I knocked out sexism in British boxing

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When Jane Couch won the women’s boxing world title, it wasn’t even legal for her to box at home in Britain. The struggle to get her sport recognised would become her most gruelling fight, as she faced scepticism and sexism from many quarters. She told Jo Fidgen about the physical and mental strain she endured during her career, and how she had to rebuild her life after boxing. When Samra Habib was 13 she discovered that her family planned for her to marry her cousin when she turned 18. She knew that wasn’t the life she wanted, so ran away from home. When she later accepted that she was in fact queer, she came out in a national newspaper, reuniting with her family and starting to visit a queer-friendly mosque. Picture: Jane Couch during a fight in 2005 Credit: Getty Images