Lauren Parker: “I am very proud of how I have stuck to boxing and continued to believe that I have the ability to achieve in the sport.”

Lauren Parker: “I am very proud of how I have stuck to boxing and continued to believe that I have the ability to achieve in the sport.”

The FightPost Ten: Lauren Parker

First Ever Memory:

This is a really tricky question to answer because I am very, very fortunate to have most of my years growing up on camera. My dad loved photography and liked to invest in the latest camcorders at the time and loved capturing me and my brother Mitchell as kids. I’ve watched back many hours of my childhood, so it’s hard to distinguish what my earliest memory is because is it a memory, or is it what I have seen back on tape.

I have fond memories, though, and the best ones were playing out on the green with friends, which was directly outside our house. Mum could always keep an eye on us. I loved visiting and spending time with my Nan Sylvia, who is sadly no longer here. She used to let us have what we wanted even if mum said no, sugar in tea, and sprinkled over cornflakes. Those memories are very precious and ones that will stick with me for life.

First Ever Boxing Memory:

I’m sitting at home as a young girl whilst watching Mike Tyson because Dad has tape-recorded it. I wasn’t overly interested and vaguely remember saying “Do we have to watch this” Haha! How things change, wow! I would happily watch Mike Tyson over and over again now. What a legend!

What Has Boxing Given You:

Boxing has taught me so much. Discipline, courage, confidence, perseverance, respect, healthy habits and self-belief, etc. The list goes on but most importantly and one we can take into everyday life no matter what path you take, that when you work hard at something, manifest and believe fully, you can achieve anything.

Where Would You Be Without Boxing:

Tough question but it would be highly likely I would be a full-time PT (I do this alongside boxing currently, just scaled down to focus more on boxing.) I am a self-employed PT so I would be pushing the business to much bigger heights. I would likely be settled down with a partner and have a child.

Biggest Regret In Life:

I genuinely don’t have regrets. I feel things happen for a reason and lead us on to the paths we are supposed to follow.

Sometimes I look back and think, I could have done that but when I think about it, I don’t think it would have been good for what I am doing right now, for example, university life. I attended Bedford University and chose not to live the uni life. I potentially missed out on a ton of fun, meeting new people, etc. But, instead, I chose to commute back and forth so I could go to kickboxing classes and train. I have friends close to home, so it wasn’t a priority for me. Focusing on kickboxing and training has led me to where I am now as a professional boxer.

The Thing You Are Most Proud Of:

I am very proud of how I have stuck to boxing and continued to believe that I have the ability to achieve in the sport. I have always been sporty, but sometimes lacking confidence as a young child, I was never able to stay committed to anything. I tended to try out different sports clubs, but after a couple of sessions, I decided not to return.

My teachers at secondary school always knew I had great potential in sports. They would sit my parents down at parents’ evening and get them to convince me to join after-school clubs because they wanted me on the team. I did do this, but I was never 100% comfortable. It wasn’t until I found boxing that I knew immediately it was for me and I had this burning desire to try it out because I knew I could be good at it.

We are now approximately 15 years in and hold two major titles as a professional. I am extremely proud of that.

I am also really proud of how I have handled this year (2023), which has been really tough for me. After winning the IBO Intercontinental title, I had to undergo spinal surgery as my career was technically over. I was suffering from an ongoing back injury that left me with no choice but to be brave. I was unable to train. I was petrified as I had never had surgery before and developed a fear after listening to a horror story. I managed to find the courage to go through with the surgery, made a great recovery after 6 months, and got straight back to training.

I hadn’t even started sparring, and I agreed to fight for the European Title. This came with many stresses as I opted to fund the fight myself with the help of some great sponsors so we could host it on UK soil. We raised thousands of pounds in 36 hours as there was a deadline because I was going away, and the purse needed to be delivered in Italy.

We dealt with everything logically, my team was fantastic, and we managed it. I’m so proud of how I kept my calm and pushed through the fight with a hand injury. I had to deal with that mid-fight camp. I wasn’t able to use my hand much in training, and it flared up in Fight Week, which meant I was unable to use it. Regardless of this; I pushed through, and I can now proudly say I am the new European super-flyweight champion ending the year on a high.

Who Inspires You The Most & Why:

If we are talking athletes, I think it’s got to be Katie Taylor. She has always and will always forever be my idol in this sport. The things she has accomplished are phenomenal. As a boxer, she is outstanding, and as a person, she carries herself so well. An all-round superb role model to look up to.

If we are talking inspiration away from boxing, it has to be my new little niece Dahlia. I became an auntie for the first time in August of 2022, and she was one of the best things that happened. They say the love is different and I have to agree. She is a big inspiration when I box now, I always think about achieving for her, to be someone she can in time look at and be proud of. I want to set an example and show her that with hard work, you can achieve anything you want.

Where’s Your Happy Place:

Quite simply around my family, at home or on vacation all together. I also have friends I can count on one hand, and with them, I’m happy!

What One Thing Would You Change To Make The Sport Better:

Tough question as the sport is great. However, male and female, more effort should be put into discovering talent at the pro level. There are a lot of outstanding boxers that unfortunately may never get a look at because maybe they don’t have a big social media following, or they don’t have a big personality. This is a shame, and talent gets overlooked. The TV could be missing some great athletes who sadly will never make it, but with a little help and more opportunities, great talents could be revealed.

How Do You See Your Life After Boxing:

I see myself owning my own boxing gym coaching amateurs and pros. Everything I am doing now is to add to my CV so that I can be someone with experience and someone who has first-hand achieved. This all leads to greater knowledge that I can pass on.

My coach, Paul Webber, is some coach. He has a huge amount of knowledge, and he has achieved and is passing it on to me now. I want to be in a good position like him to be able to do the same when the time is right.

I would like to settle after boxing and look to have a family. This is at the back of my mind at the moment as boxing is number one. However, there is time and it’s something I can truly put my heart and soul into as I’ll most certainly need something after boxing, a mini Lionheart would be amazing. To love and care for.