'He wasn't the man I believed him to be': Mary Kom breaks silence on her divorce

Noted Indian boxer Mary Kom broke the silence on her personal life. She divorced her husband in 2023, but years later opened up about the toughest moments of her life. The world champion, who is now separated from Onler, told media the decision was "painful" and included an "emotional collapse."

When she got injured before the 2022 Commonwealth Games, and had a financially critical time, she reflected on her life. She mentioned that she was feeling like she was "living a lie."

Recollecting one of her "Darkest phase," Mary Kom spoke to news agency PTI, "I was bed-ridden for several months, needed a walker after that. It was then that I realised that the man I had trusted was not what I believed him to be. I did not want it to be a spectacle for the world so I sought a divorce after several attempts to resolve it between us."

"I informed my family and his family that it cannot continue and they understood. I was hoping that it would stay private but then a concerted attempt has been made to slander me for the last one year. I thought I would not respond but then my silence was being misread and the attacks kept increasing," she said further.

Mary Kom is a mother to three sons, including twins, and a daughter, who is the youngest.

According to her, she works hard for her kids. "God knows how difficult it has been but can you afford to stay down when you have children? You have to pick yourself up," she shared.