Huang Wensi narrows her eyes and swings her fists towards her opponent, delivering a series of sharp punches before the referee finally separates the two, who have been duelling for seven rounds.
"I made it, my son!" screamed the 29-year-old as she danced in the ring before her rival, Thailand's Jarusiri Rongmuang, from whom she snatched away the Asia Female Continental Super Flyweight Championship gold belt at the match in Taipei.
. Taipei, Taiwan. Reuters/Yue Wu
Huang celebrates her victory.
Huang is one of a small but growing number of women in China to embrace professional boxing, relishing its intense nature despite traditional stereotypes that steer women away from such activities.
As a mother, she is also a rarity within a small circle of professional female boxers and clinching her top title on her son's birthday last October made victory all the sweeter.
. Cixi County, China. Reuters/Yue Wu
Huang spends time with her son.
"A woman is not just limited to being a wife or mother in the house," said Huang, adding that her son, now aged 2-1/2, had jumped for joy during her video call to tell him of the win.
"I live for myself. This makes me truly happy. I hope there are more moms who could see this game. Besides living for family, you could also live for yourself."
Born in a small town in China's southern province of Guangdong, Huang started learning to box in 2002 after a coach spotted her potential at school. She joined a provincial team three years later, but retired in 2011, after an injury.
. Ningbo, China. Reuters/Yue Wu
Huang and her husband travel for nearly a full day to bring their son back to their hometown.
In 2015, she met the man who is now her husband and her son was born a year later. But after his birth, she suffered such severe depression that she was driven to contemplate suicide, she said.
That event spurred her comeback as a professional boxer, after spending a few years in gruelling practice to regain her physique and strength, said Huang, who also works as a teacher in the coastal city of Zhejiang.
. Ningbo, China. Reuters/Yue Wu
Huang in action during her final training session.
"I knew that was my only way out."
After the victory, fans and friends surrounded Huang to celebrate her medal.
"Don't call me a king," she said. "Please call me the queen of the ring."
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Slideshow
. Taipei, Taiwan. Reuters/Yue Wu
Huang and her assistant coach stand before a match. Huang's coach said, "Don't think about winning or losing, fight for honour. Think about your family."
. Ningbo, China. Reuters
Huang in action during a training session.
. Ningbo, China. Reuters
Huang in action during training.
. Lianjiang, China. Reuters
Huang's husband Deng Peipeng, looks after their son while accompanying her on a training session.
. Guangzhou, China. Reuters
Huang and her son wait to catch their last train back to their hometown in Lianjiang.
. Lianjiang, China. Reuters
Huang and her husband Deng Peipeng spend time in their hometown.
. Lianjiang, China. Reuters
Huang and her husband Deng Peipeng spend time together in their hometown.
. Cixi County, China. Reuters
Huang spends time with her son where she works, before sending her son back to her hometown in Lianjiang.
. Lianjiang, China. Reuters
Huang and her husband travel for nearly a full day to bring their son back to their hometown where he will stay with his grandmother.
. Lianjiang, China. Reuters
Huang and her father argue over family matters during a dinner at home. Due to a cultural preference for boys over girls, Huang's parents never cared much for her opinion, but her success as an athlete has improved her standing in the family.
. Ningbo, China. Reuters
Huang relaxes in her dorm after a long day training.
. Taipei, Taiwan. Reuters
Huang applies makeup in her hotel room before a match.
. Taipei, Taiwan. Reuters
Huang looks at her iPad in bed.
. Taipei, Taiwan. Reuters
Huang is interviewed by a local tv station in Taipei. "I'm the only professional boxer who is a mother in China," she told them. "I hope more mothers will see this match. Besides family, they should also live for themselves."
. Taipei, Taiwan. Reuters
Huang gets weighed to make sure she fits the criteria for the super flyweight category. Huang had received incorrect information about the weight limits, and was too heavy. She weighed in at 118 pounds, three more than the 115 pounds allowed.
. Taipei, Taiwan. Reuters
Huang tries work up a sweat to lower her body weight. The tournament organisers gave Huang two hours to lose three pounds and drop below the category limit. If she failed, she would be disqualified.
. Taipei, Taiwan. Reuters
Huang competes in her match against Thailand's Jarusiri Rongmuang.
. Taipei, Taiwan. Reuters
Huang rests in her corner during a match against Thailand's Jarusiri Rongmuang.
. Taipei, Taiwan. Reuters
Huang thanks the Taiwanese crowd after her match against Thailand's Jarusiri Rongmuang.
. Taipei, Taiwan. Reuters
Huang celebrates her victory after the referee awards her a technical knock-out during the seventh round. This is her first golden belt.
. Taipei, Taiwan. Reuters
Huang cries backstage after winning her match. Huang corrects people who come to congratulate her, telling them, "Don't call me a king," she said. "Please call me the queen of the ring."