Layla Straughan: “Whatever it takes, I just want to make an impact on female boxing and inspire others along the way.”

Layla Straughan: “Whatever it takes, I just want to make an impact on female boxing and inspire others along the way.”

While 2024 was a period largely of stagnation for women’s boxing as interest waned somewhat and went elsewhere, there is a seemingly never-ending production line of talent that should safely protect the future of the female side of the sport for well beyond the next decade. The North East boxer Layla Straughan is one such fighter.

Born in Sunderland Tyne & Wear sixteen years ago, Straughan has lofty ambitions and a desire to inspire others along the way.

“I was brought up being around sports from a very young age,” Straughan says of her early formative years. “My dad had practised Martial Arts since he was young, and he worked very hard, and he had a number of professional MMA fights before he went away overseas to work. My mam worked full time also. I was fortunate to have grandparents who would always support me with my boxing and quite a big family that loves boxing. This definitely motivated me to get in the gym and never miss practice. They tell me all the time how proud I make them.

“Sport is my life, I know no other, I was born into a sporting family, I love it because no matter what, the learning never ends, we learn something new every day regardless of your experience.”

A life in some kind of combat sports was perhaps always inevitable for Straughan. “I was brought up being around sports from a very young age. My dad has practised Martial Arts since he was young, and he worked very hard. He had a number of MMA fights. I would always wrestle and mess around with my dad when I was around 5 or 6. But for me, it was always the boxing side of Martial Arts he did that I enjoyed, so my dad took me to the local boxing club, the North Star ABC, run by my head coach Danny Hopper. We have a great team and amazing coaches, and everyone is so motivated, and we train very hard. We are a good team. My dad still trains me when he isn’t working away overseas.”

“It’s an opportunity to achieve great things,” Straughan says of what her sport gives her. “It is also an opportunity to be a role model to others in the sport. If I can help grow female boxing in any way, then it really motivates me a lot. Boxing gives me the chance to fulfil my dream and to push myself out of my comfort zone every day. It keeps me on a good path and well-disciplined. My dad always said, “The best investment in the world is in yourself.” It helps to look after my health and well-being, and that side of it is very important. It helps me physically but also mentally. Boxing gives me purpose.”

Layla Straughan has been boxing for virtually her entire life. Her first ring walk came extremely early in her young life.

“I was 10 years old when I had my first fight. After that fight, it ignited something in me. I wanted to box every day if I had the chance.” Straughan relayed to FightPost of her first taste of ring action and her successes so far. “I have had nineteen bouts now. It should have been a lot more, but it isn’t so easy for us females to get bouts, I have to take what is offered. I have won four National titles with England and two with the NABGC. I have won six National titles in total.

“I was selected in 2022 to represent England in the European Championships in Turkey.
I brought home a silver medal, losing out on a very close split decision against Ireland.
I also won the Manchester Box Cup recently. In 2022, I was shortlisted to the final three for the best boxer of the year and received an award from England. I made the wall of honour in my local area of Southwick, and I got to meet the mayor. We have an honours board mounted with past and present sporting heroes on. We really have an amazing community in Southwick that has supported not only me but the entire boxing club and our journey.”

“Travelling to Turkey to represent my country has to be the best achievement so far,” Straughan said in reply to what her stand-out moment was, to date. “Seeing my mam’s face, who was very poorly at that time, when I stepped on the podium. It makes everything worthwhile.”

For someone so young, Straughan is incredibly focused on her immediate short-term goals. “I want another opportunity to turn the silver that I won in the Europeans into gold. I am 16 now and just competed in my first year as a Youth. I hope this year brings me some opportunities I can grab with both hands. I am in the gym six days per week. In and out of camp, I am always ready to box.”

“Turning professional would be a dream, and it is the ultimate goal,” Straughan added of what potentially lies ahead. “But I have many other goals to be achieved before this happens. It will be worthwhile achieving what I have set out to in the amateurs because this will really pay off for me when I do turn professional in the very near future.

“I would like to gain as much experience as I can in the amateurs. I want to box at the highest level possible. I want to work towards world titles. I know most people’s dreams are to compete in the Olympics, and I can do that as well. Whatever it takes, I just want to make an impact on female boxing and inspire others along the way.”