Amy Hannus

Amy Hannus

In a world where women are considered, for the most part, the “weaker” sex, Amy Hannus inspires empowerment in women. I met Amy during my first boxing class. I was insecure and unaware of my own physical capabilities. Amy took me under her wing, as she does hundreds of boxers, and showed me that everything I needed to be strong and win is already within me, if I didn’t give up.

Katie wins her first title (Amy took it)

Amy is an amateur boxer with multiple titles. She has been boxing for eleven years. But more than her own boxing record, Amy is a coach, friend, and inspiration to dozens of women who train under her at the Evanston Boxing Club in Evanston, Illinois. Amy trains us hopefuls for free. She gives her time and money, never asking for anything in return, that is… anything except sweat, determination, and the self-confidence to push ourselves to the limits of our endurance, to be the best athletes that we can be. Most of all, to never, ever hide behind the excuse that we are "women," but to embrace our bodies' unlimited potential.

Katie throws a KO punch (Amy took it f)

I have been boxing for almost a year now, and will begin competing in the fall. Amy has shown me that I am only as “weak” as my mind allows my body to be. This is important because we live in a world where women are so frequently victimized, their bodies objectified and subjugated, and made to believe in their own weaknesses. Amy, in contrast to this, is a necessary hero to all females, and a champion of women's strengths. Because of her, countless women, including myself, have been given the gift of realizing power—a gift that every woman should experience. A gift that could empower women and dramatically alter the state of male dominance that has prevailed on this planet since the beginning of recorded history. Without the support and constant encouragement of my hero Amy, the women of the Evanston Boxing Club may never have realized their dreams of becoming boxers, of becoming more than simply “women,” but actual contenders.

Amy Hannus is my hero. She transcends gender through boxing, and shows many, fortunate enough to meet her, that women's bodies are capable of strength comparable to men. By knowing Amy, I have become a new person, one who truly believes in my own unlimited potential.