Great Britain Disability Boxing

🥊♿ THE SPAR BAR — ONE OF MY FAVOURITE PIECES OF BOXING EQUIPMENT!

Why?

Because this relatively simple piece of equipment can work on SO MUCH:

⚡ Speed
👀 Reactions
🎯 Coordination
🛡️ Defence
🥊 Timing
↔️ Upper-body movement
💪 Endurance

And because it's HEIGHT ADJUSTABLE, we can use exactly the same equipment as part of our Wheelchair Boxing sessions. ♿🥊

Lower the height.

Position the wheelchair.

And get to work! 🔥

🥊 Punch
🛡️ Defend
↔️ Slip
⚡ React
🥊 Counter

That's what I love about inclusive coaching.

We don't have to look at a piece of boxing equipment and say:

❌ “A wheelchair user can't use that.”

Instead we ask:

✅ “HOW CAN WE MAKE IT WORK?”

Sometimes inclusion doesn't require expensive specialist equipment.

SOMETIMES YOU JUST ADJUST THE HEIGHT. ❤️

Same sport.

Same boxing skills.

Different adaptation.

SPORT FOR ALL — WE ADAPT TO INCLUDE.

🎬🏛️❤️ FROM A LITTLE DOCUMENTARY… TO WESTMINSTER.

When Henry Tufnell MP helped us get FIGHTERS screened at Westminster, we could have easily thought:

"THIS IS OUR MOMENT."

Keep it small.

Keep it special.

Keep it for ourselves.

But we didn't.

WE SHARED IT. ❤️

Because FIGHTERS isn't about us.

It's about giving a platform to the voices of people with disabilities and highlighting the barriers that still exist in our society.

And what an audience we were able to bring together.

🥊 Welsh Boxing
🥊 England Boxing
🥊 GB Boxing
🌍 World Boxing
🎬 Michael Grimmett & Jack Tomkins
🥽 Golden Gloves VR creator Aaron Sloan — who flew over from America especially
❤️ Our cast
♿ And incredible people working every day within disability and inclusion.

And just look where this documentary has travelled…

🏛️ WESTMINSTER

🏴 THE WELSH SENEDD

🎬 ODEON CINEMAS

For a little documentary with a big message, that's something we're incredibly proud of.

But there is one more dream…

📺 NATIONAL TELEVISION.

Because the bigger the audience, the bigger the potential impact.

We talk constantly about:

♿ Disability equality
💼 Employment
❤️ Inclusion
🚪 Opportunity
⚖️ Removing barriers

But people with disabilities are still having to fight for things others take for granted.

FIGHTERS SHOWS THAT FIGHT.

That's why it needs to be seen.

That's why it needs to be heard.

And that's why we'll keep pushing.

Thank you Henry Tufnell MP for helping make Westminster possible.

And thank you to EVERYONE who shared that incredible day with us.

We could have kept the moment.

WE CHOSE TO SHARE IT.

Because change is bigger than any one of us. ❤️♿🎬

NOW LET'S GET FIGHTERS ON NATIONAL TELEVISION. 📺🔥

🥊🥽🔥 AMELIA v LILY — LET'S GO!

Every Thursday we deliver FREE Inclusion Boxing sessions for people of different ages and abilities. ❤️

And part of those sessions is delivered alongside our official partner:

🥽🥊 GOLDEN GLOVES VIRTUAL REALITY BOXING

This week it was time for…

🔥 AMELIA v LILY! 🔥

And don't think this is just a game! 

🏆 Unless there are 3 knockdowns, the bout goes to the scorecards.

📊 And the scoreboard gives us valuable performance information:

🥊 How many punches were THROWN
🎯 How many punches LANDED
📈 How the boxer PERFORMED

That makes VR Boxing a fantastic tool for:

🔥 Conditioning
🥊 Boxing training
🎯 Accuracy
⚡ Reactions
🧠 Decision-making
📊 Performance feedback
🏆 Competition

And importantly…

♿❤️ IT CAN BE ADAPTED FOR PEOPLE OF DIFFERENT ABILITIES.

