Lillie Winch is swiftly emerging as a rising star in the world of boxing, not just for her ability in the ring, but also for her efforts in raising awareness for autism and depression out of the ring.
Winch, whose professional boxing journey began with an impressive debut on June 29, has captivated audiences with her performances on the white collar, amateur and professional scene.
As she continues her ascent in the boxing world, Winch remains committed to her dual mission: to become a world champion and to be a voice for autism and mental health awareness.
Having been inspired by Tyson Fury's journey with mental health, Winch hopes her own story ofresilience, passion, and advocacy will resonate withfans and inspire a new generation of athletes like the Gypsy King did.
Speaking to Mail Sport about her journey into boxing, Winch said: 'I got in quite a lot of trouble at school. I really struggled at school, just being in that environment and everything.
'I got diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorder when I was 13. It was a really late diagnosis which meant I was struggling at school and not understanding why.
'I was really angry. I used to punch walls! Then I went to hospital because I really struggled with depression and anxiety.
'My mum wanted to get me into something that would help me and stop me from punching walls and things like that so I started boxing.
'After my first session. I was really sick. I had been pushed to the limits but it made me feel really good about myself afterwards.
'I felt really good about the fact I had done something to channel my aggression instead of taking it out somewhere else. So I was hooked from day one.'
Last year, while still an amateur, Winch committed herself to boxing - fighting in five consecutive bouts.However, during this period, she sustained a knee injury but chose to continue competing despite the pain.
As the summer approached, the injury worsened, eventually leaving her unable to walk, run, or box. This debilitating condition plunged Winch into a deep depression.
She found herself confined to her bed, spending her days watching Netflix and eating takeaways, isolating herself from friends and family, and withdrawing from the sport she loved.
'Last August, I went for a really tough time just mentally. I think I was just mentally and physically drained. I stopped working. I stopped going out and seeing everyone.
'I stopped training. I got a knee injury after my last fight and it really got me down because it was actually a previous injury that I thought I had gotten over.
'But, I think because I had so many fights lined up, I just pushed through it and then obviously my knee went in the end.
'You can't go out and run, you can't box, you can't really do a lot. And when you've been boxing for the last three years, every day, a couple of weight sessions here and there, doesn't really cut it.
'So I got really depressed. I didn't want to go out. I used to get anxiety about going to work. It was a really tough time, and it took me ages to get out of that slump.
'I stayed in bed for about a month or two, and I just ate because I knew that once I went back to training, I wouldn't be able to eat.'
Winch revealed she was inspired by Tyson Fury's mental health journey and explained how reading his booking during her darkest times helped her see the light at the end of the tunnel.
'You look at him and you look at his story, he was massively overweight when he went off the rails. But, he worked with his team the same as I did to return to the ring.
'It's actually weird because when I was going through it last year, I watched his documentary and that helped get me through my darkest moments.
'So it does help knowing that there's other people that have done it and been there, especially to see the likes of Fury turn his career around and achieve what he has.
'Not to mention the fact he's done so much for the sport of boxing as a whole. He's definitely been an inspiration to me and helped me.
'You know, with the weight gain and the depressive side of things, it definitely does help to motivate you and make you realise that there is a way out of how you feel.'
Fury went from world champion in 2015 to depression and being on the verge of suicide - before ballooning to 28 stone in weight and rising to the summit of the sport again in 2020 by dethroning feared heavyweight Deontay Wilder.
At his lowest ebb, Fury said he came close to taking his own life following his win over long-reigning champion Wladimir Klitschko in Germany after turning to drugs and alcohol and questioning what more he had left to achieve in life after such a notable high.
'One day I woke up and thought 'today's the day I end it all',' he said in an ITV interview. 'I was heading towards this bridge, I was going to smash the car into the bridge at very high speed, I just didn't have the ambition to live any more.
'Before I got to the bridge I heard a voice saying 'don't do this, you're going to destroy your family's life' and I immediately pulled the car over and that was the first time I thought, 'right, now or never. I need to get well immediately'.'
That vow to turn his life around saw him shed nine stone in less than two years before making his comeback to the ring in 2018 and then things started getting better.
He returned to his charismatic self, secured more lucrative fights against the likes of Wilder before becoming heavyweight champion again.
Fury battled back from the brink of suicide and shed over nine stone to return to the ring
Fury recently lost his undisputed heavyweight title clash againstOleksandr Usyk
Winch is looking to follow Fury's footsteps and hopes to have some titles of her own in the future - having secured a victoryin her debut against Angelika Oles before securing a fight with journeywoman Bec Connolly.
Although still new to the game, Winchhas been mixing with some of the most prominent names in the sport - having sparred the likes of Nina Hughes, Caroline Dubois, Skye Nicolson and more.
When asked how she got on against those she has shared the ring with, Winch told Mail Sport: 'When I sparred Skye Nicholson I wasn't even an amateur, so that was quite a long time ago.
'She was working with me a lot during that spar though. I was new in the game. She had quite a few professional fights to her name so she worked with me and helped me develop. She was teaching me little things here and there which was good.
'Sparring Caroline Dubois was a great experience.That was a good eight rounds. I think they wanted to get me out of there for those eight rounds, but I managed to stay standing for the eight rounds.But yeah, you give some, you take some, you know.
'Nina Hughes was another big name I have sparred. So yeah it's safe to say I have had some good spars. Sometimes she got the better of me, but I actually spar her quite a lot.She's very calculated She knows her way around the game and her work rate in inspiring and when she fights, is unreal.'
Although still new to the game, Winch has been mixing with some of the most prominent names in the sport - having sparred the likes of Nina Hughes, Caroline Dubois, Skye Nicolson
Dubois - who became the European Youth champion four times and won gold at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games - has been touted as the next face of female boxing
Dubois victory has finally put her on a collision course to face Irish boxing legend and current WBC World Lightweight Champion, Katie Taylor . A fight she has always wanted
Dubois - who has been fighting since the age of nine and became the European Youth champion four times and won gold at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games - has been touted as the next face of female boxing.
Dubois, the 23-year-old British star, recently returned to the ring on August 3 to defend her IBO World Title and battle it out for the WBC Interim World Title against Maira Moneo.
Dubois victory has finally put her on a collision course to face Irish boxing legend and current WBC World Lightweight Champion, Katie Taylor. A fight she has always wanted.
But, not far behind her in expectations is Winch. Her coaches believe she could carry the torch on from Dubois one day. And, although, such a feat would be remarkable for Winch, it does add pressure.
Speaking about the prospect of becoming GB's next boxing star, Winch said: 'It's a lot of responsibility but I think the work that goes in behind the scenes is the most important part. That's where it matters. It doesn't matter about what everyone says.
'I just think about what I've got to do and what's in front of me. I know if I want to be at the top level and I want to be the face of female boxing, I've got to do the hard work behind the scenes. The work that no one else wants to do.
'So yeah, it's a lot of pressure, and sometimes you do sit here and you're like, bloody hell, what am I doing? But yeah, it's important to have people that have been through things at top level, because you realise that they're just normal people.
'You get a lot of people that are at top level and a bit co*cky and think the world of themselves, but I'm just your average person from Enfield, you know, I think that's important.'
