Gigi Hadid, Amy Schumer and 16 Other Celebs Who Are Kicking Butt in Boxing Class
These Hollywood boxer babes know how to roll with the punches — both inside and outside of the ring.
Overview
With topics like body-positivity, self-care and women's empowerment taking center stage among women inside and outside of Hollywood, it makes sense that boxing has become a huge trend across the United States. Not only does it provide a killer full-body workout, it also comes with major mood-boosting benefits, to which many of the badass ladies on our list can attest. Read on to find out which Hollywood boxer babes are breaking down stereotypes while breaking a sweat.
1. Naomi Campbell
Supermodel Naomi Campbell is a total boss on the runway — and in the boxing ring. In a video posted to her Instagram account, you can see Campbell working it at London's BXR boxing gym along with Nike trainer Courtney Fearon. The former "Face" reality show judge throws two quick jabs with her left arm before hitting her partner with a right hook in the video, captioned, "Happy boxing." When she isn't boxing or modeling, the British beauty is a Contributing Editor at Vogue UK. What a babe!
2. Jennifer Garner
While training for the fight scenes in her upcoming action-thriller Peppermint, Jennifer Garner kicked major butt in boxing and martial arts. The actress spoke about her routine at this year's CinemaCon, saying that "It actually felt really good. I was in pretty good shape going into it."
And in good shape she was — earlier this year, Garner showcased her gym sessions on social media, dubbing her routine as a 'recipe for turning a mom back into action lady.' The recipe itself? A one hour workout with Body by Simone, one and a half hours of "stunt team," 50 cups of coffee and 3 minutes of cryotherapy. No big deal.
Read more: 11 Lady Celebs Who Can Weight Lift Like No One's Business
3. Shay Mitchell
Shay Mitchell swears by boxing for both its mental and physical benefits. "Boxing, boxing, boxing! That's my favorite. It's just a workout where you have to be in the moment — you can't think about anything else," the "Pretty Little Liars" actress tells Insider. "I like the fact that my mind is really there and I'm in the moment, and I think it's just a great full-body workout."
She loves it so much that she has her own monogrammed gloves, which feature her nickname, "Shay Buttah." And she's constantly posting badass boxing vids on Instagram and YouTube. In one video, she can be seen punching a speed bag, weaving from side to side under a suspended rope and sparring with a partner. You can also watch her trainer, Cynthia Czarnecki, break down a complete boxing workout involving jumping rope, shadowboxing and an abs circuit.
4. Gal Gadot
Wonder Woman is characterized by her otherworldly ability to kick ass in battle. So, naturally, when Gal Gadot was invited to star in the superhero's coming-of-age film, she committed to packing on a ton of muscle: 17 pounds of it, to be exact.
According to her trainer, Mark Twight, her pre-film routine included "fight choreographies," horseback riding and "sword stuff," of course. And in August 2016, she tweeted a photo of herself in boxing gloves mid-punch, with the caption: "One of my favorite workout routines! #boxing #workhard #workoutwednesday." We wouldn't want to find ourselves between her and her sparring partner, that's for sure!
Read more: Why Wonder Woman Gal Gadot Actually Gained Weight for Her Role
5. Gina Rodriguez
"Jane the Virgin" star Gina Rodriguez has her hands full fighting for social justice, including issues of diversity in Hollywood, women's empowerment and body positivity. On top of that, she's battling Hashimoto's disease, which can cause chronic fatigue and weight gain. But don't worry on her behalf about any pent-up frustration, because acting and boxing help with that. "I feel like boxing is very much like acting, except you're just fighting yourself," she tells Women's Health. "You're not allowing yourself to be defeated, you're getting up after you've been knocked down, and you have to believe that you can win."
6. Demi Lovato
Watch out! Demi Lovato can throw a punch, regardless of what's holding her back. In a video she posted to her Instagram, she can be seen working with trainer Jay Glazer, owner of the Unbreakable Performance Center. "By far one of the hardest workouts I've ever done!" she captions the post. But this is no ordinary routine, because she's strapped to a machine called the Raptor, which provides resistance whenever she moves forward or throws a punch. It forces you to engage your core and upper-body muscles more than you ordinarily would. But that clearly doesn't slow down Lovato.
Read more: 26 Stars Who've Struggled With Body Confidence
7. Zendaya
Zendaya had some serious training to do when she was cast as a trapeze artist in "The Greatest Showman." But when she's not practicing for aerial stunts, she's getting her fight on. In 2013, she was spotted doing a boxing workout on a beach in Los Angeles with her friend, professional boxer Victor Ortiz. And she also poked fun at herself with a hilariously self-deprecating selfie from the boxing ring on Instagram.
8. Queen Latifah
Queen Latifah went from beatboxing to badass boxer. Retired five-time kickboxing world champion and trainer Kathy Long told Shape that she's been working with the multi-talented artist to help her get toned and shed some weight. Latifah's been open about her commitment to fitness, citing her mother's heart failure diagnosis as a source of motivation. In an interview with Health, she lists hiking, biking, swimming, yoga and Pilates as a few of her other favorite workouts. Her advice to those who are looking to stay on the wagon? "Do things you enjoy."
Read more: 24 Celebs' Great Responses to Body Shaming
9. Gigi Hadid
When fashion's "it" girl Gigi Hadid isn't pounding the runways of New York, Paris and Milan, you can find her taking names in the ring. Need proof? Check out this video produced by Vogue, in which Hadid shows viewers how to do left jabs, right crosses and — for when the haters get too close — uppercuts.
"Boxing's been great for me because it's like my new sport, and it's something that I can get better at," she says. "When you're boxing, you get so into it mentally that you kind of forget what's going on, you forget that you're working out. So by the end of the hour, I'm like, 'Wait, we're done?' You always want more." One piece of advice? "You want to keep your hands up at your face, obviously, to protect the gold."
