Linn Sandström: “Boxing will always be a part of me. But I also want to inspire the next generation.”

Linn Sandström: “Boxing will always be a part of me. But I also want to inspire the next generation.”

Linn Sandström is used to being active. The 34-year-old flyweight contender had four fights in 2024, and she replicated that again last year. But the Brazilian-born Sandström hasn’t been seen inside a boxing ring since her majority decision victory over Maribel Ramirez last November.

“I love being active, but I really needed this time off to regroup and recharge,” Sandström told FightPost. “I’ve used this period to grow physically and mentally. I’ve worked on things I normally don’t have time to sharpen between fights, so I’m coming back a better version of myself.”

But her somewhat extended ring absence will end in May when she fights the American Katherine Renee Lindenmuth for the WBA Gold flyweight title. “I’m looking for a complete performance,” Sandström says of her next fight. “To be sharp, disciplined, and dominant. This fight is about showing the improvements I’ve made and setting the tone for what’s coming next.”

Sandström had been campaigning at super-flyweight before dropping down a weight division late last year. “It’s about being at my optimal weight. I believe I can perform at a higher level at flyweight, be bigger and stronger. It’s about giving myself the best possible conditions to succeed.”

It was after her second unsuccessful attempt at winning a world title that convinced Sandström to drop down to flyweight. In August, when she challenged Jasmine Artiga for her WBA world super-flyweight title, Sandström suffered the first stoppage defeat of her professional career when Artiga stopped her in three rounds.

“Yes, it definitely played a role,’ Sandström admits. “Every experience teaches you something. I took what I learned, reassessed, and made a decision that I believe will bring out the best in me.”

Gabriela Fundora is the unbeaten and undisputed world flyweight champion. “Absolutely,” Sandström says when I ask her if Fundora is on her radar. “When you’re competing at this level, you aim for the top. She has all the belts, so naturally, she’s the name I’m working towards.”

“Fundora is very good, tall, strong, and uses her range well,” Sandström adds. “She’s been active and confident, and she’s doing what a champion should do. But I see areas where I believe I can be effective.

“Styles make fights. I believe my experience, ring IQ, and adaptability set me apart. Power is one thing, but it’s not everything. I’m confident in my team’s and coach’s ability to break opponents down and control a fight in different ways.”

Sandström is chasing Fundora and a third opportunity at becoming a world champion, and she is open-minded about any other opportunities that might come her way. “There are a lot of good fighters in the division, and I’m open to any big fights. But a win in my next one sets me up for a world title next, so right now, the focus is on winning in May and building momentum.”

The boxing career of Linn Sandström has been inspiring in many ways. The former international table tennis player had an unflattering start to her boxing life, but she never gave up on her dream to become a world champion. In 2021, after four professional fights, Sandström only had one win on her resume. But she went three years unbeaten, and her only defeats in five years have been in those two world title fights.

But at some point, the story will end, but the sport that has defined her will likely be a constant in her life. “Boxing will always be a part of me,” Sandström says. “But I also want to inspire the next generation, especially young girls, to chase their dreams. I see myself staying involved in the sport, mentoring, and so on.”