Britain's first-ever licenced female boxer Jane Couch has launched a scathing attack on promoter Kellie Maloney after it was announced she is to manage a female fighter.

Yesterday it was revealed that Northern Ireland boxer Cathy McAleer has signed a deal with 66-year-old Maloney.

They broke the news on Instagram after attending the 2019 BT Sport Action Woman awards in London.

Maloney has dealt with some of the highest profile British boxers of the last 50 years, including heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis.

But, according to Couch, the move to promote a female fighter flies in the face of everything Maloney has historically said about women in boxing.

In an exclusive interview with NewsChain back in October, Couch said: “I used to argue with Frank Warren and Frank Maloney that women are playing rugby, doing judo and taekwondo in the Olympics, what’s so bad about boxing? It’s still a contact sport.

"And they couldn’t answer it. They just didn’t want to see women boxing."

The five-time world champion sees Maloney as one of the men who tried to sabotage her boxing career back in the 1990s because of her gender and believes the latest move to manage a female fighter "smacks of hypocrisy".

Couch posted a photo on social media of an article written back in 1998 where Maloney was quoted as saying: "I think it is absolutely disgusting that women are being allowed to fight.

"If anything happens during a women's fight there will be calls for a ban and all those left-wing, do-gooder lesbians who have been fighting Jane Couch's case will be the first to complain.

"The only women you'll find in a ring at one of my fights are very pretty ring-card girls."

Along with the image, Couch wrote: "Sad times, only in boxing," before later telling NewsChain that Maloney is an outright 'hypocrite'.

But despite the controversial appointment, McAleer is excited about the influence her new manager can have.

She said: “Kellie has worked with many boxers including world champion Lennox Lewis.  She knows what is required to compete and win on the world stage and under her direction and guidance I believe I can win a world title."

The 41-year-old has won all three of her professional bouts, all of which have been staged in Belfast.