Female boxer wins national title just one year into competitive career
The RAF’s first national boxing title in nine years has been won by a female Lossiemouth corporal who has only been competing in the sport for a year.
Corporal Jennifer Sabine, a member of RAF Lossiemouth’s RAF Police Flight, won the female under-50kg title at the England Boxing National Development Championships, battling through against civilian opponents.
The 26-year-old started with RAF Lossiemouth Boxing Club in 2022, but only boxed competitively for the first time last October.
Jennifer also trained with Elgin Amateur Boxing Club, who have produced a string of Scottish champions over the years.
She prepared for the English development championships at an RAF Boxing Development Squad training camp hosted at RAF Wittering and RAF Brize Norton.
Having advanced from the UK Armed Forces Development Championship finals in September, Jennifer joined her UK Armed Forces counterparts as they took on London Boxing in the EBNDC pre-quarter-finals, winning unanimously against an opponent from Islington Boxing Club.
She went on to win her quarter-final convincingly, stopping her Hillcrest BC opponent in the second round. Jennifer and her coaches then travelled to Arena Sports Kettering, for the semi-finals, where she achieved another second-round stoppage win, beating a more experienced boxer from Leamington Spa Community Boxing Club.
She was crowned champion after victory in the final bout against her opponent from Northside ABC, Manchester, stopped in the second round.
Corporal Jennifer Sabine emerged as the female under-50kg category winner at the England Boxing National Development Championships (EBNDC), after a series of highly competitive bouts against civilian opponents.
A member of RAF Lossiemouth’s RAF Police Flight, Jennifer, 26, started boxing with RAF Lossiemouth Boxing Club in 2022, but only boxed competitively for the first time in October 2023.
She was crowned champion at the EBNDC final on 20 October, with the bout against her opponent from Northside ABC, Manchester, stopped in the second round.
“I am extremely proud of winning the RAF’s first national boxing title since 2015,” she said.
“RAF Boxing, Elgin BC, Windrush Valley BC, and RAF Boxing played a big part in my success and so I share the credit with all of the coaches that have helped me along the way.”
Squadron Leader Martin Hughes, who is RAF Lossiemouth Boxing Club and RAF Boxing Development Squad Head Coach, added: “Jennifer has been fantastic to work with and is living proof of the success that you can have in boxing with hard work and dedication.
“For her to be national champion, having first boxed competitively only a year ago, is incredible, and she should be extremely proud.
“A special mention goes to the RAF coaches that have helped her along the way and also to the civilian clubs she’s trained with, in particular Elgin BC who have welcomed her into the fold and provided the extra training and hard sparring that is required in amateur boxing.”