That's what excites us about combining BOXING + TECHNOLOGY + INCLUSION.

VR doesn't replace traditional boxing.

IT GIVES US ANOTHER WAY TO EXPERIENCE IT.

Another way to train.

Another way to compete.

And another way to belong. ❤️🥊🥽

Now the important question…

👀 WHO HAVE YOU GOT — AMELIA OR LILY? 🔥

SPORT FOR ALL — WE ADAPT TO INCLUDE.

♿🥊 YES… WHEELCHAIR BOXERS DO THE BLEEP TEST TOO! 🔊

At our Wheelchair Boxing sessions, we take the exercises you would expect a standing boxer to do and ask:

HOW CAN WE ADAPT IT FOR A WHEELCHAIR USER?

That includes fitness testing and conditioning.

Because we're limited for space, we created our PAIRED WHEELCHAIR BLEEP TEST.

♿ Boxer 1 pushes to the line
✋ High-five your partner
♿ Push back
🔄 Hit the line and Boxer 2 GOES!

Then repeat…

And repeat…

And repeat…

While those bleeps keep getting quicker! 🔊🔥

The adapted bleep test can challenge:

❤️ Cardiovascular fitness
💪 Upper-body endurance
⚡ Speed and acceleration
♿ Repeated pushing ability
🔄 Recovery
🧠 Concentration and pacing
🤝 Teamwork

The method has changed.

THE PURPOSE HASN’T.

Wheelchair boxers are athletes, and they deserve opportunities to train and challenge themselves as athletes.

We don't look at an exercise and say:

❌ “A wheelchair user can't do that.”

We ask:

✅ “HOW CAN WE ADAPT IT?”

That's inclusion. ❤️🥊♿

SPORT FOR ALL — WE ADAPT TO INCLUDE.

🔥🥊 SUPER THURSDAY IS BACK! 🥊🔥

And it's a FULL day of Inclusion Boxing! ❤️♿

🏫 We start back at Portfield School, Haverfordwest, delivering Inclusion Boxing supported by BoxWise London.

Then it's back to Pembroke & Pembroke Dock ABC:

🥊 3–4pm — Stroke & Parkinson's Boxing
❤️ 5–6pm — Junior Inclusion
🥊 6–7pm — Senior Inclusion
♿ 7–8pm — Wheelchair Boxing

Supported by BoxWise London.

Delivered by Great Britain Disability Boxing.

And we're incredibly proud supporters of Special Olympics Wales. ❤️

🥽🥊 We also work with our partners at Golden Gloves VR, bringing an incredible Virtual Reality boxing experience on the Meta Quest to our inclusion community.

THE BOXING GYM THAT'S ACCESSIBLE TO ALL ABILITIES — AND ALWAYS OPEN! 🌍🥽

And there's one more important message from us today…

🩸 CAN YOU BE A 1 PINT HERO? ❤️

We're proud to support the Welsh Blood Service.

Your blood donation could save or change somebody's life.

Follow Welsh Blood Service on social media and find out if there's a donation centre near you.

One Thursday.

A whole lot of boxing.

AND EVERYBODY IS WELCOME. 🥊❤️♿

SPORT FOR ALL — WE ADAPT TO INCLUDE.

🥊♿❤️ WE’RE BACK ON THE ROAD!

The Disability Sport Wales insport Series, sponsored by SPAR, is coming back! 🙌

And Great Britain Disability Boxing is incredibly proud to once again be part of it.

The insport Series travels across Wales, showcasing brilliant grassroots clubs and demonstrating that sport really can be FOR EVERYBODY.

For us, it’s about creating a pathway.

🥊 Experience inclusive boxing
🥽 Try Golden Gloves Virtual Reality Boxing
📍 Discover boxing opportunities in your local area
🤝 Get connected with clubs closer to home

Many boxing clubs are completely volunteer-led.

Their coaches work during the day and then give up their evenings to keep grassroots boxing alive.

