Dewsbury’s Malaika ready to work with ex-world champ Natasha Jonas after striking gold in prestigious boxing tournament

The Boxcup is a prestigious tournament in the England boxing calendar and always involves many of the best young boxers in the country.

The 2025 women's event featured female boxers from all over the UK and Malaika knew she was in for a big test so prepared hard.

Going into the tournament Malaika said: "I worked very hard in the run up to the tournament, I had to train two or three times per day along with my university studies."

Malaika entered the 81+kg category and displayed skills, power and speed to overcome an opponent who was almost 10kg heavier.

Malaika who boxes out of the Warrior Breed Boxing club, which recently moved to Earlsheaton, said: "I believed in my skills and the hard work I put into my preparations.

"I am still learning and developing in the sport.”

Malaika created history by being the first British/Pakistani female boxer from Dewsbury to win the tournament and hopes to be the first ever heavyweight to win honours in the sport of boxing.

She also celebrated being offered a sponsorship deal with Inspire Capital Sport ICS, a huge organisation which help support young athletes on their journeys, alongside professional athletes including Daniel Dubois, Hamza Sheeraz and Dewsbury’s boxing star Amaar Akbar, among many others.

Malaika said "I'm over the moon to be offered this support and I will be supported and guided by two times world champion Natasha Jonas."

She knows it is a long hard journey, but hopes she can stay the course and achieve her goal of being world champion.

Being a world champion is not her only ambition.

"I also want to be a positive role model for the youth and in particular females.

"Females are making big inroads in boxing and I want to break down the prejudices and barriers faced by female athletes and in particular cultural barriers.”

Malaika hopes to have as many bouts as possible in 2026 and has already decided to take part in the Golden Girls tournament, which is another prestigious boxcup event held in Sweden.

"You can achieve anything with hard work and determination,” she added.

Malaika has been described as the hardest worker her coach, Zahir Akbar, has ever trained, despite having to balance her boxing learning with her studies in accounting and finance.

She is already picking up tips from British boxing great Jonas after Inspire Capital Sport ICS took her under their sponsorship wing.

A spokesperson for Inspire said: “We are proud to announce our bursary support for Malaika Atique, an emerging British Pakistani boxer with clear ambition to break barriers, challenge conventions, and make history in the sport.

"Her discipline, mindset and long term vision strongly align with what we look for at Inspire Capital Sports.

"Introduced to us by Zahir of the Warrior Breed gym, Malaika comes from a strong foundation and is in excellent hands as she begins this next chapter alongside Natasha Jonas.

"We are excited for the journey ahead and proud to support Malaika as she builds her pathway forward.”

Any potential sponsors who would like to help Malaika on her journey can contact [email protected]