Fighting stereotypes: the unexpected faces of combat sports in pictures | Art and design

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Fighting stereotypes: the unexpected faces of combat sports – in pictures

Boxing and martial arts can provide a sanctuary to everyone from bullied kids to Grenfell firefighters. Aneesa Dawoojee captured their fighting spirit

@mlestone Main image: ‘I had a lot of tension trapped in my head’ … Petra. Photograph: Aneesa Dawoojee

Tue 26 Sep 2023 07.00 BST Last modified on Tue 26 Sep 2023 14.59 BST

  • Kerone AKA ‘Humble Warrior’ (Former MMA K-1 champion, WKA British K-1 heavyweight champion, ringmaster and coach)

    Having grown up with his nan, a migrant from the small island of Antigua, Kerone attained strong morals and values. She also made him understand the importance of mindset. Society often overlooks those who are modest and who do not shout loudly. The Fighting Spirit of South London is one of two series in Aneesa Dawoojee’s Only Human, a solo exhibition for the Royal Photographic Society at RPS House, Bristol until 19 November

  • Nesrine

    Nesrine is showing the way for children who are not used to seeing people who look like them. Ten years ago, you would never really see a female fighter wearing a hijab. Not only is she teaching children self-defence, she is also promoting unity and female empowerment. As well as fighting muay thai professionally, Nesrine advocates for young women like herself, and teaches the sport to young girls who look up to her, safe in the knowledge that it is ok to do combat sport. Nesrine is now featured on billboards globally promoting sport and wellbeing

  • Zane

    From a young age Zane struggled with how to process people who would mock or laugh at him or others. He believed strongly in telling the truth. It was hard for him to express his feelings as a small child and he hadn’t learned to articulate his emotions and boundaries. The discipline that muay thai gave him was essential at a time when he really needed it. He concentrated in class and thought about his movement and decisions. During the pandemic months it was the only activity he would engage in with his family. For a child, this sport can offer a different type of calmness

  • Celia

    Celia says: ‘I was crippled by anxiety and couldn’t do much. The act of hitting something and fighting myself out of the situation was what meant the most. There were similarities between my counselling training and the gym, both safe places, both without judgment. Except counselling can’t give you what this sport can. It’s a physical release

  • James

    James Hazel lost his leg in a multi-vehicle car accident. A year before his accident he had attempted to take his own life. The accident gave him a second chance and he found focus through sport and the people he started to surround himself with. He found satisfaction in inspiring other amputees and people with disabilities. Some of the hardest traumas and pain a human being faces and endures, allows for them to be a light to others that is not easily expressed

  • Petra

    Petra is a boxer and dancer who suffered heavily with her mental health. After trying to kill herself she made a conscious decision to come off her medication for depression. ‘When I started coming off the anti-depressants I had a lot of anxiety and tension trapped in my head and boxing helped release it because you are so explosive with what you do and you hit things and have to think in the moment’

  • Dylan (ISKA world title, ISKA European title and British title)

    When Dylan was sentenced to two years in prison, the judge said to him: ‘Dylan Burke has destroyed his career in muay thai.’ Since his release in 2021 he has gained his European title belt and two WBC world championship belts in the sport. His future ambition is to set up a scheme to offer work opportunities to young men coming out of prison that differ to what was offered to him and give them achievable salary prospects. ‘Whatever path you want to go down, just give your 100% and make it shine’

  • Shanelle ‘The Nightmare’ Dyer (Multiple world, European and a British champion)

    Shanelle’s best friend was stabbed on his 30th birthday. Her life could have gone in a similar direction but she focused on being a role model and inspiration to the youths of London. With more than 26 belts, and five world titles, she is driven to be better and do better. ‘The gym is somewhere to get away, somewhere to escape, because a lot of people don’t have amazing situations going on in their lives. We need places like this around London so we can save a lot of children’

  • Enzo (Multi-title Brazilian jiu-jitsu and muay thai athlete)

    Originally from Brazil, Enzo and his family moved to England to make a better life for themselves. Despite children attempting to bully him, Enzo’s ability to control himself through Brazilian jiu-jitsu and mixed martial arts helped him cope during tough times. He won a prize for resilience at school, overcoming hardship and learning English in just six months

  • Elia ‘Royal Princess’ Dewu (WKU world silver medalist, WKU British K-1 open silver medalist, WKU European championship K-1 bronze medalist)

    Born in France, Elia’s parents left to live the American dream in New York City when she was nine years old. In 2013 she decided to move to London. ‘It was hard to make friends as an adult arriving in this country. But this was a way to do it. Everyone is so different at training, from doctors to police officers, and this makes you branch out with different people you would never ordinarily meet. Even the children you forge connections with’

  • Louis

    As well as being a personal trainer, Louis works with college students to improve their mental wellbeing. He is passionate about people improving their mental health. ‘You may be up against things. But when you see past what you could be, is when you see hope. You find a way to be influenced by the right people in your community’

  • Katie

    A full-time accountant, mother and world-title fighter,Katie is passionate about female fighters and is making huge progress for women in the fight world. ‘It’s not about who can knock who out, it’s a totally different IQ, it’s skill and technique’

  • Chris

    Chris sees the same things that we as photographers see: he looks at the soul in front of him and notices the pain, the signs of trauma and abuse. ‘I need constant challenges and discomfort to become the best version of myself. Just like every seed needs soil to grow, combat sports was my garden. The only thing you need to turn metal to iron is having metal go through hell’

  • Chris

    Chris is a firefighter and the fight referee that connects many of these subjects. He has seen them all in the ring and watched the emotions flow through the wins and losses. His commitment to uniting communities comes from having experienced great pains as one of the Grenfell firefighters. ‘Since Grenfell, I’ve gained relationships with people in the community. Everyone is going through their own personal battle and suffering their own demons. Connecting with those people through a smile, a hug, a tear ... that lets us know we are not on our own. And that’s helped me massively’. Aneesa Dawoojee was awarded a solo exhibition following her participation in the RPS International Photography Exhibition
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