Beyond The Ropes: Kaye Scott

Beyond The Ropes: Kaye Scott

As an amateur Kaye Scott won multiple medals at the Commonwealth Games and the World Championships before leaving the unpaid ranks behind in 2023 to chase world titles as a professional. But with just a few week’s notice, Scott rejoined the world of amateur boxing once more and travelled to Serbia on her own to compete in the IBA World Amateur Championships once again.

“The World Amateur Championships was always something I wanted to come back to ” the 40-year-old Australian told me over Zoom. “With the age factor, I was always able to do one more. But the IBA cancelled last year’s championships and rescheduled them for this year. So I was obviously disappointed. So I contacted them and said as the event was originally scheduled for 2024, why can’t I compete?” I got a really positive response back from them, but this was October/November last year. But I didn’t hear anything else, and I had been focussing on my professional career. But literally, just over two weeks ago, the Oceania board sent me an email saying congratulations, and I would be allowed to compete in the World Championships.”

There was no time for anything when the call eventually came.

“I have been doing two-minute rounds, and there was zero preparation,” Scott relayed to me. “I couldn’t take a coach because of all the IBA affiliation politics. But then my old amateur coach was coming to Serbia with the Saudi boxing team. I reached out to him, and he said no problem. But he had Vias issues, and he couldn’t get in the country. I was in tears, I was travelling over to Serbia all by myself. I literally had nobody. All the other teams had been in camp for two or three months preparing for the tournament. So, I definitely had all the odds against me. But I just thought, “Go and have a crack. It doesn’t matter either way.” But unfortunately, I fell a little bit short, but I still boxed relatively well. I was a little too timid with the tempo, but that was the concern of doing the three-minute rounds. She was a European silver medallist, and I didn’t want to blow out in the first round. But I should have put the pressure on a little because it wasn’t an issue. But you only know that in hindsight.”

Scott suffered a close defeat to the talented Turkish fighter Sema Caliskan in her first fight in the tournament. But there are no regrets for a fighter who in many ways, rolled the dice.

“Normally, I am so hard on myself, but I didn’t put any pressure on myself for this. I knew all the odds were against me. I just went out there and enjoyed it. For the first time in a long time, I walked to the ring with a smile on my face. I just thought enjoy and what will be will be. I am very proud of myself for coming over here all alone and giving it a shot.”

The reversal in Serbia followed an unsuccessful attempt to become a world champion in the professional ranks. Scott lost a unanimous decision against previous victim Desley Robinson in December in a fight that had the vacant IBF middleweight title on the line.

Scott had previously beaten Robinson, but she couldn’t replicate that when the IBF bauble was on the line.

“Desley deserved to win that night,” a reflective Scott told me. “I had a great prep. I think a major part of it was that I got two major head clashes. After that 3rd round, I don’t remember any instructions that were given out to me in the corner. I was just in survival mode and not comprehending anything. Post-fight, I ended up being diagnosed with a concussion. They thought I might have got a skull fracture, so I had to go and get MRI scans and all that kind of stuff. So I do think that did play a role in it. I wasn’t listening to what my corner was saying, I was just in a daze. But all credit to her, she turned up and I didn’t turn up. But it happens. I had a really good camp, but everything just felt a little bit off. I didn’t do anything wrong in the build-up. But it just wasn’t to be.”

“I would definitely at some stage like to have a trilogy with her,” Scott says of what could lie ahead. “I don’t think that second fight really reflected what I can do. I am open to anything that may come my way.”

Kaye Scott has experienced all sides of the sport throughout her long career. The incredible highs and the beyond-depressing lows

“Sometimes you do feel so lonely,” Scott told me. “But it does give you so much. The home gym where I train is like a family. I love going there and supporting them on their fight nights. But there are definitely parts of the sport where you do feel alone. But there are other times when it’s really fun. I love all the training. It takes so long to be good at boxing. I like all the constant challenges.”

Scott will concede that time is not on her side. She might only have a handful of fights left. A highly successful amateur career is already safely on her resume. But after five fights as a professional, there is very much unfinished business.

“Obviously, winning a world title would be pretty cool,” Scott says in reply to what she has left to accomplish in boxing. “That would be amazing. That would be a nice little icing on the cake to say that I had hit one of the top peaks as a professional. But I just want to enjoy the last few fights that I have left. I then want to look at ways I could give back to the sport with all the young generation of fighters that are coming through.”