Meet Halah Alhamrani: Saudi Arabia’s First Female Boxing Coach

In recent years, Saudi Arabia has cemented itself as a global capital for major boxing events watched the world over. But away from the stadium lights, a quieter, equally powerful revolution has been taking place—led by Halah Alhamrani.
As Saudi Arabia’s first female boxing coach, Alhamrani has been a trailblazer in the scene. While her own boxing education began in Saudi Arabia at a private school, she furthered her development when she attended university in the United States, where she also obtained training certification from the National Academy of Sports Medicine.
Upon returning to the Kingdom, Alhamrani began giving women the rare opportunity that she had been privileged to receive as a girl. Starting out in her parents’ gym in 2003, the Jeddah native began offering coaching lessons for women before finally opening her own women-only studio, Flagboxing, in 2016. Combining not only boxing but Alhamrani’s background in all kinds of martial arts from Muay Thai to Jiu Jitsu, Flagboxing remains a one-of-a-kind space empowering women in Saudi’s martial arts scene.
In this conversation, Alhamrani speaks to SceneSports about how the space has evolved since she first began coaching female boxers, why women are drawn to combat sports, and what it means to “fight like a girl.” Q: Can you tell us how your journey with boxing began, and why you started Flagboxing?
My martial arts journey started when I was very young. I began with karate, then moved into Japanese Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai, kickboxing, and eventually boxing. Combat sports became more than just training for me, they became a source of confidence, discipline, and self-expression.
I started Flagboxing because there simply weren’t spaces for women to train seriously in boxing in Saudi Arabia at the time. I wanted to create an environment where women could feel strong, safe, challenged, and empowered. Q: You first started Flagboxing in your parents’ gym. How was that?
My parents were actually very supportive from the beginning. Starting in their gym gave me the opportunity to slowly building a women’s boxing community from the ground up before people even fully understood what women’s boxing could become here.   Q: Yours was the first and only boxing gym for women in Saudi Arabia at the time. Is that still the case? Are there other women-run boxing gyms in Saudi now?
At that time, Flagboxing was one of the very first dedicated women’s boxing spaces in Saudi Arabia. Since then, the landscape has changed dramatically. There are now many women entering combat sports across the Kingdom, and more female-led gyms and coaching spaces are emerging.
Seeing that growth is honestly one of the most rewarding parts of this journey. Q: You’ve previously said that the name ‘Flag’ stands for “Fight like a girl.” What does that mean to you?
To me, “fight like a girl” means strength without apology. It means resilience, confidence, and refusing to let femininity be associated with weakness.
Women fight differently — mentally, emotionally, physically — and there’s power in that. Q: You also hold a black belt in Japanese Jiu-Jitsu, and have trained extensively in Muay Thai and kickboxing. How do those disciplines influence your coaching philosophy?
Each discipline taught me something different. Jiu-Jitsu taught patience and control. Muay Thai taught toughness and adaptability. Boxing taught precision and mental discipline.
I coach boxing as more than punches and movement. For me, it’s about emotional control, confidence under pressure, and understanding your own strength mentally as much as physically. Q: What are your students like?
The majority of my coaching focus has always been women. Over the years, the gym has trained everyone from complete beginners to competitive athletes, ranging from teenagers to women in their 60s. They come from every background imaginable. Some join to get fit, some for self-defence, some for confidence, and some because they genuinely want to compete. For many of them, boxing is not only physical training, it’s personal transformation.
What they all share is courage. Walking into a boxing gym for the first time takes courage, especially in a culture where many women are still redefining what strength looks like for themselves. Q: Saudi Arabia has recently become very internationally involved in boxing. What changes are you seeing in terms of the perception towards boxing now in the Kingdom?
The difference is massive. Years ago, women participating in combat sports was seen as unusual or even controversial. Now there’s real excitement around boxing and martial arts.
Young athletes today are entering the sport with role models, opportunities, sponsorships, and public support that simply didn’t exist before. There’s a completely different energy now, and as the combat sports scene in Saudi continues to grow, we’re seeing more opportunities for women to participate competitively than ever before. Q: How do these massive international events, like the recent ‘Glory in Giza’ which was backed by Riyadh Season and the Saudi Arabia General Entertainment Authority, translate to the grassroots level in your gym or boxing community?
They create visibility and legitimacy. When young athletes see world-class events happening in the region, combat sports stop feeling distant or impossible.
It also helps families become more supportive because they start seeing boxing as a respected sport with real opportunities attached to it. Q: Do you think we might see Saudi women fighters on the international stage soon, like the Olympics?
Absolutely. I think it’s only a matter of time.
The talent is already here. What’s changing now is access; access to coaching, facilities, competition, and long-term athlete development. My dream has always been to see Saudi women compete on the Olympic and professional world stage. Q: I also read that you were invited to be the first female board member of the Saudi MMA Federation. What does this opportunity mean to you?
Being part of shaping combat sports in Saudi Arabia as a woman is something I take very seriously. Representation matters — especially for younger girls entering these spaces for the first time.
I hope to continue helping create opportunities, stronger athlete pathways, and greater visibility for women in martial arts and boxing across the region. Q: Do you have any advice for women or young girls wanting to join boxing?
Start before you feel ready.
You don’t need to be fearless, athletic, or confident before beginning. Boxing is often the thing that builds those qualities in you. Q: And finally, what’s next for you? What are your ambitions?
I want to continue building athletes, coaches, and opportunities for women in combat sports throughout Saudi Arabia and the region. More than anything, I want the next generation of girls to walk into a boxing gym feeling like they belong there immediately, not like they have to fight for permission first.