10. Khloe Kardashian
"Revenge Body" host Khloe Kardashian revealed back in 2013 that she's been a forever-fan of boxing. "I've always boxed. I just love it. I'm good at it," she tells OK! Magazine. "I'm really fast and good with it, and it keeps me really entertained. I don't get bored, and you shed weight when you do it." Since then, she's Tweeted and Instagrammed about her obsession (which her younger sister Kendall Jenner shares) and even busted out some moves in a video for her app subscribers. According to People, the video shows her demonstrating four essential boxing moves: jab, cross, hook and uppercut.
Read more: Khloe Kardashian Shares Her Pregnancy Workout — And It's No Joke!
11. Joan Smalls
Boxing is trending now, but 29-year-old Victoria's Secret model Joan Smalls took it up years ago during a time in her life when she needed a boost. At age 14, she was diagnosed with scoliosis, when a person's spine is curved laterally, in both her upper and lower spinal columns. "The lower half of my spine was inside out," she tells Self.
But she wouldn't let it stop her. "I said, 'I'm not going to use this as a handicap. I'm going to push myself harder.'" So she threw herself into rehabilitation exercises and stretches, and at age 17 she took up boxing. "People might think that because I'm skinny and tall, I'm fragile," she says. "But I always knew I wasn't. And it's comforting to know that I can throw a proper punch if I have to."
12. Amy Schumer
She might have been the punch line when she chickened out in her hilarious Black Friday Old Navy commercial, but Amy Schumer isn't afraid to throw punches in real life. Don't take our word for it: Check out this glowy gym selfie she posted to her Instagram (but be prepared for a little of the star's signature profanity). Her caption tells her followers that her London-based trainer Kevon Rhoden definitely does not take it easy on her. And the 36-year-old comedian can also appreciate a good match, proving that she's a fan of the sport with this video of two professional boxers.
Read more: Amy Schumer's Workout Proves She's Fit as Hell
13. Adriana Lima
Adriana Lima's fellow Victoria's Secret models all agree that she goes the hardest in the gym and the boxing ring. So how did the veteran model get so legit? It's all about motivation and empowerment. "As a woman, I never thought that I was physically and mentally that powerful," she tells The Cut.
"In the beginning, when you're learning, it can be very frustrating because you want to accomplish, but your body [is] not responding. That's a lesson that you can take outside into your everyday life — that no matter what you go through, you keep going, and insist, and you go, you learn, you fail, you learn, you fail, you learn and you continue until you get it done."
14. Karlie Kloss
Karlie Kloss takes her training very seriously. Remember that time she ran a marathon to prepare for the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show? The girl has serious strength and determination. If you've been on her Instagram account anytime lately, you'll also know that she's taken up boxing. You can find her at the New York City-based gym Dogpound sparring, kickboxing and goofing off in a pair of gloves.
Read more: Karlie Kloss Legit Ran a Marathon to Prep for the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show
15. Ellie Goulding
In an interview with Marie Claire, England-born singer Ellie Goulding revealed that boxing both gives her a boost and keeps her grounded. "Boxing is very animalistic, and there's a lot of adrenaline in it. It has helped my stamina. When I'm onstage, I feel like I could go on forever," she says.
And while her mind tends to dart in a thousand different directions, "training is the one thing I can rely on that will keep me fairly sane." It also makes her feel like a total badass: "Without wanting to use that cliched word, I feel empowered. I've got the power to defend myself. It's a great feeling to know that you don't have to have a bloke around to protect you."
16. Katie Holmes
For her role as an ex-Marine in the action-thriller "The Doorman," Katie Holmes had to put on some major muscle. That means trying a few workouts she had never done before, including one that's become her new fave. "I've been doing a lot of boxing, which I had never done before. It's thrilling. You can get out the stress of the day. I just go in there and think of all the mundane things that bother me. [Like] traffic!" she tells Women's Health. "I put off all my phone calls till after boxing, because it puts me in a much calmer place."
Read more: How Katie Holmes Got Ripped to Play an Ex-Marine
17. Paula Patton
Paula Patton found the perfect way to get over her ex-husband Robin Thicke: training to be a warrior for her role in "Warcraft: The Beginning." To bulk up and learn how to fight convincingly, Patton took on boxing, which came with some cathartic side effects. "When we do boxing, I'm always told, 'Don't hit so hard, Paula!' But I'm like, 'I'm getting out so much anger, I'm working it all out here!'" Patton tells Australian news site News.com.au.
But getting stronger wasn't just about dealing with a breakup. "I want to take myself physically as far as I can and not have the idea of being a woman impede that," Patton says. "Yet it's so important to remain feminine and understand that femininity is its own power. It's an important message to all women: You don't need to be like a man to have strength."
18. Hilary Swank
Before Hilary Swank was cast as a career boxer in "Million Dollar Baby," she had no love for boxing. But with just 90 days to transform her body, it quickly grew on her. "I started boxing, and I realized — I don't know if any of you play chess — but it's like a great chess game, boxing," she tells Movie Web.
She trained four hours a day, six days a week and ultimately gained 19 pounds of muscle. "Boxing is the most intense workout you can ever experience," she says. "The first time I heard a three-minute round, I thought, 'Wow, I'm going to kick someone's ass. Three minutes? That's nothing.' In my second round, I was halfway through three minutes and I about threw up the first time I sparred. There is no way you can explain it."
Read more: This Is How Hilary Swank Gets Her Perfectly Toned Arms
What Do YOU Think?
Are there any female boxing celebs we left off this list? Are you interested in boxing? What's your favorite way to break a sweat and why? Share in the comments section!