Jamie McGrath is a former amateur and current professional boxer. She began her boxing career in 1997 and quickly established herself as a dominant force in her weight class. Born and raised on Long Island, NY, Jamie won numerous titles, including 3 New York Golden Gloves and 2 Empire State Games.
Her success continued on a national level, as she won six (6) National Titles, including the US National, PAL Nationals, and the Golden Glove National. Jamie’s impressive performances earned her a spot on the first-ever US women’s National Team. She participated in and won the USA-Canada duel held at Lackawanna County Stadium in Pennsylvania and went on to compete in the first women’s world tournament in Turku, Finland, where she won the gold medal by stopping all of her opponents in the first round.
Despite her achievements, women’s boxing was not yet included in the Olympics, and Jamie held out hope that it would be added to the 2000 games. However, her plans were put on hold when she had her first child in 2002. She made a comeback in 2005 and made her professional debut.
Jamie faced challenges in her professional career, struggling to find opponents and experiencing fights falling through. Balancing training with the responsibilities of being a mother and traveling long distances to the gym became difficult and disheartening. Eventually, she decided to retire from boxing and focus on her family. However, she continued to train others by starting a boxing class in her home for friends and family.
In 2016, Jamie moved to Charlotte, NC, and continued her home-based gym. In 2020, amidst a world pandemic and personal upheaval, she made the bold decision to open a gym despite many others closing down. During this time, she also felt a calling to return to the sport she loves. At the age of 45 and after a 17-year hiatus from the ring, Jamie made a comeback as a professional boxer. She currently holds a record of 4-0 and has her sights set on a World Title.
Jamie can be found at her gym, Southpaw Training Center, located in Pineville, NC.
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