History-maker Ngamba eyes world title shot

Cindy Ngamba, who will make her professional debut in London on 7 March, hopes to fight for world title within a year.

The 26-year-old made history at last year’s Paris Olympics as the first member of the Refugee Olympic Team to win a medal.

Ngamba won bronze and the Cameroon fighter will now fight on Natasha Jonas’ unification fight against fellow Brito Lauren Price at the Royal Albert Hall.

“I’m taking each fight as it comes. I’ve accepted that I’m learning and I’m new to this game,” Ngamba told BBC Sport.

“I do have goals, which is to get as many experienced fights in my tools then set myself on a world title as soon as possible. “

Asked where she expects to be this time next year, Ngamba replied: “Be the main [boxer] on the card and fighting against a very good opponent that I can steal the world title away from. “

Ngamba has signed a “multi-fight” promotional deal with Boxxer and promoter Ben Shalom described her as an “incredible athlete”.

She will make her bow on all-female card headlined by welterweight champions and domestic rivals Price and Jonas.

WBC lightweight world champion Caroline Dubois will also feature on the undercard, while Karriss Artingstall and Raven Chapman meet in a featherweight contest.

Ngamba is unable to return to Cameroon because of her sexuality, with homosexuality in the country punishable with up to five years in prison.

However, after 15 years in England she has not been granted a visa or UK citizenship.

Five years ago she was on the verge of being deported after attending what she thought was a routine signing-on process to let authorities know she was still in the country.

Ngamba was arrested, along with her brother Kennet, and sent from Manchester to a detention camp in London, before being released the following day.

She said the “adversity” has made her “even stronger. “

“It will always humble me and make me even more hungry, determined and unstoppable,” she added.

“It’s been a lot of years – a lot of years of so many hard times and doubting myself and [being] alone. Having to pick myself up, hold my head high, believe there will be a light at the under of the tunnel. “

Before Paris 2024, GB Boxing unsuccessfully tried to add Ngamba to its ranks for the Olympic programme, even writing a request to the Home Office to grant her British citizenship.

But she won a scholarship with the IOC refugee team, and was the first female boxer to represent the team at a Games.

Ngamba made her amateur debut aged 20 in 2018 and went on to accumulate 26 wins and five losses.

She won the English national championships three times in that period.