Carly Salmon: “Boxing made me realise how strong and capable I am of doing hard things and overcoming adversity.”

Carly Salmon: “Boxing made me realise how strong and capable I am of doing hard things and overcoming adversity.”

Like many fighters, Carly Salmon came into boxing after competing in a multitude of different sports, including other combat sports. But she found boxing incredibly addictive. In simple terms, and in many ways, it changed her life.

Salmon calls herself an 80s baby and was born in Millicent, South Australia, which is a small town about 50 kilometres north of the regional centre of Mount Gambier. 

“My parents relocated to country Victoria when I was 2 years old,” Salmon told me. “I grew up in the bush, with two siblings and young parents, in a mud brick house my parents built from scratch. I had a great upbringing, spending most of my time outdoors exploring in the bush and playing lots of sport. I was quite a tomboy growing up and fiercely independent and stubborn (middle child syndrome). My family is still very close.” 

Salmon retired from competing in boxing three years ago. But she is still very much involved in the sport. Outside of boxing, I work full-time and enjoy spending time with my husband, my two dogs, and family and friends. I previously studied and have an honours degree in health sciences.

“Since I stopped competing about three years ago, my focus has shifted to coaching boxing. I’m not sure if anyone has time for “hobbies” if they are involved in boxing. It’s quite time-consuming, but I love it.” 

Before boxing consumed her life, sport was always a constant. “I did athletics, gymnastics, netball, basketball, and any school sports I could get involved in. I was super competitive and hated losing.”

“I was late to start boxing,” Salmon told me. “I was in my mid-twenties. I started out doing a bit of kickboxing and Muay-Thai purely for fitness. But I fractured my foot in sparring and decided to focus on boxing instead. I am short and strong, so I felt like boxing suited me better. I gradually progressed from boxing for fitness to deciding to have a novice bout. I won my first bout by stoppage and decided to keep competing after that.” 

“Boxing is addictive because the exhilaration and thrill you get from fighting is like nothing else,” Salmon adds when I ask what boxing gives her. “It forces you to tap into the deepest part of yourself and push to your limits. I am very competitive and always want to be better, but boxing is so hard to master, so you never stop learning. It constantly tests you physically and mentally and makes you adapt and grow as a person. Boxing made me realise how strong and capable I am of doing hard things and overcoming adversity. I loved chasing my goals, and competing at a high level made me commit my life to boxing; my whole life revolved around the sport. 

“Boxing changed my life in so many ways; it brought amazing people into my life, including my husband and best friends, especially my crew at the gym (shout out to Pure Boxing). Some of my best friends have been my sparring partners. In boxing, you become very close with the people you work alongside every day, and they become like a second family, especially my coach Jason Whateley and his partner Sammy. Jason has taught me so much and made me the best fighter I could be. 

“I have also had incredible opportunities to travel and fight around the world because of boxing. Some of my proudest moments have been my boxing achievements – winning two Australian titles in the amateurs, an international gold medal representing Australia, and an Australasian title in the pros. Now, I am experiencing amazing new opportunities through coaching and having the privilege of working with other boxers whom I can pass on what I learnt.” 

Boxing can be a beyond-brutal sport at times. Incredible highs, but the lows can take away so much. Obviously, the losses are hard,” Salmon relayed to me. “Some more than others, especially the big qualifiers, like for the Olympics. I chased my Olympic dream, and it was crushing to get close but miss the mark.

“Dealing with injuries and health issues is also incredibly hard and frustrating. Sometimes, just the daily grind to keep showing up no matter what else is going on in life can be hard, although this routine and discipline were more of a saviour for me most of the time. I dealt with the lows by getting back in the gym and getting back to work. As hard as the lows are, there’s always an opportunity to learn from the hard lessons and build from there. 

“It can be lonely, so I think it’s important to have a strong close support network that you can rely on, and I have been blessed to have an amazing coach in Jason and my husband Tim (who was a boxer) who understand how hard boxing can be and they support me through the lows.”

Salmon had over fifty amateur fights, but she still has vivid memories of her initial ring walk. “It was at the Reggio Calabria Club in Brunswick in 2011. I was so nervous and wild. I had just returned from training in Thailand, so I was very fit and conditioned, but not overly skilled. I just kept punching non-stop and overwhelmed my opponent until the ref stopped it. It was so exciting to get the win for my first fight, and I decided that this was the sport for me and I stayed boxing in the amateurs for many, many more years to come.”

Those fifty-odd amateur fights brought plenty of success. A national champion at two different weights, bantamweight and featherweight, and a plethora of state titles. Medals on the international stage. A resume that I have only scratched the surface of. I could have gone on.

“There are a few highlights that stand out,” Salmon told me. “Winning my elite Australian titles (one at bantamweight, one at featherweight), winning the super-featherweight Australasian title in the pros, and representing Australia overseas and winning gold. Hearing the Australian anthem playing and seeing our flag get raised while I was on the podium was a very proud moment.”

After her successful amateur run, Salmon turned professional in 2021, but after just a handful of fights, the unbeaten prospect walked away from boxing.

“It’s very personal,” Salmon says of why she retired. “I was trying to start a family and had to undergo IVF treatment (which has been heartbreakingly difficult), and it meant I had to stop boxing and focus on my health. I miss fighting every day, but I’m thankful to still be involved in the sport.”

When I asked if she had any regrets from her boxing career, her reply was short and definitive. “Only that I didn’t start earlier.”

Salmon, a qualified dental technician, remains in the sport that changed her life, albeit on the safer side of the ropes. “I’m still with Jason at Pure 5. I still train, but not at the intensity that I was when I was fighting. I’m focused on coaching now and helping Jase out with all our amateur boxers, as well as coaching with the Victorian State team. I recently returned from Europe, where I was coaching the Australian boxing team. Our high-performance team undertook an international training camp in Belgium and competed in the GeeBee tournament in Helsinki, Finland, and the Brussels Capital tournament in Brussels, Belgium. It’s rewarding (in a different way) to now help others achieve their goals in boxing.”

Photo Credit: Archivist Media & Marty’s Knockout Photography