Jane Couch became the first licensed female boxer in the UK in 1998, after a long battle in which the British Boxing Board of Control refused to let women box. She says you should give it a try, no matter your background or experience.
Boxing is brilliant for fitness.
We run a boxercise class at the gym [Fleetwood Amateur Boxing Club]. A lot of girls go to that, and a lot of them want to go on and compete. A good place to start is the non-contact. That way, you only do very light sparring. There’s really no difference in risk to football or rugby.
Even in the no-contact, you have got skipping and shadow boxing and the pad work. It’s hard to do. And if you’re only doing it to get fit, it’s highly unlikely that you’re going to be sparring or getting hit. It’s as safe as any sport. If you want to compete, go to the local amateur club and try a beginner’s class. They don’t spar straight away. They learn the skills and techniques first.
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Boxing gives real confidence. It’s one of the best ways to get fit. There’s nothing like it. Skipping exercises every muscle in your body. You just feel good when you’ve done a boxing workout. You release the endorphins in your brain. Mentally, it is so good.
