The semi-finals of the first Olympic women’s boxing tournament kicks off tomorrow at 13:30 (UK time) with a women’s fly (51kg) fight between Cancan Ren from People’s Republic of China and the USA’s Marlen Esparza.

Watching the sheer aggression of these women in the rounds and quarterfinals was in complete contrast to a series of images I admire titled ‘Female Boxers’ by photographer Inzajeano Latif. Fascinated by people and their surroundings, Latif often photographs the diverse streets of London, with each of his subjects glaring deep into the lens and almost into the eyes of the viewer.

I guess that’s what charmed me about his captures of the women at All Stars Boxing Gym in North West London. Their posture was guarded yet vulnerable and their expressions were peaceful and harmless. It is impossible to imagine looking at his portraits that any of them would be capable of such aggression. Inspired by the documentary ‘Ways of Seeing’ by John Berger, he spent three months photographing the women to explore the way men look at women and how women look at themselves.