At 38, London-based professional boxer Sangeeta Birdi is on the brink of making history.
Born in Toronto and raised in the UK, Birdi is determined to become the first Punjabi Sikh woman to win a World Championship title in boxing — a journey defined by resilience, faith, and an unbreakable fighting spirit.
Picture credit: Sangeeta Birdi
“I was the first Punjabi Sikh woman to step into the ring in the UK,” Birdi tells Pukaar proudly. “And soon, you’ll see me become the first Sikh world champion — not just in the UK, but worldwide. It’s written in my hands, I can feel it.”
Birdi moved from Canada to London at the age of ten. “It was a big change,” she recalls. “The environment, the people, even my accent was different. People would say, ‘Oh, your accent is weird.’ It took a while to get used to.”
Before boxing entered her life, Birdi studied travel and tourism and beauty therapy, later becoming a manager for Dixons at Heathrow Airport, overseeing three stores. Her career took off, but it wasn’t her calling.
Then, at 20, a night out changed everything. “I was bowling with my friends and Amir Khan’s fight came on the big screen,” she says. “I’d never seen boxing before, but I just fell in love with it. I said, ‘We need to go boxing.’ My mum’s friend introduced me to a coach, and the next morning — at 4am — I was in the gym.”
That first session revealed her natural talent. “My coach said, ‘You’re so good, you’ve never done this before?’ And I hadn’t. That’s how it all started.”
When Birdi began boxing 18 years ago, women’s boxing was barely visible. “I walked into a gym, and there were no women,” she remembers. “Now, thanks to fighters like Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano, it’s a completely different world. They changed boxing for all of us.”
Her own journey has been filled with both triumphs and trials. Birdi has won multiple titles, including the WBC of India, the PST of Tanzania, and the International UBL title — the latter two captured in one night. She knocked out her opponent just 30 seconds into the second round.
“I love India — the love and support I get there, you can’t find it anywhere else,” she says. “Little kids come up to me saying, ‘Let’s take a picture!’ It’s overwhelming.”
Picture credit: Sangeeta Birdi
Despite her success, Birdi continues to balance her boxing career with her full-time job as a London bus driver. “You’d be surprised — my passengers recognise me from Facebook,” she laughs. “They’ll get on the bus and say, ‘That’s you!’ and show me my own pictures.”
The job gives her flexibility to train while supporting her eight-year-old daughter. “At her school, she tells everyone, ‘My mummy’s a boxer, my mummy’s a champion,’” Birdi says, tearing up. “When I saw what she’d written about me, I cried. I’m actually inspiring my daughter to be like me — that’s everything.”
Behind every punch is Birdi’s faith and family. “My mum is my biggest supporter. She was shocked when I started boxing — she covered her face at my first fight — but when I won, she was over the moon. I owe her the world.”
Faith keeps Birdi grounded. “Before every fight, I pray to God, to Sheeva, to Guru Nanak. I ask for strength, for Shakti. It’s what keeps me focused.”
But her path hasn’t been easy. Losing her first professional fight was a major setback. “I thought, ‘This is it, I’m done.’ But the support around me — people asking when my next fight was — reminded me that I couldn’t give up. I had to keep going.”
Picture credit: Pukaar News
Now, Birdi is planning a global tour of motivational seminars, beginning in Germany, where she’ll share her story to inspire others. She’s also supporting communities affected by flooding in Punjab. “If I have to physically go and help, I will,” she says. “It’s who I am.”
As an ambassador for the Sikh Games, Birdi sees her success as part of a bigger movement. “When I started boxing, there were no Indians in sport. Now, I get to be a voice for others — to say, I’ve been through it, and I’m here to support every single person.”
With just two years left in her professional career, Birdi is more determined than ever. “I’ve had a lot of downs rather than ups, but I’m still standing. I’m a fighter until the end.”
She smiles, her confidence unshakable. “If Katie Taylor called me tomorrow, I’d step into the ring without hesitation. Because that’s what I was born to do.”
Picture credit: Sangeeta Birdi
