Jane Couch
Couch in 1998
Born (1968-08-14) 14 August 1968
Fleetwood, Lancashire, England
NationalityBritish
Other namesThe Fleetwood Assassin[1]
Statistics
Weight(s)
Height5 ft 7+1⁄2 in (171 cm)
StanceOrthodox
Boxing record
Total fights39
Wins28
Wins by KO9
Losses11

Jane Couch, MBE (born 14 August 1968) is a British former professional boxer who competed from 1994 to 2007. She became the first licensed female boxer in the United Kingdom in 1998,[2] and won numerous world titles. Couch has since become a boxing promoter.

Background

Born in Fleetwood, Lancashire, Couch was expelled from her school in Blackpool and thereafter lived "a life of booze, drugs and street fighting".[1] At the age of 26 she saw a television documentary about women's boxing and decided to try it. In her first official fight, a Muay Thai match, she defeated a policewoman, about which she said "it was brilliant to flatten one [a police officer] and get paid for it".[1] She still resides in Fleetwood as of March 2022.

Professional boxing career

The British Boxing Board of Control initially refused to grant Couch a professional licence on the sole ground that she was a woman, and argued that PMS made women too unstable to box.[3][4] Claiming sexual discrimination and supported by the Equal Opportunities Commission, Couch managed to have this decision overturned by a tribunal in March 1998.[5][6] However, some criticism followed as the British Medical Association called this result "a demented extension of equal opportunities".[7]

Couch would later seek the right to fight a male opponent, but was unsuccessful. Of this, she said

Going into the ring against a man wouldn't bother me. I spar with blokes seven days a week so it's not as if it would be a new experience. It would mean an awful lot to me to appear at Wembley.[8]

Couch's first major success occurred in only her fifth pro fight in 1996 when she won the WIBF light welterweight title by outpointing France's Sandra Geiger over ten rounds in Copenhagen, Denmark. Of this fight, Couch observed in 2004 that "I have never been hit so hard in all my life",[9] and called Geiger "the toughest opponent (she) fought".[10]

Couch's first defence of her title was against noted female boxer Andrea DeShong, who was stopped in seven rounds in New Orleans, Louisiana in March 1997.

The first sanctioned professional boxing match between women in the U.K. was in November 1998 at Streatham in London, between Couch and Simona Lukic. Couch won.[11][12]

In September 2003 Staples Center, Los Angeles, Couch lost on points over eight rounds to the highly regarded Lucia Rijker of Holland.

Her last fight, against Anne Sophie Mathis on 8 December 2007, resulted in a loss by technical knockout.

She announced her retirement on 1 December 2008 and said she intended to continue as a boxing promoter.[13] At the time, she said

"Boxing has been my life for a long time and it will always will be, but I'm not going to miss getting my head smashed in."[14]

Couch's overall professional record was 28 wins (9 KOs), 11 defeats.

Other achievements

In 2001, she published an autobiography, Jane Couch – Fleetwood Assassin.[15]

Couch was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2007 Queen's Birthday Honours.[16]

In 2012, Couch was awarded the AOCA / Awakening Outstanding Contribution Award for her part played in raising public awareness and acceptance of female fighters.[17]

In 2016, Couch was inducted into the Women's International Boxing Hall of Fame in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The IWBHF was created and founded in 2014 by Sue TL Fox.[18]

Post-boxing career

In 2008 Couch competed in the reincarnation of Superstars.[19]

On 20 December 2008 Couch co-promoted a promotion with Ricky Hatton in Bristol and then in February 2009 announced a more formal partnership with Hatton Promotions when she signed as boxing co-ordinator.[20]

Couch long supported the inclusion of women's boxing in the Olympic Games, saying

"It's no more dangerous for a woman to box than for a man ... The Olympics would encourage more girls into gyms where hopefully they would be welcomed."[21]

On 12 August 2009 it was reported that the International Olympic Committee appeared set to include the sport in the 2012 Summer Olympics.[22]

In December 2009, Couch promoted a competition at the Marriott Hotel, Bristol.[23]

Couch also has her own YouTube channel which features regular interviews with people involved in boxing.[24]

Professional boxing record

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Jane Couch biography". Wban.org. Retrieved 4 December 2008.
  2. ↑ "Nicola Adams to fight 3-minute rounds in next bout". 4 May 2022. Archived from the original on 4 May 2022.
  3. ↑ "Round one for women's boxing". BBC News. 24 November 1998. Retrieved 5 December 2008.
  4. ↑ Bentham, John (February 1998). "12 and 13 February 1998 – Tribunal 1, 100 London Road, Croydon, UK". #4. Punkcast. Retrieved 12 February 2010.
  5. ↑ "March: Jane Couch". BBC News. 22 December 1998. Retrieved 1 December 2008.
  6. ↑ "Couch Interview". 19 September 1999. Archived from the original on 22 June 2020. Retrieved 4 December 2008.
  7. ↑ "Just give her a ring". The Guardian. London. 7 January 2001. Retrieved 5 December 2008.
  8. ↑ "Jane Couch in legal battle for right to fight a man". The Daily Telegraph. London. 9 June 2001. Archived from the original on 28 August 2010. Retrieved 1 December 2008.
  9. ↑ "Women's Boxing: Jane Couch Interview". www.womenboxing.com.
  10. ↑ Worsell, Elliot (12 January 2018). "Jane Couch says today's female fighters "couldn't lace Lucia Rijker's boots" - Boxing News". www.boxingnewsonline.net.
  11. ↑ "Sport | Women's boxing makes instant impact". BBC News. 25 November 1998. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
  12. ↑ "Boxing: First Night Jane Couch - Women face an even bigger fight". Independent.co.uk. 29 November 1998. Retrieved 18 May 2017.
  13. ↑ "Couch calls time on boxing career". BBC News. 2 December 2008. Retrieved 2 December 2008.
  14. ↑ "Video: Jane Couch retires from boxing". 2 December 2008. Archived from the original on 13 March 2009. Retrieved 4 December 2008.
  15. ↑ Couch, Jane (February 2001). Jane Couch – Fleetwood Assassin. Blake. ISBN 978-1-85782-435-3.
  16. ↑ "No. 58358". The London Gazette (Supplement). 16 June 2007. p. 15.
  17. ↑ "AOCA / Awakening Outstanding Contribution Award". Awakeningfighters.com. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
  18. ↑ "About the IWBHF". Wban.net. 10 July 2014. Retrieved 25 September 2016.
  19. ↑ "Couch takes on Superstar status for TV – Fleetwood Today". www.fleetwoodtoday.co.uk. Retrieved 11 February 2010.
  20. ↑ "Boxing | Jane Couch links up with Ricky Hatton | This Is Bristol | Bristol Post". This Is Bristol. 2 February 2009. Archived from the original on 14 September 2012. Retrieved 3 October 2016.
  21. ↑ "No more excuses, women's boxing should be at Olympics, says Jane Couch – Times Online". The Times. London. 11 August 2009. Retrieved 13 August 2009.
  22. ↑ Chennaoui, Orla. "Women's Boxing To Be Made An Olympic Sport in Landkmark Ruling By International Olympic Committee – UK News – Sky News". Sky News. Archived from the original on 17 August 2009. Retrieved 13 August 2009.
  23. ↑ "Bristol City star Brad gloves up for Christmas show". Thisisbristol.co.uk. Archived from the original on 12 September 2012. Retrieved 11 February 2010.
  24. ↑ "JaneCouchBoxing". YouTube. Retrieved 3 October 2016.
  25. ↑ "Jane Couch". BoxRec.com. Retrieved 3 October 2016.
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