British boxing rising star Ruby White has her sights set on one thing: winning.
At the age of just 19, the 5ft1in boxer’s list of accolades has grown impressively long. White is a four-time European champion and a seven-time national champion, and in 2024, she made history, becoming the 48kg world champion at the inaugural U19 boxing championships in Colorado at the age of 17.
Staggeringly, White has also gone unbeaten in over 60 amateur fights.
It appears the sky is the limit for the 19-year-old, who will make her debut at the 2026 Commonwealth Games this year, after she was named in Team England’s boxing squad, alongside a long list of other incredible talents.
“I’ve always dreamed of going to the 2026 Commonwealth Games, and that is now upon me,” White told Sky Sports News.
But she isn’t slowing down there.
“After hopefully bringing back gold, I want to go to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, and maybe I will do another Olympic cycle, maybe not.
“I just want to keep winning and keep performing. The end goal is to turn professional and become undisputed.”
White, who hails from Sturminster Newton in Dorset, possesses lightning-fast speed and incredible power, which is why her friends and coaches have given her the nicknames ‘The Pocket Rocket’ and ‘Maximum Violence’.
“Just because I’m small and quick, everyone always says: ‘You’re like a little pocket rocket, aren’t you? ‘
“It’s just stuck and everyone loves it. I have to trademark that name.”
White showcased her explosive power to Sky Sports News during a practise session on Wednesday, but doesn’t fear taller opponents, adding she utilises her height to an advantage.
“Obviously, I’m very short so my style depends on my opponent. But most of the time, they are a lot taller than me,” she said.
“I’m very powerful and very quick, and I’m good at using my height to my advantage, because I know it’s difficult for them to punch down, and I’m always used to punching up.
“I’d explain myself as aggressive, powerful, and a little bit spiteful as well.
“I think you need that in the ring; that will to want to keep going and want to be better than your opponent.”
In January, White flew to Sweden, where she faced off against Jade Delgado, Katie O’Keefe and Georgiana Diana Podaru, and beat all three fighters at the 2026 Golden Girl Championship.
Over 500 female fighters attended the event, but White was singled out as the overall champion, again showcasing her fighting ability.
White first discovered the sport through a family she befriended in her home village of Stalbridge. After meeting them while performing together in a local pantomime, she was introduced to boxing through their gym, which they owned and ran.
“I started going [to the gym] and really got into it. Since I could box from 10 years of age, kept winning everything, got into the England team and the world was my oyster. I just kept going up.”
White strives to follow in the footsteps of many of the sport’s best, including the likes of Karriss Artingstall, Nicola Adams, Katie Taylor and Lauren Price.
The 19-year-old previously told Sky Sports that she looks up to 2020 Olympic gold medallist and unified world welterweight champion Price, and sees “similarities in their styles”.
But in Team England, there are many other role models to look up to, including 2024 Olympian Chantelle Reid, who walked away from the sport after the Paris Games, but will now make her debut at the Commonwealth Games.
Sacha Hickey, 22, also joins the squad, having won bronze at the World Boxing Cup in Brazil, while decorated fighters, Elise Glynn and Lucy Kings-Wheatley, who have both claimed World Boxing Cup titles.
“On the team, we’re a big family,” White said. “There are some major names in British boxing, and I just look up to them all.
“I’m not a stranger to the big stages, but they’ve done it on the elite level. I may have done a couple, but I haven’t done as many of them.”
All eyes will turn to the Commonwealth Games when it kicks off in Glasgow on July 23, and promising talent, White will be a fighter to look out for.
While some young athletes may shy away from the pressure of competing on the big stage, White wants to embrace it.
“To be honest, at the start it was pretty overwhelming,” she said, when asked what it’s like being talked about as one of the most promising stars in boxing. “I couldn’t deal with how much attention was on me all the time.
“I have to be very careful in my life. I have to be positive and ignore the hate a little bit. But now I’ve got older and I’ve matured, and with GB and England and media training, I just take it all in because I know any attention is more eyes on me and means my career’s getting better.
“I know I’m good enough, I know I’m capable of winning it and performing,” White added.
“I just think I need to get the pressure off me and perform and do what I’m good at doing and hopefully it’ll fall into place.”
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