Post by Dee Williams on Mar 18, 2009 15:42:24 GMT -5
www.northernstar.com.au/story/2009/03/18/laura-spoiling-fight-home/
Northern Star (Lismore, Australia)
THE Far North Coast’s only professional female boxer has welcomed the overturning of a ban on women’s boxing in NSW and said she would love to stage a professional fight in the area.
Former journalist and corporate lawyer-turned-pugilist Laura Saperstein said the opportunity to box in her own area would be thrilling after the 22-year ban on women’s boxing was relaxed this year.
“I know the laws were recently changed and it would be great to come back and box at home,” Saperstein said from her London home.
“It would be awesome but does anyone ever put on shows near to home? If I could do that it would be absolutely awesome but I didn’t think anyone put on pro shows around the Northern Rivers.”
The overturning of the law has brought NSW into line with every other State and Territories in Australia.
Formerly of Main Arm, Saperstein shot to prominence a few years ago after she quit a high-paying, high-powered corporate law job in London to become a professional boxer.
It was a bold move considering female pro boxing is in its infancy and bouts are difficult to arrange due to a shortage of fighters and unwillingness by the male dominated sport to accept the fairer sex.
However, since making her professional debut in 2007, the 37-year-old has had six professional bouts and will face her seventh opponent this Saturday at York Hall, Bethnal Green.
Saperstein will take on Welshwoman Lana Cooper at Super Featherweight after she dropped a few kilograms following a recent stint in Thailand.
“I’ve managed to drop down one to two weight classes while training in Thailand and am now fighting at a lean, and hungry, 59kg,” she said.
“It’s great to be back home (London) and working with a new trainer and promoter (the UK’s only female boxing promoter Miranda Carter). We are currently working with the aim of boxing for a British or Commonwealth Title in the middle part of this year.”
Besides staging three professional bouts in Thailand, Saperstein also hit on another idea and has set up a clothing apparel business manufacturing custom-made boxing equipment for fighters.
“I’ve got some Aussie champions starting to wear my XX designs,” she said.
“It’s quite exciting making kit for other boxers. They are like kids on Christmas Day, they get so excited they almost jump up and down especially as, unlike most places, we help with the design and produce the garments at about half the cost.”
Before the relaxation of the boxing law in NSW, any Northern Rivers-based female fighter usually crossed the Queensland border to box.
Grown women, who fought at an amateur level, were denied the right to choose if they could enter the ring in NSW and a court ruling in 2001 did not overturn the discriminating rule.
Veteran Lismore trainer Arthur Maloney said since the law had been overturned he has had three girls join his glove club but not everyone is in favour of the relaxation of the law.
The Australian Medical Association continues to oppose boxing on all levels and the NSW president Dr Brian Morton has been reported as saying women’s bodies are not as well equipped as men for the rigours of the sport.
Northern Star (Lismore, Australia)
THE Far North Coast’s only professional female boxer has welcomed the overturning of a ban on women’s boxing in NSW and said she would love to stage a professional fight in the area.
Former journalist and corporate lawyer-turned-pugilist Laura Saperstein said the opportunity to box in her own area would be thrilling after the 22-year ban on women’s boxing was relaxed this year.
“I know the laws were recently changed and it would be great to come back and box at home,” Saperstein said from her London home.
“It would be awesome but does anyone ever put on shows near to home? If I could do that it would be absolutely awesome but I didn’t think anyone put on pro shows around the Northern Rivers.”
The overturning of the law has brought NSW into line with every other State and Territories in Australia.
Formerly of Main Arm, Saperstein shot to prominence a few years ago after she quit a high-paying, high-powered corporate law job in London to become a professional boxer.
It was a bold move considering female pro boxing is in its infancy and bouts are difficult to arrange due to a shortage of fighters and unwillingness by the male dominated sport to accept the fairer sex.
However, since making her professional debut in 2007, the 37-year-old has had six professional bouts and will face her seventh opponent this Saturday at York Hall, Bethnal Green.
Saperstein will take on Welshwoman Lana Cooper at Super Featherweight after she dropped a few kilograms following a recent stint in Thailand.
“I’ve managed to drop down one to two weight classes while training in Thailand and am now fighting at a lean, and hungry, 59kg,” she said.
“It’s great to be back home (London) and working with a new trainer and promoter (the UK’s only female boxing promoter Miranda Carter). We are currently working with the aim of boxing for a British or Commonwealth Title in the middle part of this year.”
Besides staging three professional bouts in Thailand, Saperstein also hit on another idea and has set up a clothing apparel business manufacturing custom-made boxing equipment for fighters.
“I’ve got some Aussie champions starting to wear my XX designs,” she said.
“It’s quite exciting making kit for other boxers. They are like kids on Christmas Day, they get so excited they almost jump up and down especially as, unlike most places, we help with the design and produce the garments at about half the cost.”
Before the relaxation of the boxing law in NSW, any Northern Rivers-based female fighter usually crossed the Queensland border to box.
Grown women, who fought at an amateur level, were denied the right to choose if they could enter the ring in NSW and a court ruling in 2001 did not overturn the discriminating rule.
Veteran Lismore trainer Arthur Maloney said since the law had been overturned he has had three girls join his glove club but not everyone is in favour of the relaxation of the law.
The Australian Medical Association continues to oppose boxing on all levels and the NSW president Dr Brian Morton has been reported as saying women’s bodies are not as well equipped as men for the rigours of the sport.