Journalist by day, boxer by night: How Lizza Gebilagin breaks boundaries of vulnerability into her greatest strength

Femininity, age and strength should not define what you want to achieve and be successful at. "You can be feminine and girly and love words and literature and still have the other side of you, and that is cool; you don't have to be one version of femininity at all," says journalist-boxer Lizza Gebilagin.

Lizza Gebilagin (in red) during last year's World Qualifiers Source: Supplied by L. Gebilagin)

From a totally nerd world to a physically challenging sports of mixed martial arts to boxing, the Deputy Editor of Women's Health by day and a boxer by night only started fighting in the ring at the age of 36.

Now known as the journalist who box, Lizza Gebilagin shares that one of the most vulnerable times in her life is being in a ring when someone has their fight set on taking you out or winning. But then "just in day-to-day life, I'm actually a very sensitive person."

Lizza at her desk (Cleo as supplied by L. Gebilagin) Source: Cleo as supplied by L. Gebilagin

"I am a nerd and I also like to box. And I feel like it's empowering for people to see examples of women who don't necessarily fit the mode of what you expect and it allows other women to really shine themselves and if they have some weird interests that people don't expect quite often then that's fine, they should go and pursue that," Lizza says as she gives emphasis on sticking to both career in journalism and boxing.

Lizza and husband Brad Tinklin (Supplied by L. Gebilagin) Source: Supplied by L. Gebilagin

Finding fulfillment in writing and boxing, Gebilagin, a member of the Team NSW - 2018 Elite Australian Championships, is set to fight international boxers for the first time at the 2019 Arafura Games in May in Darwin.