Hülya Şahin,ülyaŞ aka Julia "Sunshine" Sahin, (born February 23, 1974, in Siegen, West Germany) is a German professional female boxer. She is a former world champion in kickboxing and was world champion in amateur boxing as well. As of September 1, 2007, she is the undefeated WIBF world junior flyweight (48 kg) champion. The 1.60 m (5 ft 3 in) tall sportswoman lives in Cologne, Germany. Hülya is an educated locksmith, working currently for the Cologne Transit Company (KVB) in the maintenance of ticket machines in trams.
At her age of 19, she began kickboxing inspired by her brother, who is a kickboxer. Hülya became quickly world champion as an amateur and later once again world champion, this time as a professional. However, she had to quit kickboxing due to a serious injury at her leg.
Her mother raised heavy objections soon after she started to perform boxing, and she tried hard to convince her parents. They accepted her choice as she began to gain success again by earning titles like four times the Turkish champion, twice the European champion and finally the world champion
Since 2004, she is boxing professionally and is the only female member of the boxing sports club Universum Box-Promotion in Hamburg. She is coached by Michael Timm.
Kickboxing
In 1995, only two years after she began performing kickboxing, Hülya became world champion in flyweight (52 kg) division at the full contact karate championships held in Kyiv, Ukraine. She earned the professional world champion title in the same division 1998 in Leverkusen, Germany.
Amateur boxing
From 1998 to 2003, Hülya fought as an amateur boxer for Turkey, quickly becoming one of the most successful members of the national team.
She won the gold medal in the 51 kg division of the 1st International Witch Boxing Cup tournament held in Pécs, Hungary in 1998. On June 12, 1999, in the final of the 1st European Women's Cup held in Köping, Sweden, Hülya defeated Elefteria Palaiologou from Greece by a 13–3 score to win the 48 kg division. On April 9, 2000, in the final of the 2nd European Cup for Women at the Palais des Sports in Mâcon, France, she defeated Aroussia Hadjam of France. On April 14, 2001, in the 1st European Championships held in Saint-Amand-les-Eaux, France, she defeated French Vanessa Berteaux to win the gold medal in the 48 kg division. At the 1st World Women's Boxing Championship held between October 21 and 27, 2001 in Scranton, Pennsylvania, United States, Hülya Şahin won a gold medal in the 48 kg division with an 8-6 decision over Monika Czik of Hungary in the preliminary round, followed by an 11-4 decision over Carina Moreno of Watsonville, California, USA in the semi-final and a 13-5 decision over M. C. Mary Kom of India in the final. In the 48 kg division of the 2nd European Championship for Women held in Pecs, Hungary, she defeated Laura Tosti of Italy by a 23–7 score in the semi-final on May 15, 2003, and Monika Csik of Hungary by a 13-6 margin in the final on May 16, 2003. Hülya won the silver medal in the 48 kg division at the 47th Bocskei Cup held between January 29 through February 1, 2003 in Debrecen, Hungary after losing to Monika Csik of Hungary