Yuma boxer credits boxing for saving her life

Rhania Abubaker has lived in Yuma for over 10 years, adding to her family and even opening her own cleaning business.

Her life has not always been that way, before moving to Yuma she found herself battling with postpartum depression.

“After I had my second child, I was diagnosed with postpartum depression.”

She described it as debilitating and said she lost what was everything at the time.

Then, she found boxing.

“I felt powerful. I felt me again. It’s good for you mentally. You’re working out. You’re exercising. You’re moving around. I just felt like nothing could stop me,” said Rhania Abubaker.

She moved to Yuma to fight for her children and eventually got them back.

She continued boxing and even opened her own gym on May 25, 2016, but she faced tough times that forced her to close the gym.

“Probably like 8 months into the gym, I had to close down,” said Abubaker.

Through it all, she never gave up on boxing and another opportunity to have a positive impact on the community came around at Yuma Taekwondo.

“I got this opportunity. David just messaged me and was like, ‘hey, let’s talk about boxing.’ So, I was like ‘what?’ and he’s like ‘yeah, I’ll give you this opportunity. Just come teach. Do what you love,'” explained Abubaker.

Abubaker wants to be the difference in someone’s life.

“Sometimes you got to go through things to get where you’re supposed to be at. You know? This is my passion and I just want to make a difference. I want to help kids. a lot fo the boxers are troubled kids. They’re getting into all kinds of trouble and the gym is home for them,” said Abubaker.

The grand opening of Yuma Taekwondo is June 16.