I fought my way to whole new life
Boxing champ overcame breakdown
A BOXER has spoken of how the toughest fight of her life was overcoming a breakdown after the failure of her arranged marriage. Ruqsana Begum, 34, dedicated herself to Muay Thai to pull herself from the brink before making the switch to boxing. She has already made her pro debut and aims to become world champion – despite suffering from the debilitating condition ME. The super flyweight, from East London, said: “Thai boxing was my first love but now I have a platform to shine and inspire and that really gets me going.” She got into martial arts as a teenager before meeting coach Bill Judd. Ruqsana, who is a Muslim, said she trained every week at university but her life changed on graduating.
She said: “I had an arranged marriage and that didn’t go according to plan. I got seriously ill. I was working in architecture and started a very demanding job.
“I was trying to be a modern woman and traditional housewife but the expectations were unrealistic. I had a bit of a breakdown.”
Ruqsana moved in with her mum to recover, but her banker ex filed for divorce. She added: “I didn’t expect that but it was a blessing in disguise, because as I found some strength to walk and travel, I went back to the gym.”
At rock bottom, Ruqsana was on the road to being a pro fighter.
She became World Kickboxing Association champ in 2016 before switching to boxing last year, signing for David Haye’s promotion stable in January.
Her first bout against Bulgaria’s Ivanka Ivanova was televised and ended in a draw. They meet again next month.
Ruqsana had always been worried about her parents’ view of the sport, but they were supportive.
She added: “I feel like I’m doing something special and that it will touch so many lives.”
My arranged marriage did not go to plan... I got seriously ill RUQSANA BEGUM ON HER BREAKDOWN