Indigenous boxer Marissa Williamson will represent Australia at the IBA Women’s World Championships

From bouncing between foster homes, and a period spent on the streets, this warrior is set to represent Australia at the World Boxing Championships.

Marissa Williamson is a fighter — both inside and outside the boxing ring

The 20-year-old Ngarrindjeri woman had a traumatic childhood that included 16 foster placement in five years, and living homeless between 17 and 19.

But the Werribee woman always lifted herself off the canvas, and could be Australia’s next boxing world champion.

Williamson heads to Hungary and Bulgaria in two weeks to prepare for the IBA Women’s Boxing World Championships in India, before she sets her sights on the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Williamson, the reigning 66kg Elite Australian champion, was named the 2019 NAIDOC Sportsperson of the Year.

Her fancy footwork in the ring started as a way to get fit to pursue an AFLW career — instead she discovered.

“My mental health is in check and the boxing just worked itself out because it helped me as a person and it really shone through in the ring,” Williamson said.

“Now I’m representing Australia for the first time in two weeks.

“Once you’ve had nothing you never want to be in that position ever again. That’s why I work full time and train full time and the skills in boxing are transferable to life.

“In my head I can’t really lose because I’ve already lost so much.”

Her passion for boxing was ignited after stumbling into a Wyndham gym for at-risk youth, where she eventually won an Australian youth title.

After the disruption of Covid, she reconnected with an old social worker and relocated gyms to train under legend Kelvin Bryant.

“I’ve really just buckled down into my training. Kel’s really mentored me away from my training as well. I’ve never had this stability before,” she said.

Despite heading to upcoming World Championships as an Australian champion, Williamson will need to self-fund her way through the next two months.

So far she has raised $4000 and needs another $3000 to reach her goal.

“It’s been challenging. It’s something people don’t really talk is how exhausting it is training to be an elite athlete, working full time and then doing all this life admin,” she said.

“I’m really fortunate that there are lots of elders and Aboriginal community members who have helped along the way and donating.”