SAFIYYAH SYEED

BOXER

Safiyyah is changing the face of amateur boxing, one jab at a time. She is also known as the Hijabi Boxer, for wearing a hijab while in the ring. 

Her unlikely journey into the sport began at 17, after back-to-back struggles with illness and eating disorders made her draw up a recovery bucket list. Boxing happened to be one of the things she put on it –  an impulsive decision that Safiyyah says ultimately saved her life. She is already two fights into her journey, winning against both her opponents so far. The International Boxing Association has since lifted its ban on religious clothing in the ring too, leaving Safiyyah free to compete in England’s National Amateur Championships without compromising her faith. If successful, she will stand a chance of competing at the 2024 Olympics: becoming the very first Muslim boxer to represent Great Britain. To that end, Safiyyah is balancing her studies with daily training sessions at her local boxing academy in Bradford.