Cathy Brown (born 28 July 1970) is a British sports coach and former professional boxer who competed from 1998 to 2006. She challenged for multiple world championships during her career; the WIBF bantamweight title twice in 2002 and 2004; the WIBF flyweight title in 2003; and the WBC female flyweight title in 2005. At regional level, she challenged once for the European female flyweight title in 2003.
She regularly writes columns for Men's Health and Women's Health magazines.
Background Brown was born on 28 July 1970. She was put into a Catholic Care orphanage until she was adopted at an early age by her adoptive parents and raised in Lanchester, Durham. In 1992 she moved to London to pursue her photographic career as a Forensic Photographer, as which she worked until 1998.
Early career She started Kickboxing in 1992 as a hobby and only after three months her trainer suggested that she should enter her first competition. She remained undefeated for 25 fights, winning both the BKBU and WBF British Kick Boxing title.
Boxing career Brown received her professional boxing license in August 1998. She was only the 2nd woman in the UK to receive a professional boxing licence.
Her first fight was a points win against Veerle Braspenningx from Belgium in Oct 1999 and won the WBF European flyweight title in July 2000.
In June 2002, she went for the WIBF International bantamweight title against Alina Shaternikiova, but lost.
She fought Stephanie Bianchini for the European female flyweight title in December 2003, however, controversially lost on points. She fought a rematch against Stephanie Bianchini for the WBC female flyweight title in August 2005 in Italy, but lost again on points.
On 24 September 2006, Brown won the English female bantamweight title when she defeated Juliette Winter by a ten-round 97–94 decision in a rematch of their 2003 four-rounder. With the win, Brown became the first female champion sanctioned by the British Boxing Board of Control. After the fight, she stated that she would retire from competition because of persistent wrist and neck injuries.
Professional boxing record
ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes21Win13-8Juliette Winter24 September 2006York Hall, Bethnal Green, London, United KingdomBBBofC English Female Bantamweight Title20Loss13-7Julia Sahin8 April 2006Ostseehalle, Kiel, Schleswig-Holstein, GermanyWIBF Women's International Boxing Federation light flyweight title19Loss13-6Stefania Bianchini7 August 2005Pala Flaminio, Rimini, Emilia Romagna, ItalyWBC female flyweight title18Win13-5Svetla Taskova12 June 2005Equinox Nightclub, Leicester Square, London, United Kingdom17Win12-5Viktoria Varga2 December 2004National Sports Centre, Crystal Palace, London, United Kingdom16Loss11-5Bettina Csabi6 November 2004Dr.Papp Laszlo Sporthall, Szentes, HungaryWIBF bantamweight title AND Global Boxing Union Female bantamweight title15Win11-4Stefania Bianchini17 December 2003Palasport, Bergamo, Lombardia, ItalyEBU female flyweight title14Loss10-4Regina Halmich26 April 2003Sport and Congress Center, Schwerin, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, GermanyWIBF Women's International Boxing Federation flyweight title13Win10-3Juliette Winter20 March 2003Porchester Hall, Queensway, London, United Kingdom12Win9-3Monika Petrova30 October 2002Equinox Nightclub, Leicester Square, London, United Kingdom11Loss8-3Alina Shaternikova13 June 2002Equinox Nightclub, Leicester Square, London, United KingdomWIBF Women's International Boxing Federation bantamweight title10Win8-2Svetla Taskova13 March 2002Marriott Hotel, Mayfair, London, United Kingdom9Win7-2 Iliana Boneva13 December 2001Equinox Nightclub, Leicester Square, London, United Kingdom8Win6-2Audrey Guthrie22 November 2001Grosvenor House, Mayfair, London, United KingdomWBF European Flyweight Title7Win5-2Ramona Gughie16 June 2001Conference Centre, Wembley, London, United Kingdom6Loss5-1Oksana Vasilieva26 April 2001Royal Gardens Hotel, Kensington, London, United Kingdom5Win5-0Marietta Ivanova 28 February 2001Royal Gardens Hotel, Kensington, London, United Kingdom4Win4-0Viktoria Varga31 October 2000Novotel Hotel, Hammersmith, London, United Kingdom3Win3-0 Jane Wild1 July 2000Elephant & Castle Centre, Southwark, London, United KingdomWBF European Flyweight Title2Win2-0Veerle Braspenningx5 February 20001Win1–0 Veerle Braspenningx David Lloyd Tennis Centre, Raynes Park, London, United KingdomProfessional Debut
Current activities
Brown is currently focusing on her coaching career as a boxing coach and Cognitive Behavioural Therapist at the Third Space gym. She has participated in various challenges such as sailing across the Atlantic in a world record attempt and took part in a 120 km running and climbing event for Sparks Charity.
As an ambassador for The Lotus Flower Charity, Brown visited refugee camps in Iraq in 2019 to teach Yazidi women how to box for empowerment. She taught 3 women how to coach boxing using the Boxology® boxing course. These women have carried on teaching boxing in the camps, creating a solid community of sisterhood.
She created her own charitable company called Headguard®as The Lotus Flower project was extremely successful and the women are still coaching to this day. Headguard fundraise in the UK and work with small 'on ground' NGO's in different countries where women are treated badly. They visited Nepal in 2022 and worked with Raksha Nepal charity, coaching 7 girls to become boxing coaches to the rest of the girls in the safe house in Kathmandu (currently 80+ young girls).
Cathy has directed and produced a documentary showcasing Headguards work and how boxing is an amazing resource for mental health. She also documents the atrocious stories the girls have endured. The documentary is called Raksha Girls. Cathy won Best Female Filmmaker 2026 award in the California Film Festival.
References