Ashleigh Sims is set to make her professional boxing debut

Ashleigh Sims is set to push her Origin star husband Tariq out of the spotlight when she makes her professional boxing debut at the Hordern Pavilion. WATCH THE VIDEO.

AS the wife of NSW Blues and St George-Illawarra star rugby league player Tariq, Ashleigh Sims is no stranger to the bruises and brutality of professional sport.

But now it’s her time in the spotlight.

The 33-year-old mother of two has become a professional boxer and will debut on the undercard to Olympic bronze medallist Harry Garside on April 6 at the Hordern Pavilion after signing a contract with Australia’s top fight promoter, Matt Rose.

The fight will be beamed into pubs, clubs and homes on Foxtel’s Main Event.

Ashleigh Sims pictured at Fightworks Gym in North Wollongong ahead of her first professional bout. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

“It’s something that makes me feel empowered, strong and fit,” she says, “I love it.”

Ashleigh is dedicating so much time and effort into her boxing career that her husband is happily stepping up to share the household workload including the supermarket run, school pick-ups and cooking and cleaning up most nights for their daughters Lakia, 8 and Kayla, 6.

She trains six days a week, often from 10am to 3pm, and has only Sunday off.

Sims took up the tough sport while at boarding school more than 15 years ago as a way of dealing with bad moods and teenager attitude.  “I started to deal with a bit of anger I had as a teenager,” she said. “Mum and dad wanted me to have an outlet to control it. And I really ­enjoyed it.

Tariq Sims in action for the NSW Blues. Picture: NRL Photos

“Then I took it up again after having my first daughter. It was a good way of keeping fit. I had eight fights as an amateur and won six of them.

“I haven’t done much for a couple of years because of Covid but I’m ready to go.”

The fact boxing is such a brutal and painful sport can be a turn off for some but not Sims.

“The training’s hard, you put in a lot of hours but I’m just drawn to the sport,” she said. “There’s so much technique to it. You’ve got to be ring smart. You throw a punch to put your opponent in a certain position to throw another punch.

“It’s not like a street brawl. There’s a lot of strategy.”

Her little girls won’t be there on fight night.

Ashleigh Sims pictured in North Wollongong with husband Tariq and daughters Kayla (left) and Lakia (right). Picture: Sam Ruttyn

“I’d be worried if they were OK all night,” she said.

“If they were to see me get hit, how would it affect them?

“Once they are a bit older they can come and watch. They come to training now and like watching.”

If professional boxing isn’t enough, Sims also runs an ­online fragrances business (Asriq) and manages her husband’s NRL contract negotiations. They have recently been in talks with Melbourne Storm around switching clubs at the end of the season.

On the support from her husband, Sims said: “We’ve both got big schedules and we support each other.

Ashleigh Sims has signed a deal with Australia’s top fight promoter Matt Rose. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

“Tariq’s got his footy and training all day but he does most of the cooking these days. He’s had to learn some skills in the kitchen but he’s home in the afternoons and gets it all done.”

And as for the fight: “I’ve got respect for anyone who gets inside a ring but once you jump in, I look at my ­opponent and think she’s standing in the way of me reaching my goals ... And I’ve got to do something about it.”

Tariq couldn’t be more proud, saying: “Ashleigh is an inspiration. She’s as tough as they come.”