Because many insport events take place during the daytime, those clubs can’t always attend.

So we help represent our sport, support our National Governing Body and, importantly, signpost people back towards opportunities in their own communities.

But there’s something else very special about our team…

❤️ OUR COACHES INCLUDE PEOPLE WITH THEIR OWN DISABILITIES.

We believe lived experience matters.

Because when a participant sees somebody with a disability standing in front of them as a COACH, LEADER AND ROLE MODEL, it can challenge perceptions immediately.

We’re not there to tell people what they can’t do.

WE’RE THERE TO HELP THEM DISCOVER WHAT THEY CAN DO.

Our disability does not define us.

🥊 OUR ABILITY DOES.

We can’t wait to get back out across Wales!

SPORT FOR ALL — WE ADAPT TO INCLUDE.

🥊🥽🇳🇱 FROM ROTTERDAM… TO WHAT COMES NEXT.

November last year was an experience I'll never forget.

During the NK Boxing Championships in Rotterdam, we held the first official NK eBoxing event using Golden Gloves Virtual Reality Boxing on the Meta Quest.

Created by Aaron Sloan, Golden Gloves VR provides an incredible boxing experience:

🥽 Immersive
🔥 Intense
💡 Innovative
🚀 Future-focused

I'm truly blessed to be part of the Golden Gloves Virtual Reality Boxing team as UK Lead Representative.

But what made Rotterdam particularly special wasn't only the technology.

It was the people and the connections. ❤️

I was made to feel incredibly welcome and had the opportunity to meet some amazing boxers, coaches and leaders.

We shared ideas.

We talked boxing.

We talked innovation.

We talked inclusion.

And we built relationships that have continued long after the event finished.

Because sometimes an event isn't the destination.

IT'S THE BEGINNING.

The relationships created in Rotterdam have continued to grow and create new conversations and opportunities.

That's the exciting thing about bringing boxing and technology together.

We're not trying to replace traditional boxing.

We're creating another pathway into it.

Another opportunity to participate.

Another opportunity to compete.

Another opportunity to belong. 🥊❤️

Thank you to Aaron, the Golden Gloves VR team and everyone who made me feel so welcome in Rotterdam.

The future of boxing doesn't have to be traditional OR technological.

🥊🥽 IT CAN BE BOTH.

🥊🌍 3 YEARS AGO TODAY — TANZANIA 🇹🇿

Three years ago today, BoxWise sent me to Tanzania.

Previously, they'd given me the opportunity to travel to Brazil 🇧🇷 to teach inclusion boxing.

But Tanzania brought another first.

🥊 Leading an amateur boxing session internationally at the award-winning FitPoa gym with Coach Ricky

❤️ Delivering inclusion boxing at Al-Muntazir School

🇬🇧 Meeting the then British High Commissioner to Tanzania, David Concar

I've been with Rick Ogden, founder of BoxWise, and Scott Lovelock, BoxWise COO, from the very start.

Today I'm proud to be BoxWise Lead Inclusion Officer.

Our commitments delivering programmes across the UK mean we don't currently run an international programme, but the lessons and relationships created through those experiences continue.

Through Great Britain Disability Boxing, we now deliver inclusion boxing across the UK, support our NGB and offer advice and support to boxers, coaches and clubs around the world. 🌍🥊

And when I look back at Tanzania, it reminds me what one person's idea can become.

An idea can become a programme.

A programme can become an opportunity.

And an opportunity can change somebody's life.

That's the power of BoxWise. ❤️

And boxing taught me something else…

BOXING DOESN'T HAVE A LANGUAGE BARRIER.

A jab is a jab anywhere in the world. 🥊

It doesn't matter where you're from, what language you speak, your background or your ability.

SPORT IS FOR ALL.

Thank you Rick, Scott and everyone at BoxWise for believing in me and Great Britain Disability Boxing.

Three years later, we're still pushing the same message:

🥊❤️ WE ADAPT TO INCLUDE.