May 2018 www.womanthismonth.com FEATURE | empowerment 38 READY TO RUMBLEFight Night 4 is coming and Liz O’Reilly spoke to six women who will be getting in the ring to shatter the stereotype of boxing as a men’s sport. Walking through the door at Lift Strength and Conditioning Centre, also home to Bahrain Boxing Club, it’s exactly what you would expect of a fighters’ hangout. A bunch of people on the floor in a boot camp class doing crunches, others shadow boxing with the rows of punch bags, and still others waiting to smack the hell out of an electronic punching machine. The music doesn’t drown out the sound of leather on leather and there’s a fair amount of grunting. The ring in the corner is the arena for a sparring session, coaches at the side offering encouragement and ensuring that Queensberry Rules are obeyed – as demanded by a hand-written chalkboard at the entrance. But, what is unusual about this place is that it’s a mixed crowd. There are women in the boot camp and at the punching bags! Ladies of all ages, shapes and sizes; working out, hitting the bags; and in the ring – here, at least, there is no gender gap. The gym runs regular black-tie fight nights. The next one is coming up at the Crowne Plaza on May 3 and Leanne Dismore, 38, Ragad Alnaimi, 23, Manal Al Saraf, 40, Hind Ahmed, 27, Janice Christie, 41, and — the baby of the bunch — 16-year-old Yasmine Abuhamad will be on the bill alongside their male counterparts. Most are newcomers to the sport. In fact, though some have a little previous experience, all have been boxing at Lift for less than a year. So, what inspires them to take their lives in their gloves and slug it out in front an eager crowd? Hind immediately pipes up: “It’s cheaper than therapy!” This accountant and food blogger adds: “I’ve tried all sorts of sports, but this is the best. But, I have to admit, I’m quite a girly girl. The first time I got hit, I fell down and cried – but look at me now!” Janice and Leanne regularly train together and decided to give it a go after attending Fight Night 3. Janice says: “We just looked at each other and said ‘We can do that.’ I think, for me, it was influenced by turning 40 last year and looking for a new challenge. This has certainly been that. “We usually train with bags and sparring pads [where another person holds the pad for the fighter to hit but there’s no physical contact], so I was a bit unsure that I could actually take being hit. I asked one of our trainers to get in the ring and knock me about a bit; it was initially a bit scary but now I’m fine.” Leanne adds: “I
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