Vegan Female Boxer to Make Pro Debut

Birmingham, UK-resident Lauren Johnson will be the town’s first female boxer to enter a professional fight in more than 150 years. Johnson—who goes by “Black Widow”—works security at the door of a local dance club and is studying criminal justice at Wolverhampton University. The 32-year-old initially became interested in boxing as a way to lose weight but decided to pursue the sport as a career after a winning 15 of her 23 unpaid ametur fights. “I’ve been a vegan for all my title fights,” Johnson said. “I don’t miss meat. I thought I would, but I don’t. When I cut out meat, I felt I got so much more energy.” Johnson will fight four rounds in the welterweight category during the “No Guts, No Glory” show on March 4. Several professional boxers—including David Haye and Lee Connelly—have also adopted vegan diets to improve their strength and endurance in the ring.