In Aberdeen on Saturday night, Kristen Fraser will attempt to become the first Scottish woman to win a Commonwealth boxing title
Friday 23 November 2018 11:41, UK
Kristen Fraser talks to Sky Sports about battling for a Commonwealth title, boosting the profile of women's boxing, and the life-changing Rainbow Laces campaign.
"You come in, you train, you have a laugh, you go home. You are healthy, strong... how can that not be a positive thing for young women?"
Ahead of her big Commonwealth clash on Saturday night, Fraser is eager to share her enthusiasm for boxing, reeling off the sport's positives like a string of jabs.
The 30-year-old has witnessed the rise of women's boxing in recent years, with the likes of Ireland's Katie Taylor and Claressa Shields defending their world titles in front of large TV audiences.
Fraser has played her own part in that rise, but plying her trade away from the bright lights. Now she can join the list of champions, as she takes on Malawi's Ellen Simwaka for the vacant Commonwealth bantamweight belt in her hometown of Aberdeen.
"Women's boxing is no longer the sideshow on a bill, or first on to fill the time. I'm headlining on Saturday," she says.
"Katie Taylor headlines on Sky Sports. More and more people are recognising that it's good quality boxing. These are people who have spent 10 to 15 years as amateurs, and are progressing as professionals.
"I'm not asking for any special treatment because I'm a woman, and I wouldn't expect any. When you're in a boxing competition, you're nothing but a boxer. All you want to be seen as is a sportsperson."
Unbeaten in five fights, Fraser has maintained her successful professional career while working as an offshore engineer, but faces her sternest test yet in Simwaka, who has the experience of 13 bouts in the paid ranks.
"It's a well-respected title, a culmination of everything I've done as an amateur and a professional," says Fraser, whose nickname 'TFE - The First Ever' marks her achievement of being Scotland's first pro in women's boxing.
"It's certainly not going to be an easy one, but I've got a strong amateur base, with years behind me, and hopefully when it comes down to it, her record won't matter."
As she makes her ring walk at the DoubleTree Hilton, Fraser will be wearing Rainbow Laces, to acknowledge her long-found support for the campaign for LGBT equality in sport.
She is unflinching in her response when asked to discuss the progress that still needs to be made to raise awareness of inclusion for people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender.
On Saturday, I've got my name in a rainbow, it's on the back of my jacket, I've got rainbow laces.
"Visibility is progress," she explains. "If I was to go out and not be honest about who I was, to not be honest that I'm gay, that I'm married, that I'm very happy being gay and married and out, then it doesn't encourage others to come out and say I'm doing this with my life, and I'm gay.
"On Saturday, I've got my name in a rainbow on the back of my jacket, and I've got Rainbow Laces. I'm not going to hide who I am.
"In this day and age, there are still people committing suicide because they are gay, and that's horrendous. That is because they don't feel like they have a space where it's OK to be gay.
"If it's still going on, we're not doing enough. You can live a happy, healthy, normal life, and be in a happy, healthy relationship. It just happens it will be with someone of the same sex."
Sportsmen and sportswomen from every level, grassroots to elite, are uniting this month in their backing of the Stonewall initiative, with 'Wear Your Rainbow Laces Day' being held on Wednesday, November 28.
"I wear them usually anyway, but when you have sports teams where there's no-one gay in the sports team, but they are putting on Rainbow Laces to show that they are not homophobic and they do not have adverse feelings towards people who are gay...
"That is just as important, if not more important than people who are identified as LGBT doing it.
"It's just about providing a secure and open place to have discussions about it, so youngsters don't feel like they are alone."
Follow Kristen on Twitter at @KristenTFE and on Instagram at @kristen_tfe_fraser.
Sky Sports is a member of TeamPride and supports Stonewall's Rainbow Laces campaign, which is currently receiving its annual activation across British sport until December 7.
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