After Four Years Away, WBC Muaythai Champion Denise Castle Challenges for WBC Atomweight Championship in September

From WBC:

No opponent at ease with Denise

September marks the return of Denise Castle when she steps up to contend for the WBC World Atom weight Belt.

A seasoned veteran of the ring with a hard-hitting style Denise is an elite athlete who is looking to make boxing history by winning the WBC World Championship belt and becoming the only fighter to ever hold both the WBC World Muaythai Championship belt and also the WBC World Professional Boxing Belt.

Working within the Physical Educational Department at the prestigious Bournemouth Girls Grammar School, in the south of England, Denise has been a source of inspiration for many over the years with her can do, will do have accomplished attitude and exciting fight style which reflects her attitude towards life – Graft hard, face challenges head on and never back down!

The WBC recognized this, along with her Worldwide Muaythai success and awarded Denise as their Inspirational Female Athlete Of The Year at their annual awards and as such a Mandatory Contender for the WBC World Boxing Title in her initial Transition from Muaythai to Boxing. Denise reveled at the prospect of challenging the best in a different sport. With a perfect start to her boxing career, 2 – 0 both by KO, Denise then travelled to Tokyo to face Momo Koseki in The World Title Match.

The fight was exciting in Tokyo with both fighters going toe to toe, round after round. Momo came out with the win in a great fight for the fans. Momo has gone on to become a historic champion with a record number of defences but in 2018 she vacated the atomweight belt and moved up in weight. This now leaves the exciting prospect of having new blood to contend for the coveted green and gold buckle – and Denise has kept herself in peak condition!

Denise Castle (Mellor) started her competitive Fitness Career as a successful semi pro distance runner – being part of the world renound Chase Manhatten Running Team where she represented at the New York marathon and London Marathon amongst many other successful races with a sub 3:20:00 time she gained elite start status. All this success was achieved in her own time whilst working full time desk bound within the banking industry. A traditional day would see Denise run a 10km or half marathon before work, five times a week in week out – then doing weights in her lunch break to enable family time for the evening.

Denise then started training with now husband Lorne Castle who was a successful Muaythai Coach and was running the London Marathon for Global Gym Fitness First. In exchange for running training Lorne coached Denise on the pads and introduced her to Muaythai. In so doing Denise started on her world beating fight career path. Denise made an instant name for herself within the ring going 5-0 in her first 5 matches and picking up the UK National Belt with a perfect record.

Keeping herself in top condition with her dedication for running and training combined with the Muaythai training Denise had a chiseled physique that many bodybuilders would be proud of – this was to such a level that she placed 3rd in the UK Miss Fitness just before one of her fights to demonstrate just how effective combat conditioning was!

Denise then attracted attention from abroad with her aggressive style, conditioned physique, clean image and perfect record. Around the world Denise started collecting and unifying belts – the WIKBA was won against the USA Champion, the FIBA Belt was won in Abu Dhabi, the WKA Belt was won in Europe – within her weight Denise was unique. Walking at only 46kg she could never take advantage of cutting weight as her natural weight sits in the lowest category!!! She is a natural minimumweight who hits with impact power far above and beyond her weight category.

Then Denise caught the eye of the WBC – who had been looking at sanctioning Female Title Belts in Muaythai since their introduction to the sport in the 2000’s at the request of the late King of Thailand. Denise instantly captured the National and International WBC Title Belts setting up the stage for the WBC World Title shot. This was a mandatory shot against the current Onesongchai Champion of Thailand, Nattalia Kanttasit and in a thrilling 5 round war Denise captured the WBC Female World Title belt – becoming the first female ever to winall three – the National, International and World belts.

Onesongchai and Thailand was so impressed with Denise’s style and fighting sprit that she was invited to fight on the legendary Kings Cup December 5th where the best of Thailand fight the best of the rest of the world for their S1 World Title. Denise faced Loma Lookboonmeeand in what was voted fight of the night Denise lost narrowly on points yet was awarded Fighter of the Night – the first time ever a female has been awarded this accolade. The fight was so close a rematch had to be arranged and in the rematch Denise reversed the decision and became the first ever female again to hold and unite the WBC and S1 World Muaythai Titles.

The truly amazing aspect of Denise’s career is that none of her success has stood in her way of living what most would describe as a normal family life. With 3 children and a full time teaching career people find it hard to believe the success that Denise has achieved.

Work, marriage, holidays and children have never knocked Denise off her path to championship success – she has simply enjoyed and adapted what life has thrown at her.

Even during her recent pregnancy Denise continued training – boxing, cardio and strength – adapting sensibly during each trimester. As a qualified fitness coach Denise assesses herself and works with her husband. Giving birth to her 3rd daughter only last year – Denise was back at fight weight within three weeks!

This is no new occurance to Denise who back in August 2006 gave birth to daughter Leah and fought 8 weeks after, in a 5 round war against the LA champion Patti Teran at her chiseled fight weight of 46kg!

Denise is always 100% up for any physical challenge – doing what most would never even think of. She once ran the local 10km race, winning it with a new course record, only to jump on a plane to Belfast and fight the same evening in a title fight over 5 rounds!

Having this chance again to fight for the honoured WBC World Boxing belt is a dream for Denise – balancing family, a job as a PE teacher in the local Girls Grammar School and remaining a world class athlete shows that WBC got it right when they Named her Inspirational Female Of The Year. Even her marriage proposal was offer on one knee to Denise in a boxing ring at a show after she had fought!

Her training may have changed, her family may have grown, life may have gone on but Denise remains the world champion focused athlete that everyone of her opponents has faced to date – and rather than children hampering training – they have simply added to her strength, given her more people to fight for, to be proud of her and to look up to her.

AWARDS:

WBC National Muaythai Champion
WBC International Muaythai Champion
WBC World Muaythai Champion
WIKBA International Muaythai Champion
WKA National Muaythai Champion
FIBA World Muaythai Champion
S1 World Muaythai Champion

Professional World Boxing Contender

WBC Inspirational Female Of The Year
Kings Cup Technique Fighter of the Night
Dorset Amateur Athlete of the Year