Judges

Marnie Swindells
Marnie Swindells

Marnie is a business woman and winner of the BBC reality show The Apprentice in 2023. She has undergone a life-changing year after becoming business partners with Lord Sugar. Having started boxing at the age of 17, Marnie went on to become a gold-medal boxer, Team GB trialist and now is the successful owner of Bronx Boxing Club. It was during a chance meeting at a boxing club that the now entrepreneur decided to train as a barrister. However she turned her back on her successful law career to return to the sport she loved most. Marnie’s main focuses are empowering women through sport and expanding her boxing empire through her social media channels. Her audience engages consistently with her lifestyle, business and fashion content. She prides herself in the Bronx brand being fully inclusive where everyone can get involved and there is no prerequisite to understand all about health and fitness.

Russ Anber
Russ Anber

Russ Anber is a respected figure in boxing, having trained numerous fighters over the years. His knowledge isn’t just restricted to treating injuries but extends to training boxers, focusing on their technique and strategy. Anber is the founder of Rival Boxing, a brand known for its world-class boxing equipment. Over the years, Rival has earned a reputation for quality and is favoured by many professionals in the sport.

Nicola Adams
Nicola Adams

Nicola Adams OBE is not only the host of the 2024 British Boxing Awards but she is also a member of the official judging panel. Nicola became the first female gold medallist boxer in London in 2012 and retained her flyweight title in Rio in 2016. She held the WBO flyweight title in 2019 and retired undefeated after six fights. Since retiring from the sport, she has actively promoted access to boxing for young people from disadvantaged communities and has especially promoted the involvement of women in the sport. Adams is Great Britain’s most successful female boxer of all time. In recognition of her services to boxing, she  was appointed Member Order of the British Empire in the 2013 New Year’s Honours list.

Lord John Hannett OBE
Lord John Hannett OBE

Lord John Hannett OBE is a lifelong trade unionist having served as General Secretary of the shopworkers union, USDAW, for 14 years. He served on the Trade Union Congress General Council and Executive Committee, Low Pay Commission and the Labour Party’s National Executive Committee. He was given a peerage in the 2024 Special Honours. John is a avid boxing fan and enthusiastic about the growth of the sport. 

Niki Wilburn-Shaw
Niki Wilburn-Shaw

Niki is a Partner at Knights Plc, a leading legal and professional services business with over 23 offices across the UK servicing over 10,000 business clients and private clients, nationally. Niki is a recognised specialist in sports, media and international family law and has acted for some of the biggest names across football, boxing and women’s sport. She is a regular media contributor, renowned for her active voice in championing sports diversity and equality having appeared in The Times, Law In Sport, talkSPORT, Off the Pitch, TalkTV to name a few. Niki also sits on the Board for Women In Boxing where she oversees all legal operations, with a focus on diversity and equality, and ensuring the organisation follows its ethos of encouraging the rights and representation of women in the incredibly exciting, yet challenging, world of boxing.

Barbara Feeney
Barbara Feeney

As Director of Marketing & Communications at Mail Metro Media, Barbara Feeney works closely with the commercial leadership team to lead, develop and implement strategic marketing plans to deliver directly against sales and brands’ objectives. Drives activity that enhances Mail Metro Media’s brands and ensures it stays front of mind with agencies and clients whilst supporting against individual category, agency and brand challenges.