3 || 3:00
 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 2022-06-24 || Win ||align=left|🇯🇵 AKARI || RISE 159|| Tokyo, Japan || Decision (Unanimous) || 5 || 3:00
 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 2022-06-24 || Win ||align=left|🇯🇵 AKARI || RISE 159|| Tokyo, Japan || Decision (Unanimous) || 5 || 3:00
 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 2022-05-24 || Win ||align=left|🇯🇵 Moe Okura || RISE 157 - Mini Flyweight Championship Tournament Semifinals || Tokyo, Japan || KO (Left knee) || 2 || 2:42
 * - style="background:#fbb;"
 * 2022-02-12 || Loss ||align=left|🇯🇵 Wakana Miyazaki || RISE Girls Power 6 || Tokyo, Japan || Decision (Majority) || 3 || 3:00
 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 2021-12-12 || Win ||align=left|🇯🇵 AKARI || RISE 153 || Tokyo, Japan || Ext.R. Decision (Unanimous) || 4 || 3:00
 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 2021-09-19 || Win ||align=left|🇯🇵 Ayaka || NJKF 2021 3rd || Tokyo, Japan || Decision (Unanimous) || 3 || 2:00
 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 2021-06-12 || Win ||align=left|🇯🇵 Shoko JSK || KNOCK OUT-EX vol.2 || Tokyo, Japan || Decision (Unanimous) || 3 || 3:00
 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 2021-01-30 || Win ||align=left|🇯🇵 Momoka Mandokoro || DEEP☆KICK Minerva Osaka Tournament || Izumiōtsu, Japan || Decision (Unanimous) || 5 || 2:00
 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 2021-06-12 || Win ||align=left|🇯🇵 Shoko JSK || KNOCK OUT-EX vol.2 || Tokyo, Japan || Decision (Unanimous) || 3 || 3:00
 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 2021-01-30 || Win ||align=left|🇯🇵 Momoka Mandokoro || DEEP☆KICK Minerva Osaka Tournament || Izumiōtsu, Japan || Decision (Unanimous) || 5 || 2:00
 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 2021-01-30 || Win ||align=left|🇯🇵 Momoka Mandokoro || DEEP☆KICK Minerva Osaka Tournament || Izumiōtsu, Japan || Decision (Unanimous) || 5 || 2:00
 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 2020-12-12 || Win ||align=left|🇯🇵 MARI || DEEP☆KICK 48 || Izumiōtsu, Japan || Decision (Majority) || 3 || 2:00
 * - style="background:#fbb;"
 * 2020-11-10 || Loss ||align=left|🇯🇵 Hinata Terayama || RISE DEAD OR ALIVE2 020 Yokohama, Tournament Quarterfinals || Yokohama, Japan || Decision (Unanimous) || 3 || 3:00
 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 2020-08-30 || Win ||align=left|🇯🇵 Koto Hiraoka || REBELS 65 || Tokyo, Japan || Decision (Unanimous) || 3 || 3:00
 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 2020-03-15 || Win ||align=left|🇯🇵 Ami || Tenkaichi 96 || Uechi, Japan || KO (Knee to the body) || 1 || 1:22
 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 2020-01-26 || Win ||align=left|🇯🇵 Honoka || DUEL 20 || Tokyo, Japan || Decision (Unanimous) || 3 || 3:00
 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 2019-10-20 || Win ||align=left|🇯🇵 Kana || MAGNUM 51 || Tokyo, Japan || TKO (Three knockdowns) || 2 || 1:53
 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 2018-11-25 || Win ||align=left|🇯🇵 Chizuru Nanase || Tenkaichi 92 || Okinawa, Japan || Decision (Unanimous) || 3 || 3:00
 * colspan=9 | Legend:
 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 2019-10-20 || Win ||align=left|🇯🇵 Kana || MAGNUM 51 || Tokyo, Japan || TKO (Three knockdowns) || 2 || 1:53
 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 2018-11-25 || Win ||align=left|🇯🇵 Chizuru Nanase || Tenkaichi 92 || Okinawa, Japan || Decision (Unanimous) || 3 || 3:00
 * colspan=9 | Legend:
 * 2018-11-25 || Win ||align=left|🇯🇵 Chizuru Nanase || Tenkaichi 92 || Okinawa, Japan || Decision (Unanimous) || 3 || 3:00
 * colspan=9 | Legend:
 * colspan=9 | Legend: