“I think we’ve had a lot of growth over the past few years. Women like Michelle Obama, she’s fearless, her words are so powerful and she’s a great example of how you can really do it all. The Janelle Monáes of the world. Serena Williams, my good friend. What I love and admire about so many women is that they are so brave in saying exactly what they feel, they’re not afraid to fight.”

[On her favourite book Beloved, by Toni Morrison]: “This story of generational trauma, of ancestral ghosts and magic, of the legacy of black womanhood, is something I hold very dear to my heart. The tapestry woven by our mothers and our mother’s mothers is a vivid documentation of our historical trauma and collective joy that we inherit in our very bloodstreams themselves. We are passed wisdom and teachings through our bloodlines, and destined to consecrate the history of our ancestors through repeating it within our own lifetimes, whether that be literally, or figuratively, by the way we house the energy of the past within us in concentric circles.

Though we are destined to carry the trauma, we gain the piercing love and protection that comes with it as well. As black women, no matter what we face, we fall under the protection of our black womanhood, whether we find that literally in our peers, sisters and collective experiences, or through the circle of mother ancestors who hover in the heavens with their hands linked and hearts in prayer.”

“I led my life the old fashioned way – on my own. Carving my own path and paying little attention to the tabloids. I can see looking back I was vulnerable – and even my own strength, determination and resilience shock me.”

[On her non-profit organisation The Happy Hippie Foundation]: “It’s dedicated to fighting injustice for vulnerable populations… Right now, Happy Hippie is really focused on supporting transgender youth through a partnership with Gender Spectrum. Together we created digital support groups so anyone can get the help they need.”

[On when she read aloud the famous poem “Still I Rise”, by Maya Angelou, on stage in 2015]: “I didn’t realise even until I was up there reading it how much it resonated with me personally. That poem reminded me that I will always come out on top. When your heart and your passion are in the right place, you come out on top. I know who I am.”

“Obviously boxing is such a selfish sport – it’s an individual sport,” she says, “but you’ve got to look at the bigger picture, and this journey I’m on is much bigger than me. It’s about inspiring other people that feel like they don’t have the opportunity to get into sport.”