SHE may have the same dreams as Hilary Swank in Clint Eastwood’s multi Oscar-nominated Million Dollar Baby, but that is where the similarity ends for Cathy Brown, one of Britain’s top woman boxers.

The European flyweight champion is known as the £4,000 Woman — the highest she has been paid for a fight.

Standing 5ft 2in in her boxing boots, Ms Brown has been fighting to make a living as a professional boxer since giving up her job as a forensic photographer for the Metropolitan Police in the 1990s.

She is used to the blood and gore of crime, so she thrives on the blood, sweat and tears of male-dominated gyms, much to the consternation of some men. Currently training for a world light-flyweight title fight in March, she fears that she may be forced out of the sport because she cannot make a living. To supplement her income, she teaches boxing to celebrities where she trains.

As to the film, which also stars Eastwood and Morgan Freeman, she is dismayed that the Swank character ends up in hospital after her big fight.

“I was sitting there thinking ‘Oh no, this is not going to do women’s boxing any good’,” she said. “Without giving away the ending, it is going to make people that are against female boxing think they are right.

“There is not enough blood, sweat and tears in it. I also think it was a bit far-fetched, but that’s Hollywood.”

Ms Brown did not have the same struggle to get into boxing as Swank as she was supported by a promoter and won two British kickboxing titles. Of her work for the police, she said: “I have come across people who have been shot, hacked to bits, stabbed, people that have committed suicide. You name it, I’ve seen it. I’d love to study criminal psychology.” That is something she may have to pursue in the future, along with a a television career, unless money starts flowing into women’s boxing. “The most I have earned is £4,000 and I don’t get any sponsorship,” she said.

“I could fight in America and earn more but I want female boxing to take off in this country. If I win the world title I can make sure all the challengers come over here to fight, but even then television has to show the bouts.”

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