"I'm a female bare-knuckle fighter - I train by punching concrete slabs but men still say I'm puny" - video Dailymotion

Real Fix

Credit: SWNS  Meet the female bare-knuckle fighter who trains by punching concrete paving slabs - and laughs at misogynist men who say she has "puny arms".  Danni Ashfield, 32, recently signed a pro contract - and thinks she could be the first female fighter with autism in Britain.  The personal trainer, from Flintshire, took up bare-knuckle fighting after her autism prevented her from being able to wear boxing gloves.  Not being able to see her hands gave her anxiety - so the gloves were off.  Danni, a 5ft 5ins bantamweight who fights under the name 'Danni Lee', now competes in sanctioned events.

Transcript

00:00 (dramatic music)

00:02 - My name is Dani and I'm a female bare knuckle boxer.

00:11 (punching)

00:14 My friend told me about it about two years ago,

00:19 but I didn't think anything of it.

00:21 And then I injured my knee and I had surgery in February

00:24 so I couldn't kick.

00:25 I started focusing more on stand up

00:27 and came here with Dave and Rob trains.

00:30 He's bare knuckle also and he does sessions

00:32 so then it went from there.

00:33 (punching)

00:35 I'm trying something different and I can't box

00:40 'cause I can't punch with gloves on.

00:42 Then when bare knuckle came about,

00:43 it was kind of a perfect fit.

00:45 It was just something new, it's something different.

00:47 I've always kind of enjoyed watching it, I like it

00:49 and wanted to try it for myself.

00:51 (dramatic music)

00:54 (punching)

00:57 I'm the first English female to sign

01:02 with the Bare Knuckle Boxing Association

01:04 and I also have autism.

01:06 It can be quite challenging, but it's for me,

01:08 especially coming to this gym, it's really good,

01:10 it's helpful, they're really understanding.

01:12 And for me and my type of autism,

01:14 it's a way to release and let go.

01:16 I challenge myself, the people are really understanding,

01:19 everyone's really good to me

01:20 and it helps me come out of my shell.

01:21 Like since I've came here,

01:22 I've been a lot more confident in my own personal life

01:25 and in the gym.

01:27 It's really helping me grow as a person.

01:29 (dramatic music)

01:31 I've got my first bare knuckle fight

01:36 on the 27th of January at the Indigo in London

01:40 and hopefully I'm gonna be the first English female

01:42 to win the fight and then go on to the other belt.

01:44 (dramatic music)

01:47 (dramatic music)

01:50 (dramatic music)

01:52 (dramatic music)

01:56 (dramatic music)

01:58 [BLANK_AUDIO]

"I'm a female bare-knuckle fighter - I train by punching concrete slabs but men still say I'm puny"

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