Raven Chapman wants to put the WBC featherweight world title in his campervan and disappear – fully clothed and goofy – into the woods.
The nomadic 30-year-old fighter is enlisted from Norwich and lives in High Wycombe, but – proudly born into the New Age traveling community – never stays in one place for too long.
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However, she remains fully clothed during fight week – unlike some female fighters who use their assets to increase their earnings.
She knows it’s a decision that will cost her financially, but it’s a bold moral step she can take around the world – not just for the bank.
Ahead of Saturday night’s clash with Australian champion Sky Nicholson, The Omen told SunSport: “I’m confident in my boxing ability and I know I don’t need to do that to achieve what I want in boxing Is. I let my fists – and how I fight – do the talking.
“When I weigh in, I wear my fight-camp T-shirt and shorts.
“Sometimes it makes me sad when you see young and talented girls doing this to get attention, it makes me sad, it’s a shame that girls think they have to show off their bodies instead of their skills. Must be used as a tool.
“It’s not just in women’s boxing, it’s in women’s sports, so it’s important to stand up for myself the way I do it.
“I’m not looking down on anyone for how they do it – I understand it if they need attention and they want to make more money – but at what cost?
“It’s just not me, it’s not even my personality. I’m goofy – I don’t try to pretend I’m some sexy creature.
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“I’m just me and I want to be remembered as a good boxer, not the guy who took off his kit.”
Living off-grid has become a popular trend since the COVID-19 lockdown, but it’s much more than an Instagram fad for the 9-0 player.
Artur Beterbiev ‘eats the souls’ of his boxing rivals but gives up eating three days before a fight“I was born in Norwich,” he confirmed. “But I have never been there since then, leave alone staying there.
“It’s shaped me and my weird interests and the things I love.
“I want to be outside and in nature, being outside is always an adventure. And it’s a community that is very proud of me and what I’m doing.
“I am proud of my heritage, I am a free spirit, I never stay anywhere for long, I change houses often.
“I get bored easily and want to experience new things. The material things that people pursue are often irrelevant.
“I still have a lot of stuff, I just want to get rid of most of it and just put it in my van and go.”
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Sunboxing believes that the peak of a fighter’s career is so short and dangerous – unlike football, tennis and golf stars – that they deserve to earn their keep anywhere they can.
But Chapman is so honest and decent that he admitted he had to consider his role in helping the controversial empire continue its revolution – even if one rule made the final week of training a little difficult.
“I have been to Saudi many times and I have always been treated very well,” said the Unibet ambassador.
“I was never worried about coming here, I just wanted it to be respectable, even though I’m not the kind of person who walks around with their t*ts and a*** out anyway.
“People may ask how I can box in a country where women have less rights.
“But the fact that they have a women’s fight on the card shows progress and where it can go in the future. I’m trying to focus on where things are going.
“As a woman, I am walking around Saudi in trousers, a T-shirt and without a headscarf and hope things continue like this and get better. But I can proceed only on my experiences.
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“I look for women only gyms, my hotel has separate gyms for men and women and this can be an issue when I have a men only team!
Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol: UK start time, ring walk, live stream, TV channel and undercard for huge undisputed clash“But we work around it and I respect their rules and culture.”
