A grandmother from Leeds has raised money with her Mother’s Day present – a pair of boxing gloves. The 59-year-old stunned her family after taking up the sport. Patricia Furness, 59, is a full-time carer who is already waiting for her second bout after narrowly losing her first to an opponent 41 years younger than her.
The boxing match was used to raise money for the charity Men in Need Together (MINT), a Leeds-based charity that focuses on male suicide awareness and prevention as a Peer to Peer support group.
Despite the age gap between the opponents, Patricia was not going to go down easily and lasted an impressive three rounds before losing the bout on points. The grandmother of six said that her first thought after getting punched was “Wow”, and that her second thought was “You don’t know who you’re dealing with.”
Patricia said that she was overwhelmed with positivity after her first fight and was taken aback by the level of support that she received. Many of the spectators congratulated her on “the best fight of the night”, and even the pro-bare-knuckle boxer Smudger Smith approached her to say that he was “astounded by her courage, tenacity, heart and soul.”
Although her first official fight surprised many, it is even more surprising that Patricia only had eight weeks of training before stepping into the ring. Even before the fight, she said: “I wish I’d taken up boxing 40 years ago – I just love it.”
Raising money for MINT was always the focus though after Patricia’s cousin took his life in December 2019. All of the donations from before and during the boxing match were given to MINT, with Patricia saying that “MINT is one of the best things going for men. Too many are taking their own life. The more they can talk, the better.” The fight raised thousands of pounds for MINT and continues to be a part of their #DontManUpSpeakUp campaign.
The grandmother is no stranger to adrenaline and was a rugby player until a doctor advised her to stop when she turned 50. Now, Patricia wants to see more women putting on boxing gloves, saying that “Women are tough. Less of the selfies and silly diets, more boxing and rugby!” Patricia’s next fight is expected to take place after her birthday, although her opponent has not been confirmed yet. It might be that not many boxers will want to face the formidable 60-year-old.
Boxing is proving to be a popular new activity choice for that over-50. Just like any physical activity, boxing gets the muscles working so that strength is improved. It can also improve hand-eye coordination and mental agility, with some treatment centres recommending boxing for those suffering from Parkinson’s.
With the success of her last fight still fresh, Patricia is already looking forward to her next fight, and training has already begun. Although she says that she was a bit worried about going into the gym for the first time, she does not regret a moment of it. “Walking into a sweaty gym full of big tattooed blokes, you feel like turning back out the door, but they are actually the loveliest people you’ve ever met. Never go off the way someone looks.”
