Warriors of a feminine persuasion

Samantha Kwok. [Photo by Gao Erqiang/China Daily]

For Zhang, who works in marketing, the most alluring thing about white-collar boxing is not the moment she trades blows with an opponent but the preparation, in which she can build close relationships with the trainers and other boxers. Training also provides an important chance for self discovery, she says.

"During training, you must be willing to work hard and get hit. This in turn builds patience and self control. People on the outside always see boxing as being tough, but to be a good fighter you need a big heart.

"This is all about how self-disciplined you can be, how much commitment you can offer. When you put in the hard work and win something, that feeling is just awesome."

In Beijing, Samantha Kwok is training hard as she aims to compete in this year's Brawl on theWall event in September. The 24-year-old lost her fight last year and is determined to bounce back with a win.

For Kwok, boxing started out as a New Year's resolution in 2014 to keep fit, and taking part in a whitecollar fight was simply a way of upping the ante. The hardest part of training was having to lose six kilograms in five weeks before her fight last year, she says, a task made all the more challenging given her love for food.

Kwok says that apart from being slimmer and fitter, the most important thing she gained from the experience was a sense of discipline and perseverance.

"I'm naturally a very impatient person, so the fact that I had to work toward a long-term goal that took a few months to achieve really tested my mental strength that translates into other areas of life.

"Although it's still uncommon to hear about Asian women fighting in the ring for fun, I'd like to beat those stereotypes and do it anyway. If it's something you enjoy doing, why not?"