Sandra Leigh Almeida, SA’s first female professional Boxer
Boxing may be perceived as a male dominant sport but women’s boxing actually traces (albeit loosely) its beginnings back to London in the 1720’s. Throughout the ensuing decades there were various exhibitions and scattered bouts until the 1950’s when several fighters, most notably Barbara Buttrick, JoAnn Hagan and Phyllis Kugler, staged professional fights. The 1970’s saw many US states lifting bans for women to box and since then, many have stepped into the limelight including American Laila Ali (the daughter of boxing legend Muhammad Ali), Dutch Lucia Rijker (nicknamed ‘The Dutch Destroyer’ by press) and Canadian Jessica ‘The Ragin’ Rakoczy.
All of these women boxers are beautiful and brilliant fighters and have made a name for themselves in their own and other countries. Representing South Africa, we have Sandra Leigh Almeida, the first South African female boxer to turn professional. Equally as beautiful and brilliant as her counterparts around the world, Sandra has built a name for herself over the years and just last year, she was rated number 11 in the world for Boxing and was undefeated in Thai-boxing. An enormous achievement for a young woman. You might think that with such an accolade, Sandra spent her childhood years in the ring to get to where she is today, but this was not the case…
Durban-born Sandra admits that she had no interest in Sports throughout her school years and it wasn’t until she experienced a potentially fatal mugging that she, alongside and with encouragement from her sister, joined self-defence classes. Sandra says that as soon as she stepped into the class and put the gloves on, she felt “at home”, they felt so perfectly natural on her hands. As time passed, the class instructor told her that she had the makings of a champion. How right he was.
From Pietermaritzburg to East London via Cape Town, Sandra met Len Meyer, internationally recognized Boxing and Thai-Boxing coach. She met him at Black Dragons where she was training in Muay-Thai and, after hearing that she was serious about Boxing, Len agreed to take a look at what she was capable of and put her through some gruelling tests, including many fights where she was up against men. Len recognized that she had enormous talent and began to train her seriously, resulting in Sandra being good enough for them to approach the Boxing Board.
Sandra and Len travelled around South Africa with Sandra cleaning up at whatever match she fought, whichever opponent she was up against. Her first professional fight took place in New Zealand, at a point when she had only six amateur fights under her belt, and she fought the New Zealand champion at that time, Daniella Smith. Unfortunately Sandra lost the fight on points but the New Zealand champ told her that she was the toughest opponent she’d ever had.
Sandra and Len’s training relationship fizzled after that and she relocated to Johannesburg where she found work at a Soccer Action Club. Over time, Sandra got known at the club and joined a gym where she began training herself. Noticed by many, she was approached and ended up sparring with men. This was relatively short-lived however, when others tried to change her style so she could fit in and be a part of their team. Undeterred, Sandra continued her training and then found herself at the gym of South Africa’s top boxing trainer, Manny Fernandes. It was here, in his gym of real boxers, that she fell in love. She fell in love all over again with Boxing and, because Manny had never had a woman in his gym before, she had to prove herself to him. And prove herself she did because Manny got her fights almost every month and Sandra made a name for herself once more and started earning from her matches on a professional level.
A difficult period followed for Sandra when, despite her obvious passion for Boxing, she realised that it had to take a back seat and come second to her spirituality and some personal issues that she was working through. During this period, Sandra left Johannesburg and returned to East London, finding work at a bar for a short while and trying to prioritise the things in her life. It was here in East London that she met up with Len Meyer once again and he asked her if she wanted to give it another shot with the Boxing. Sandra agreed and they travelled to Miami where she was up against some tough opposition.
After Miami and upon her return to East London, Sandra’s life changed completely when she became a mother to a beautiful son. Her focus naturally shifted, but Sandra still had the passion to get back to the gym and did so at Bodyrite Gym in Gonubie. She accepted an offer from Bodyrite owner, Brent Strydom, to work there for him and simultaneously joined up with Len once again for training but found herself leaning toward Boxercise, a fun exercise class based on boxing training principles but incorporating a good cardio workout.
Following the closure of Bodyrite Gym, the Boxercise concept grew and Sandra decided to start classes on her own, feeling a calling to work with women, to help them build their confidence. Securing the function hall at The Fig Tree in Gonubie, Sandra sent out flyers and began her classes in September last year. By October she had four members, shooting up to sixteen in November and the classes have steadily grown with Sandra loving what she is doing – promoting confidence, strength training and building fitness. She believes in speaking positively to her students and teaches a gradual building so students don’t push themselves too hard too soon.
“Boxing is beautiful and it makes you face your issues.”
Sandra keeps herself very busy juggling motherhood, working, training and teaching and loves what she is doing. She teaches Boxercise at The Fig Tree on a Monday and Wednesday, 6.40pm until 7.40pm (R170 per month) and what you can expect from a class is a variety of exercises including squats, sit ups, skipping and of course, different boxing techniques. If you want to get fit but strengthen your entire core then Boxercise could be for you. And who better to teach you than Sandra Leigh Almeida, the very first South African female boxer to turn professional. Call her on 072 022 9156 for further details and box your way to a fitter, more confident you!
To see Sandra in action at her fight in New Zealand, watch the video below!