Magnificent Mary gears up for another bout

Spunky boxer

A mother of twin boys would hardly look beyond the cradle to keep abreast with the happenings around. But not this mother! Five-time world champion and Olympic bronze-medallist Indian woman boxer, Mary Kom wastes no time in gearing up to enter the boxing ring, once her babies go to sleep.

No doubt maintaining a fine balance between her home and boxing practice is a tricky proposition. But the sportsperson credits her “Husband, who is my main support. It is because of him and my family that I can manage everything,” says Mary, her cheeks turning red on being complimented for her glowing skin. “This is due to my genes which belong to my ‘Kom’ community,” she says shyly.   

But behind this smile, lie wrinkles of hardships that she has battled in the past. “I am a five-time World Champion in boxing but nobody noticed me till I won a Bronze in the Olympics,” states the boxer elucidating that “If a male would have been a five-time world champion, he would have been given more recognition!”

The fact that people respect an Olympic or Commonwealth winner more, disturbs her. “In our country, things work differently. Women are not supported like men, but I had faith and wanted to set an example for the rest,” she says emphatically, adding, that after winning in Asian Games for the second time, she decided to document her tale of hardships.

“Due to practice sessions I didn’t get time to write. Having completed my book now, I hope that people will read it and give women boxers their due respect. Something I have been wanting since many years,” she says, longing for the times to change. Mary Kom was recently in the City to launch her autobiography – UNBREAKABLE.

Even though she receives meagre amounts as prize money and incentives, she doesn’t grudge the popularity of other sports over boxing. “Whatever little I get, I manage with it all my expenses and run my boxing academy too. I cannot compare it with what is given to cricketers since I respect them as fellow sportpersons. But if companies’ are not supporting me, then what should I say?” she sounds disappointed, even though she has emerged as an icon for young and aspiring sportspersons.

“If men can, why can’t women? If Mary Kom can do - why other youngsters can’t do?” questions the pugilist challenging all the naysayers who think that women are incapable of having what it takes to be a winner.

Excited about the Bollywood film based on her life, Mary says she never thought “It will happen. I pray that everything will be fine. Lets see,” she hopes and leaves to nurse her seven-month old son (a sibling to her twins), with plans of getting back
into the ring soon!