Natasha Jonas visits the Inclusive Hub, a boxing based project that makes makes exercise and education through the sport available to people of all ages and abilities; Jonas, the unified WBO, WBA and IBF super-welterweight champion, is a keen supporter of boxing's positive social impact
Wednesday 7 June 2023 17:25, UK
Unified world champion Natasha Jonas is supporting the work of the Inclusive Hub boxing project in Liverpool.
The Inclusive Hub aims to allow people of different ages and abilities to benefit from exercise and education through boxing.
It began in 2016 helping small groups of autistic children take part in non-contact boxing and fitness sessions. Becoming increasingly popular, the quantity and diversity of its participants continued to increase to include people with Downs Syndrome, ADHD, amputees, wheelchair users, those with behavioural issues, women who have suffered from domestic abuse and more.
Jonas, the WBO, WBC and IBF super-welterweight champion, visited the Inclusive Hub to support the project.
An advocate for how the sport should grow further to include more people, she told Sky Sports: "It can't be just boxing anymore. You have to stretch out to the wider community, do it a bit more for the community and giving back is exactly what this place is about."
Gerard Starkey is director and head coach at the Inclusive Hub. He said: "I worked a long time ago with some youths who had autism and I could see that there was something there. We designed the gym so we can meet as many needs of as many people as we can. And I think it's working [judging] by the numbers that's coming in."
His son Liam Starkey, a fellow director and coach, feels their approach to teaching boxing is what helps keep young people connected.
He said: "It's got to be fun-based in order for us to engage children with additional needs to come to through the door, for families, for us to be able to be supportive of them. Not every one person is the same and especially if they have additional needs."
Jonas understands that boxing can be a lonely sport at times but strongly believes its collective aspects are hugely important too. She said: "Boxing is an individual sport, but people don't realise there is such a big social aspect of it."
