Professional Boxing Career
The British Boxing Board of Control initially refused to grant Couch a professional licence on the sole ground that she was a woman, and argued that PMS made women too unstable to box. Claiming sexual discrimination and supported by the Equal Opportunities Commission, Couch managed to have this decision overturned by a tribunal in March 1998. However, some criticism followed as the British Medical Association called this result "a demented extension of equal opportunities".
Couch would later seek the right to fight a male opponent, but was unsuccessful. Of this, she said
Going into the ring against a man wouldn't bother me. I spar with blokes seven days a week so it's not as if it would be a new experience. It would mean an awful lot to me to appear at Wembley.Couch's first major success occurred in only her fifth pro fight in 1996 when she won the WIBF light welterweight title by outpointing France's Sandra Geiger over ten rounds in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Couch's first defense of her title was against noted female boxer Andrea DeShong, who was stopped in seven rounds in New Orleans, Louisiana in March 1997.
In September 2003 Staples Center, Los Angeles, California, Couch lost on points over eight rounds to the highly regarded Lucia Rijker of Holland.
Her last fight, against Anne Sophie Mathis on 8 December 2007, resulted in a loss by technical knockout.
She announced her retirement on 1 December 2008 and said she intended to continue as a boxing promoter. At the time, she said
"Boxing has been my life for a long time and it will always will be, but I'm not going to miss getting my head smashed in."Couch's overall professional record was 28 wins (9 KOs), 11 losses.
Read more about this topic: Jane Couch
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