Aroundtown Magazine January/February 2024 edition

MEETS
for women.
“When you look around at a
boxing event, do you see many
female coaches, referees, journalists
or security? When I started in boxing,
there was no professional route for
female fighters. While ever there’s a
gap between any groups, I’ll shout
about the one that needs raising.
“I always say I’m pro-female,
not anti-men. There are lots of male
clients that I’ve supported over the
years and we have men on the
board and as ambassadors for
Women in Boxing. We need men to
support us.”
They use the hashtag
#InHerCorner, but it’s so much more
than that. They want to knock down
any barriers that prevent women
from reaching their potential.
The aim of Women in Boxing is
to invest in the sport and highlight
areas where opportunities for women
are sparse. Lynsey’s initial plans are
to fund female-only courses in things
like hand wrapping and cuts so that
women have the tools of the trade to
They use the hashtag #InHerCorner, but it’s so
“
much more than that. They want to knock down
any barriers that prevent women from reaching
their potential.
”
become a cornerwoman.
She’d also like to be able to offer
an officials pathway course to see
more women becoming judges
or referees.
Another focus is to look at the
impact that things like periods and
menopause have on boxers.
There’ll be workshops,
mentoring programmes, and a
supportive network where women
can find motivation, support, and
camaraderie.
Lynsey has already got some
heavy hitters involved in Women in
Boxing such as Jane Crouch, the
first licensed female boxer. Many
other ambassadors have also
been ‘firsts’ in the sport: champion
fighter Natasha Jonas who is the
first black female boxing manager;
Safiyyah Syeed, the first female
boxer to wear a hijab in the ring; and
silver medallist Stacey Copeland,
the first female boxer to win a
Commonwealth title.
As Lynsey said, there are
also many men signed up as
ambassadors, including her old pal
Ricky Hatton, as well as Sheffield’s
Johnny Nelson and boxing journalist
Gareth A Davis.
She’s also joined by a team of
trustees with prominent people from
outside the ring, including World
Boxing Council stalwart Geraldine
Davies, army GP Dr Sarah Conway,
and Matchroom’s Matty Lawless.
Having spent almost half her
life in the sporting industry, her
photo album is like a who’s
who of world greats.
But these contacts and the
skillset she’s developed has also
seen her become the perfect fit to
join the team of trustees at Sheffield
Home of Football. Earlier this year,
Lynsey was asked by her former
teacher, John Stocks, to get involved
in the project. As a proud Sheffielder
and a life-long Blade, she was
more than happy to throw her hat in
the ring.
In what little spare time she
has, Lynsey, now 44, spends her
weekends following Sheffield United
with her youngest daughter, 12-yearold
Yasmine.
Her two older daughters, Brooke
and Dharby, are now both in
their early 20s and have definitely
inherited their mum’s work ethic.
Dharby is working in wedding and
events management, while Brooke
owns an accounting firm.
She’s a woman with a voice, a
champion for others, and 2024 will
be the year that the world starts to
listen to Lynsey Lockey.
6 aroundtownmagazine.co.uk