How and why did boxing come into your life and why did it stay until now? My love for boxing started around the age of 13. It’s funny because I was always such a shy child. I would try different clubs and activities but would end up stopping. My dad took me to a local kickboxing shows to support a local athlete and when I see the women competing I just got this feeling that I knew I would be good at boxing. It wasn’t until I was 18 that I acted on this idea and joined a local club. I trained in kickboxing for around 2 1/2 years, nothing serious and then at around 20 years old I was introduced to Paul Day who was based at Stevenage Boxing Club. He took me under his wing and really invested his time into me and that’s what really made me stick at boxing, he made me feel I was good at something and could be even better if I stuck to it. He programmed my training properly and gave me a reason to train. There were lots of opportunities too for women to box and good platforms to work towards and I think this is what ultimately made me stick at it as I have always had goals to push towards
What’s your relationship like with your coaches and colleagues when training? I have an amazing relationship with my coaches, Paul Day and Paul Webber. I have been with Paul Day from the beginning and Paul Webber came along with his Son (Professional Boxer) William Webber a few years into my amateur career. Our training is extremely serious and we cut no corners however we are able to have a right laugh at the same time which I believe is the ingredients for greatness.
What is your motivation for boxing? Aside from the obvious and having goals in place I have boxing for titles as a professional, I also want to be the best role model I can be. Alongside my professional boxing career I am also a personal trainer. 50% of my client base is training children and I feel it’s so important to give off positive messages and set the pathway for kids to follow. A lot of them look up to me and this means so much so I always do my best to help encourage them to follow their dreams and aspirations
Who is your favorite boxer and why? I don’t really have a favorite boxer and I don’t really sit and study boxing like some but I love Tyson Fury as I feel he is a very skillful heavyweight as-well as having a great personality. I also love Katie Taylor as I’m sure most fighters do, male and female. She is such a humble and inspiring person and an exceptional athlete, she’s that good she makes me laugh! This year (2020) I have seen a lot more of Terri Harper who I also feel isn’t just an amazing athlete but also a very genuine lovely person. She had an interview with my manager Steve Goodwin back in the summer and listening to her was great, I felt like I was actually listening to myself, lots of similarities which has given me a lot of reasons to have more self belief. Shes exciting to watch and has a great career ahead of her, I will certainly be keeping an eye out
Describe the feeling when you spar your colleagues Sparring is great, it’s the closest you get to a real fight. Sparring can be up and down, sometimes a fantastic performance, sometimes not so much but it’s when you learn most and are able to test out everything you learn. When I spar well it’s such a good feeling and literally puts me on cloud 9. When I don’t spar so well I can put myself down sometimes but I am learning not to do this and to take positives from everything which puts me in a much better head space
What’s it like to compete in a boxing match? It’s the most exciting and most nerve racking thing and you won’t know unless you give it a go. It’s so strange as you can be so nervous going into the fight but as soon as the bell rings it’s like all the nerves are washed from your body. Walking to the ring is amazing, my brother Mitchell is a music producer and makes all my music for me. It gives me such a buzz and the fans are on their feet going crazy!
What advice would you give to someone who wants to try boxing but hasn’t yet plucked up the courage to do so? If it’s something you have your heart set on, push yourself out of your comfort zone, as like myself, it could be the best thing you ever do. I was shy, I hated new situations and I still do now sometimes but you just have to push for what you want. Maybe ask a friend to go to a local class to get you comfortable with the surroundings, if you like it you will stick at it believe me and you will soon make friends quickly.
Do you believe those to participate in boxing become better people in work, family, life situations? 100%! Boxing isn’t just about throwing punches. It teaches you to be disciplined, respectful and goal driven. It’s also teaches you to be more appreciative as you have to dedicate so much to the sport to be successful and this sometimes means sacrificing a lot so when certain situations arise you appreciate them more. It also allows you be healthy as you can’t be having bad habits like eating bad, smoking, late nights etc if you want to be successful and I believe this makes you a better person.
