Female boxer dreams of greatness in the ring
ANELISA Mani used to watch the pugilists of the Queenstown Boys Boxing Club (QBBC) train in earlier years. Little did she dream then that she would one day be a boxer, participating in one of the male-dominated sports in the world.
On her first day at the QBBC gym, she listened to the sounds which prevailed - the thwack of jump ropes hitting the floor, the ‘dadadum dadadum’ of gloved hands against the speed bag and the timer which rang every three minutes.
The sounds played over and over in her mind and, witnessing the hard work of the boxers, she returned to start boxing.
Her first day at the gym was painful and she considered quitting.
Mani said her grandmother always told her to do something with her life and not be involved in bad things.
“I took that seriously. There were children in my street who boxed and I loved watching them. They invited me to the gym and I fell in love with boxing.”
Mani, who is aiming to be the next world champion, said she would love to be like the unbeaten American professional boxer and daughter of boxing legend Muhammed Ali, Laila Ali,
“Boxing keeps me disciplined and calm. When I am boxing, I am happy.”
She has her grandmother’s blessing and her aim is to make the elderly woman proud.
“She has given me all the support I need.”