Ruqsana Begum’s inspirational story takes another twist as she launches pro boxing career
Meet the Brit girl from a strict Muslim family who endured a disastrous arranged marriage, secretly fell in love with kickboxing and became world champ - all despite battling M.E
TAKE Bend It Like Beckham, Billy Elliott and the Rocky movies, add extra hardship, intrigue and drama, blend with stardust and you’ve got Ruqsana Begum.
No wonder the film rights to her life story have been bought. Hollywood scriptwriters have nothing on this woman.
This is the story of a girl from a strict, traditional Muslim family in East London, who secretly falls in love with Thai kick- boxing and hides the nature of her gym sessions from her parents for five years.
She then embarks on an disastrous arranged marriage, suffers a breakdown, reveals all about her secret sporting passion to her parents and becomes a champion of the world.
While also suffering from the debilitating illness ME.
It’s fantastical, ludicrous and completely true.
At Bethnal Green’s famous York Hall tomorrow night, Begum — a 5ft 3in, light- flyweight — will box professionally under Queensberry Rules for the first time against Bulgaria’s Ivanka Ivanova.
She hopes her move into a mainstream sport can help her inspire more Muslim girls to take up sport.
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It’s hard to imagine how she couldn’t.
As a child Begum was an excellent athlete, fascinated by Bruce Lee and Muhammad Ali growing up and was drawn to martial arts.
But she said: “I knew coming from a traditional Bangladeshi Muslim background that it was unheard of.
“After one session at an after-college club I completely fell in love with kickboxing.
“It was fast, furious, explosive, it took me away from all the challenges I had doing a stressful university course.
“I’d train every Sunday, get up early to do all the housework and ask my mum if I could go to the gym for an hour.
“That’s what I did for five years, knowing they’d probably disapprove if I told them I was doing a combat sport.
“I was a bit naive, from a slightly sheltered upbringing but I was very respectful of my family’s culture.
“I had that internal battle for five years, thinking ‘am I going against my family background and my religion?’
“I was mainly sparring guys and also one or two females, who were a lot bigger than me. They didn’t take it easy on me.
“In one of my first sessions, a lady was really going crazy on me, and because I could take it she wouldn’t stop.
“I’d often come home with bruises on my legs, which I could cover up, but sometimes busted lips meant I’d have to make excuses to stay in my room and my sister would cover for me.”
But just as Begum was about to complete a degree in architecture, came the arranged marriage which turned her world upside down.
She added: “The person I was introduced to, his father was quite ill and they wanted to speed up the process, so I agreed to the marriage.
“But after nine months the marriage failed. I started suffering panic attacks. I felt really trapped and lost my identity.
“I’d gone from a real high, getting a degree and getting a job in architecture.
“I was so proud of myself and then such a drop, when I went into a family where I was being bullied. I lost my health and the recession kicked in and I lost my job as well.
“Soon after, I was diagnosed with ME, which usually happens after a trauma.
“I’d been in a very hostile environment and with no outlet to de-stress — eventually I had a breakdown.
“My doctor told me to pack my bags and go to my mum. I did that and he filed for divorce.”
That was Begum, 34, summoned the courage to take her parents, Awlad and Minara, to the Bethnal Green gym to meet her coach and mentor Bill Judd.
She revealed: “I’d stopped sport for that year and I felt like I lost myself. I’d been surrounded by people who were always putting me down.
“At that point I took a big risk and asked my parents whether they could drop me off somewhere, I didn’t say where. I took them to my gym and introduced them to my coach.
“I just felt I didn’t want to live a lie, a double life, any more. I think they felt guilty about the marriage and felt reassured when they went to the gym.
“They realised the sport hadn’t changed me. In fact it had taught me more respect.
“I think my father appreciated that I had the courage to take him to the gym. I still think they still thought I was wasting my time, that nothing would ever come out of it.”
Yet in 2009, Begum joined the British team, won a national title and, after two bronzes at world level, took the world atomweight title in 2016.
Switching codes has been on her mind since she saw Nicola Adams become the first woman to win an Olympic boxing gold in 2012.
Begum said: “After I got my world title, I wanted a different stimulant. I wanted to inspire females from my background to pursue a passion. Boxing, being more mainstream, allows me to do that.
"When I see young girls come to my coaching classes, sisters wearing hijabs, that’s what motivates me.
“I don’t wear a hijab, but I have designed a line of sports hijabs to remove that one barrier and help more women participate.”
Despite their tolerance, Begum’s parents still haven’t watched her compete.
But she added: “I’ve been really blessed, my father has been extremely understanding.
“I’ve found a balance where I was sticking to the values I was brought up with, yet still excelling in my sport. I will dress traditionally at family events and I am proud of my roots.
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“In fact, my faith is very important, it got me through all my bouts, kept me humble and disciplined through tough times.
“Sport opened my eyes to different people from all walks of life. I had my cultural and family influences and I’ve been exposed to a very Western way of life.
“I managed to find a blend of being traditional and modern — I want others to believe they can do the same.”
n Ruqsana will fight on the Double Header Fight Night on Channel 5 featuring British Title Fight, Askin v Simmons and Heavyweights Joyce v Palmer, Saturday, 10.30pm.