Ladies and gentlemen, step aside (before you get knocked out) and welcome the 27 year old, undefeated champion of the female boxing world, Sangeeta ‘Gallant’ Birdi.
Having begun her career at a rather mature age of 25, Sangeeta has her sights set on the next Olympics. With her training regime almost akin to that of Rocky (in the ultimate boxing film), Sangeeta trains twice a day, six times a week- usually with a tyre strapped round her waist, which is totally normal, I’m told.
Sangeeta is the ultimate role model for young girls; she’s tough, funny and could probably throw you across a room if you she had to. Not wanting that to become a reality, I sat at a safe distance whilst speaking to Sangeeta about the sacrifices she’s had to make and building a career in a male dominated sport.
Have you always been a fighter?
3 years ago, my friend and I started boxing, just for fitness. I carried on for a few months because I really enjoyed it. However, I quit after a few months and carried on with my day job at Heathrow Airport.
I realised I really wanted to take part in the Olympics, but when I was training, they didn’t have anything for women’s boxing. But then a few years later, I saw on TV that they introduced women’s boxing and I was really upset that I didn’t continue training because I loved the sport. It was at that moment I rang my trainer from Gallant Boxing gym, Irfan Malik and told him I want to go to the Olympics. If I go into something, I want to go in 110%. Irfran has always wanted to produce a champion and its tough, but I know we can do it.
What’s it like training in a predominately male gym?
I was just joining in with the men. At first I was like, ‘oh my god, what am I doing here’. But after a while, I got more confident being around guys. I did get a few guys giving me weird looks when I would be training, but I just ignored it and carried on. Boxing is not a man’s sport. Everyone is equal.
Do you remember your first fight?
I remember it like it was yesterday. There are so many emotions that go through your head and you don’t know what to think. You get in the ring and you are all pumped. It’s a weird feeling; it’s nothing like you’ve ever experienced. It’s hard to explain because you’re not angry, you have aggression. I don’t look at it as a fight; I look at it as showing my skills. Boxers don’t get angry. Good boxers have good aggression, which is different to getting angry. When you’re angry, you forget what you’re doing.
I remember one fight, when I knocked a girl out. It was weird, because you train so hard and when it’s over you think, ‘is that it’. It just ends so quickly.
What’s it like being punched in the face?
I love it! It motivates me to train harder. At the time, you don’t feel it. But, after about 3 days, the adrenalin wears off and then you feel it. At the beginning my mum was really worried about me because she didn’t know much about boxing. But now, she is really supportive and comes to every one of my fights.
How hard has your journey as a boxer been?
It’s been very tough, especially being an Indian girl. Everyone thinks Indian girls get married and have kids, but there are not many that are inspirations. With guys, they do get intimidated with me when they find out I’m a boxer, but I love it more than anything. My mum always says, ‘what are you’re in laws going to say, they’re going to run away from you’. But I’ve got a long way to go in my career before I retire.
I hate talking about it, but I was in an 8 year relationship. He told me to give up boxing and leave the gym, but I said no and left him. These kind of men need to get a life. It’s the men that act like women who are afraid of a real woman. A real man will know how to handle a real woman.
Sangeetas trainer from Gallant Boxing gym, Irfan has been with her from the beginning. Even as trainer, he has seen her suffer simply because of gender. He explained: “When we do sparring at the gym, some of the guys refuse to spar with Sangeeta because she’s a girl. And I say, she’s not a girl, she’s a boxer. I tell them to get in the ring with her and then she shows them!
“A lot of gyms don’t allow girls to train in their gyms- even my own trainer, who is an English man doesn’t allow women into his gym. Women are involved in everything from football, to the army; so why not boxing?”
Sangeeta has certainly raised the bar for young Asian women who want to be more than just a house wife or a teacher. She argues: “There’s a way around everything. If you want to accomplish something, there is always a way around it. You just have to stick with it, keep believing that you can do it and push yourself. There’s a lot sacrifice you make and it is tough to give up the things you love and commit to something. Not everyone can live their dream and I am very lucky to fulfill my dream.”
