(JULY 12) Multi-world champion Jane Couch, has not only fought for many years, but she fought a legal battle early on in her boxing career, to earn the right to fight in her country. Couch has gradually redirected her career through the years to also promoting the sport. WBAN got an opportunity to go one on one with her this week.

TL Fox: Can you tell WBAN, why you decided to get into promoting boxing in the United Kingdom?

Couch: I started promoting boxing in England to get fights for myself in the beginning to keep busy until the big fights came up abroad.   Then as our gym grew bigger, I started to put more and more of the lads from our gym on the shows.

TL Fox: Can you tell us about the first boxing event you put on----any details as to your first experience in going from being a world champion boxer, to being a boxing promoter?

Couch: I didn't realised the hardwork involved at first, but soon did. One show I promoted I did everything and fought while I was warming up in the dressing room. I was thinking about paying the officials and answering questions from people involved on the show. Very stressful but great achievement when it was all over.

TL Fox: Do you work with other people that co-promote your events, or are you doing that solely by yourself?

Couch: I have promoted 16 shows alone---then my friend Ricky Hatton went into promoting in the UK and needed a boxing coordinator and team Hatton asked me to get involved. We have done about five together now and working for Ricky is great. He seems to have the same ideas as me.

TL Fox: Have you been able to put any women's bouts on your cards as of yet?

Couch: Only myself to date.

TL Fox: Since you are promoting now and have been for some time, do you think that you will continue to box, or do you plan to retire?

Couch: I have retired from the ring now.  It is not possible to combine the two.  I had a great career--5 world titles and box anyone even in there own back yards now its time to move on.

TL Fox: What difficulties are you seeing in the UK in regards to women's boxing? Has it gotten any better since you first had to fight for your right to box in the late 1990's?

Couch: Unfortunately it hasn't.   After such a high profile case that I fought to get women the chance,  I thought the numbers of women would grow and grow. Then I also thought the women who had the chance would be like I always was in my career and fight anyone anywhere regardless of the result----but it didn't happen. The promoters that did put girls on didn't put the greatest of matches on then people were looking at it thinking, 'This ain't that great'. It was frustrating at first, but I just had to accept that the promoters here just put it on to add novelty value to their show, and don't want to make 50-50 fights. If I ever promoted a girls fight it would be a great fight with the crowd going away with a positive attitude about women's boxing. I boxed on a few big undercards in my career that included Lennox Lewis's, Roy Jones and Naz and a lot of people thought our fight was the fight of the night. That is what women's boxing needs---real fights But now that girls are fighting as amateurs in England, there might be some girls come through from there that can help the sport grow.

TL Fox: Do you have any upcoming events on the horizon, and if so, can you give us some details?

Couch: I have a show in Newport coming up with Hatton promotions. It is a British title eliminator and a couple of lads from our gym, Danny Butler, who is doing very well and Choirboy. Both I have promoted on all my shows. All the shows get shown on hattonboxing.tv and Hatton Promotions have just signed a eight-fight deal with Sky.

TL Fox: Jane, you have been boxing for many, many years now, you have seen women's boxing go up, and go down, what is your own perspective as to where the sport is today?

Couch: Now that England has an amateur system---maybe we can get some good pros from there in a few years time. We still have a long way to go in this country. Having seen what you do over there is a different world. Peoples' attitudes in regards to women being involved in boxing still is not great but getting better. But to make it better we need more talent coming through. I'm lucky I won the respect of even the most anti in England but it took a lot of hard work. I think with women we need better well-matched fights even over there in the USA.

TL Fox: In your experience as a boxer, what has been some of the best rewarding experiences you have taken from the sport? With that said, what are the worst experiences?

Jane Couch with her manager Tex Woodward,
and team. Photo by Mary Ann Owen

Couch: Boxing changed my life and what I am today. I think the best thing that came out of it for me was after a 15-year career, being awarded the MBE for services to boxing by the Queen Boxing really helped me and changed my life for the better. And, as a promoter I'm respected because I actually got in the ring and fought, so can understand what the boxers are going through, say more than a promoter that hasn't competed, worse was probably having to fight for the right do to a sport I loved, and never got any backing, except only from my manager trainer Tex Woodward. It is hard enough to get in the ring and fight let alone having to fight to get there.

TL Fox: You are not only one of the most seasoned women boxers in the world, but now you are making your own history in promoting boxing events, what advise would you give women boxers?

Couch: Get out a fight whenever and where ever you can----the fights don't come around too often in the women's game and regardless of who your fighting give it your best shot. Don't have any regrets like 'I wish I would have fought here, or in that country'. I loved what I did and took on everyone-----even at short notice. Just enjoy your career--- It won't be there forever.

TL Fox: If there is anything that I have not asked, can you add any additional comments?

Couch: I would like to thank everyone that supported me over the last 15 years in boxing and say hi to everyone in the USA and abroad that I met over the years.

#1 Interview: Straight Talk - Jerry Hoffman  Link
#2 Interview: Straight Talk - Roy Englebrecht  Link
#3 Interview: Straight Talk - Miranda Carter  Link
#4 Interview: Straight Talk - Jane Couch Link