Fight for Peace members Asmaa and Raluca will make their amateur boxing debuts this weekend, at the Five Star ABC show in Romford. In the lead up to the big day, the talented young fighters sat down to discuss pre-fight nerves, inclusivity and female empowerment.
Asmaa and Raluca know that when they step through the ropes for their amateur boxing debuts on Sunday afternoon at the Five Star ABC in Romford, they are not only fighting for victory over three two-minute rounds.
“Raluca and I talk about this all the time, we’re trying to keep the female empowerment consistent and to be able to show other women and females that it’s not just a male dominated sport,” Asmaa said before one of their final training sessions this week.
While both 23-year-old Asmaa and her fellow Fight for Peace member Raluca, 16, are tender in age, they are fully aware of their responsibility as female role models, in our Academy and beyond.
“We want to be not only at the forefront for this year but the years coming,” Asmaa added. “And we want to push other women and females to take on boxing or any other combat sports, and just not be afraid [to do this].”
Raluca knows from experience how daunting those first steps into male-dominated sports such as boxing, MMA and muay thai can be. However, she feels the atmosphere in our Academy made that initial barrier to entry far easier to overcome.
“When I first came, I was just thinking like, this is a cool place, and it was so nice and calm,” Raluca said.
These thoughts are echoed by her training partner, who believes their coaches, while attuned to the nuances of working with female fighters, ensure a sense of equality resonates throughout the gym.
“As a female, what I can say from my personal experience, I don’t feel any different from how the coaches treat us as women. If anything, they push us not only to our ability, based on us being women, but at the same level as all the other competitors in the boxing team, and I think no one really sees us as ‘the women boxers’, but as a team, which I’ll always be grateful for in Fight for Peace,” Asmaa said.
Experienced Fight for Peace coaches Kenny Udenwoke and Nathaniel Housihoue have been masterminding preparations ahead of this weekend’s competitive bow, ensuring their young fighters are all set for the opening bell in Romford.
“I think we’ve been working on everything. It’s been quite a holistic approach from the coaches to make us work on our strength, technique, endurance and everything else,” according to Asmaa.
“I think that the coaches have been very supportive, especially coaches Nathaniel and Kenny – they’ve been there for the whole time, pushing us beyond what we think is our ability, and just supporting us, not just physically but mentally.”
Despite the fastidious preparation, Raluca admits a few pre-fight jitters are starting to creep in as the countdown to her maiden bout intensifies: “It’s our first bout, our first time experiencing this – it’s very nerve-racking.”
Their debut takes place on an all-female event, something which is becoming a welcome sight on the amateur scene as female participation in combat sports booms. Sunday’s show is the second organised by the London Women and Girls Project, in partnership with Sport England, Powerday Foundation and This Girl Can Box.
This backing, aided by the exploits of fighters such as Natasha Jonas, Katie Taylor and Chantelle Cameron, has brought recognition and welcome media attention, yet, for Asmaa and Raluca, inspiration has been drawn from a couple of less-heralded names.
“There was a boxer that came here [to Fight for Peace], her name was Patricia Mbata, and she kind of showed that you can do it. She started boxing really late in life and she still got really far – she’s a pro boxer now – and, I guess, she’s kind of my inspiration,” Raluca revealed.
Asmaa, meanwhile, found herself admiring from afar the achievements of Paris Olympian, and fellow Muslim fighter, Tina Rahimi.
“I look at the Australian female Olympic boxer Tina Rahimi, I always look at her page. She’s an inspiration to me, because I was watching her throughout the whole Olympics and even though she didn’t get to where she wanted to, I think, for me, it’s just paving the way for women, but also women who are from intersectional groups – like, for me.
“I’m a Black Muslim woman – and it’s not very common to see women in combat sports as it is, but to also tick other boxes and see that other Muslim females are involved in boxing is very motivational to me.”
On Sunday, though, it will be Asmaa and her fellow Fight for Peace member’s exploits in the ring, and their journeys to get there, that could provide the source of motivation for other young girls to follow in their footsteps.
“I think, for me, [the message] will always stay the same: ‘Just do it!’ You don’t have to be in the [competitive] position we are in , but to just do it for yourself.
“I think it’s beyond just a combat sport, it’s also something that can help your physical, mental and social well-being. So, yeah, just do it and don’t hold yourself back because of other things which could be stopping you.”
Asmaa and Raluca will be fighting on the Empowering Women & Girls Through Sport show on Sunday, October 13. Doors open at 12pm with the first bell at 1pm – come to Five Star ABC in Romford to show your support!
