Bree Wright, 26, is Sheffield’s first-ever female professional boxer. Far beyond that, however, she is a woman on a mission.
Born and bred in the Steel City, Wright’s journey to the professional boxing stage has been anything but straightforward, stumbling on her love of the sport by chance.
“I was a naughty kid, to be fair, always getting into trouble and never doing owt ‘reyt. I got sent to this ‘naughty school’ called Spring Lane in Sheffield, and we used to go on days out. We went to this place called 393 and there was a boxing gym above it. People asked: ‘why don’t you come to the gym and box?’ and that was the first thing that challenged my negative thoughts and energy.”
Throughout her youth, Wright encountered bereavements and varying amounts of mental health troubles that resulted in a prolonged absence from the ring for the best part of a decade.
“I didn’t know what I was doing. I was literally on shut down mode for about eight years. I didn’t know what I wanted to do or what I wanted to be.”
During this period, Wright busied herself through working various jobs, even being employed on the railways and, at one point, in an abattoir. Her return to boxing was inspired by watching the amazing resurgence of heavyweight Tyson Fury.
“He had everything, and his head still wasn’t alright. So I knew that it’s ok not to be alright and you can come back from [difficulties] whatever you’re doing. He was massive, got drunk and did whatever else, and he came back from it and smashed it. I thought if someone like him can do it, then I definitely can.”
The Stradbroke-based welterweight now dedicates her life to the sport, citing it as the key component that turned her life around.
“Boxing to me is everything now. I live and breathe boxing, it’s what saved me as a person so everything in my life now revolves around it. Nothing else matters. The only time I feel alive is within boxing.”
Bree defeated Hungarian Klaudia Vigh at Bramall Lane – home of her beloved Sheffield United – through a technical knockout on 20 May 2022.
She added: “I love the Blades and went to Bramall Lane from being young. I couldn’t get to all the games as I was getting older as I was doing my own thing with work or the gym – I even lived in Wales for a while. When I saw that Kell Brook boxed there, I thought imagine, it would be unreal. For that fight, everything had its purpose in terms of the venue.”
Two days after her impressive victory, the up-and-coming fighter was back in her gym on The Manor, preparing with her trusted coach Roger Sampson. Bree is under no illusions regarding the challenges ahead but recognises the need to put everything into being a success and leave everything else to her management team headed by Jamie Sheldon, whom she says give her the chance to succeed.
“You either go 100% or not at all, so for me it’s not about being motivated it’s about being dedicated to being the best version of myself. I’m 26 and been through all that. I’m not young anymore. I’ve had life lessons that people haven’t had at 40, so I know what I’ve got to do.”
For those facing adversity and contemplating giving up, Bree Wright has a simple message:
“Tell yourself you can. Write it down. Talk to yourself – do anything you can – because you can do it. I know that I won the National Development title and have only had one fight but literally if I can do this small thing then you can.”
Bree Wright is set to announce her next fight soon, and you can follow her progress on Twitter (@BreeWrightPro).
Thanks to Lydia Des Dolles at One Empire Management.