Black History Month: Making Their Mark

This Black History Month, we’re shining a light on the people and places shaping the future of amateur boxing. From grassroots gyms rooted in community spirit to trailblazing athletes breaking barriers in and out of the ring, these stories celebrate resilience, discipline, and the power of sport to transform lives.

Michelle Nelson

When Michelle Nelson first laced up her gloves, she wasn’t chasing a title, she just wanted to get fitter. But that first session sparked something far bigger. Eight years on, the 41-year-old has swapped a career in aeronautical engineering for life at the heart of Luton’s boxing community and as an England Boxing Coach, and she hasn’t looked back.

In 2022, Michelle opened the doors to Bellator Boxing Academy, her very own gym in one of Luton’s toughest neighbourhoods. The move was bold, but for Michelle, the motivation was simple: to create a safe haven for young people. “What pushed me was the drive to make a difference and help young people break free from the cycle (of crime),” she says. “They could be anywhere else doing anything, but we’ve created that safe space for them.”

Michelle has also taken part in England Boxing’s Women’s Coach Development Programme and gone from strength-from-strength from leading on initiatives as well as, supporting on training camps.

Micky Norford 

A former Royal Navy Lieutenant Commander and UK Armed Forces Boxing Champion, Micky Norford soon found his true calling outside the ropes. After retiring from competition, he rose through the officiating ranks, earning respect as a calm, authoritative referee and technical official at home and abroad.

As a former Director of England Boxing, he helped shape rules, train officials, and safeguard the sport for athletes at every level. His leadership led to prestigious appointments, including Technical Delegate for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games and officiating duties at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Speaking on being involved at the prestigious multi-sport event, he said: “Being part of the Olympics is almost certainly the dream of every sportsperson at any level, clearly only a small minority ever realise that dream. Having been an international official for more than 20 years, reaching the very highest level as an international referee, I can tell you it is equally as difficult to get to the Games as an official!”

Afewee 

Based in the heart of Brixton, Afewee has become much more than a boxing club, it’s a community lifeline. Founded by Steadman Scott and Tony Goldring, the organisation first made waves in grassroots football in 1997 before turning its focus to boxing.

The shift came after the London riots in 2011, when Scott saw the need for a safe, positive space for young people to channel their energy. Boxing, he believed, could offer not just fitness, but discipline, self-worth and focus…all tools for success inside and outside of the ring.

With little more than a petition signed by nearly a thousand locals, Afewee launched in 2014 with just two non-contact sessions at Brixton Recreation Centre. From those modest beginnings, a shared hall and limited kit, the club quickly grew. By 2015 it was officially recognised as competitive, and two years later it secured a permanent home inside the centre, transforming an empty space into a vibrant hub.

Today, Afewee is known for its top-quality coaching, inclusive spirit and unwavering belief in hard work, discipline and respect. For many in Brixton, it’s not just a boxing gym – it’s a place where potential is unlocked and futures are shaped.

As Coach Malik Owusu explains, “Any child that comes into the gym, we pour all of our time and resources into them, to make sure they can become the best version of themselves. We play the role of paternal figures in these kid’s lives…some of the time, they may require guidance or advice.”

Grace Buckle

Grace Buckle might be best known for representing England on the world stage but outside of the ring, she’s equally as accomplished, a British Sign Language interpreter, a skill rooted in her childhood as the daughter of deaf parents.

Speaking on how the two go hand-in-hand the 33 year old said: “BSL helps you read body language, I can sense where opponents are going to hit, what they’re trying to do.”

Buckle now teaches BSL and has put her skills to use ringside, interpreting at high-profile events from Natasha Jonas’ Royal Albert Hall headliner to Daniel Dubois’ knockout of Anthony Joshua at Wembley.

From hauling tyres up South London hills to winning national gold and signing at boxing’s biggest nights, the boxer’s rise has been nothing short of remarkable.