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.
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.
Category
🛠️
LifestyleTranscript
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]