Gülsüm, born in 1985, may be Turkey`s greatest-ever amateur boxer. Over her amateur career, she won thirteen Turkish national championships, three European championships, four EU championships, and she became the only Turkish boxer—male or female—to win two World Championship gold medals.
Konya, April 2018

Gülsüm Tatar at home in Kadıköy, Istanbul with her cat and her medals from her long amateur career (2003-2017). Fighting at 60-64kg, she won 13 Turkish national championships, three European championships, four European Union championships, and is the only Turkish fighter—male or female—to have won two World Championships.
Istanbul, Janu

Gülsüm resting before her match. When she was unable to represent Turkey in the 2016 Rio Olympics, she turned professional in 2017 and easily won her first few fights, all in Turkey.
Istanbul, January 2018

Gülsüm wraps her hands before training. She was born in Kars, eastern Turkey in 1985. Her parents moved the family to Istanbul when she was a young child. She grew up wrestling and playing football with her four older brothers.
Istanbul, February 2019

Gülsüm Tatar resting after a training session. She started boxing at the age of 15 or 16 after her brother, the boxer Serkan Tatar, began taking her to training sessions.
Istanbul, February 2019

Gülsüm doing training with a male boxer at Fenerbahce Boxing Club. After a 14 year amateur career boxing for Fenerbahçe Boxing Club, Tatar became Turkey`s first female professional boxer in 2017.
Istanbul, July 2018

Gulsum Tatar may be Turkey`s greatest ever boxer. She has spent years struggling for respect, recognition, and support.
Istanbul, April 2018

Gülsüm controlling her hands after being wrapsed.She says her proudest moments are when she hears that girls have started boxing because of her: “With the punches I throw, I am changing the viewpoint of society.”
Istanbul, January 2018

Gülsüm before the day of her match in Antalya. Her fight was canceled at the last minute.
Antalya, August 2018

Gülsüm Tatar prepares for the fight with her trainer.
Konya, April 2018

Gülsüm Tatar warms up before her fight. While boxing is growing in popularity in Turkey, it is not hugely popular - women`s boxing even less so. There is very little investment in the sport, no professional boxing federation and Tatar struggles to find sponsorship and cannot find an official manager or promoter to help her arrange fights.
Konya, April 2018

Her trainer Rıza Polat oversees Gülsüm Tatar`s final training session in Roeselare, Belgium to shed the last few hundred grams to make the 63.5kg weight.
Roeselare, February 2019

Gülsüm Tatar makes weight; coming in at 63.4kg on the scales in Roeselare, Belgium the day before her fight with the local fighter Oshin Derieuw.
Roeselare, February 2019

Gülsüm Tatar with her husband Cem Kaptan at Roeselare train station. They have been married for almost 6 years.
Roeselare, February 2019

Gulsum Tatar in her southpaw stance against Oshin Derieuw in her orthodox stance. Tatar is 20th in the world super-lightweight rankings. Derieuw, Europe`s top ranking super-lightweight, is ranked 6th in the world.
Roeselare, February 2019

Gülsüm Tatar in her fight with Oshin Derieuw. Both fighters were previously undefeated in their professional careers.
Roeselare, February 2019

Gülsüm Tatar recovering in between rounds during her fight against Oshin Derieuw. The eight (two minute) round fight went the distance.
Roeselare, February 2019

Gülsüm Tatar and Oshin Derieuw embrace after a tough, tight match won by Derieuw on points.
Roeselare, February 2019

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