FORMER British amateur kickboxing champion Kirsty Lund has often had a fight on her hands to convince the opposite sex she is good enough to hand out instructions.

But they soon learned when she offered to spar with them.

Lund, 25, has also fought professionally and coaches with husband Paul at Widnes Kickboxing and Muay Thai Studio in Hale Road.

She said her decision to take up martial arts shocked everyone, including her family, as it was a complete contrast to her previous interests.

“Everyone was surprised that I took up the sport,” said the fighter who won the IKF/AKA British middleweight title in September 2007, a month after marrying.

“I think even my family was a bit surprised. I had always done dance for a number of years. To go from ballet to kickboxing was a bit of a shock and I think I even surprised Paul that I kept with it. I was really girlie.

“It just goes to show girls can be just as good at sport as lads and some of them are better.

“That’s me being sexist!” laughed Lund. “But Paul says as a coach that women and girls are a lot more disciplined than the lads when it comes to teaching them.”