USA Boxing Youth High Performance Athlete Laila Zakirova Makes Acting Debut
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by Zack Chavez, USA Boxing
Laila Zakirova Smiles While Training at the 2025 Brandenburg Cup in Germany
Laila Zakirova has been a stellar figure on the USA Boxing Youth High Performance team for the past two years. As she prepares to enter the Elite division and contend for a position on USA Boxing’s Elite High Performance roster, she also looks to expand her horizons into the acting world.
Zakirova, a native of Staten Island, N.Y., was cast in a project titled “Raging Doll” in 2024, alongside Jessica Catalano, Yamaneika Saunders and Cathy Moriarty, playing a role that parallels her journey as an Olympic-style boxer within the USA Boxing organization.
In her role within the “Raging Doll” project, Zakirova portrays a talented young boxer with multiple amateur national championships, which the Staten Island native has actually accomplished throughout her amateur career. She plays the foil named “Smoke” in the satirical comedy project, and opposes the primary character, Lee, a delusional millennial from the Bronx who steps into the ring with Zakirova to prove her personal fortitude.
“For me, it was really easy to get into character because I did kind of relate to her with the national titles and the attitude she gave off. I’m not really a mean person, but I do keep to myself. I have that kind of feistiness and fire in me that resembles her [Smoke], so it was easy to get into character.”
Boxing is not merely a hobby for Zakirova; it is a passion that burns within her and allows her to express her dedication and work ethic on a national and global stage. As a part of the USA Boxing Youth High Performance team, she has already earned a bronze medal at the inaugural World Boxing U19 Championships in 2024. More recently, she represented the United States at the Brandenburg Cup in Germany earlier this year.
“It was really fun to bring boxing to the big screen. I’m excited to see how it goes because boxing is something I am very passionate about, and to have the opportunity to show the world the dedication it really takes on and off screen is a great opportunity.”
Laila has worked tirelessly over the past year, not solely within this film, but also as a member of the USA Boxing Youth High Performance team. Within the past 12 months, she was cast in this role, named to the 2025 USA Boxing Youth High Performance team for the second year, secured her high school diploma and traveled to Germany for an international competition.
“It was definitely a bit of a challenge, I’m not going to lie. I would manage being on set, training every day and going to all these festivals and premieres, but I have my parents to support me, especially my mom. She was with me throughout the whole casting process, through when I actually filmed the scene. She went with me to the premiere and everything, so she helped me a lot.”
Laila leaned heavily on her mother and father for support while participating in “Raging Doll.” Laila’s father, Akmoljan Zakirov, is a prominent kickboxing champion and boxing coach who owns and operates Bars Boxing Gym, a registered USA Boxing club, with two locations in Staten Island and Brooklyn, N.Y. Laila’s parents pushed her to accept this acting opportunity to take advantage of the position that boxing has placed her in.
In addition to her competitive accomplishments, Laila speaks passionately about how this acting opportunity allowed her to further advocate for women’s boxing from a broad perspective.
“I saw this as a great way to promote women’s boxing to show the world, especially with Smoke’s character, that we really are fearless and unstoppable and a force to be reckoned with.”
Boxing is a sport that reveals character, and Laila is a testament to the resolve it takes to accept a challenge and bet on yourself. Her countless hours in the gym laid the foundation for this latest project, showcasing the bold attitude that has propelled her into her current position as a boxer on the Youth national team.
Laila’s mindset in approaching the “Raging Doll” project was more nuanced than just accepting an opportunity. She viewed the prospect as a way to show younger boxers that there are avenues within boxing not always tied specifically to competition.
“It’s an honor for me to have boxing on the big screen, and I think what sets me apart from these actors and some of these movies about boxing is that I’m an actual boxer with a good resume. I think that what motivates little girls, even more, or athletes in general, is that I’m not just an actor. I do this stuff for a living.”
Raging Doll has already been screened at multiple film festivals, including the Beverly Hills Film Festival in April and the Soho International Film Festival in October. Most recently, the project was selected to premiere at the Bowery Film Festival in New York City on December 11.
From a competitive standpoint, Zakirova will compete at the 2025 USA Boxing National Championships in Lubbock, Texas. She will elevate into the Elite division and contend in the women’s 51-kilogram division for an invite to the 2026 USA Boxing Elite High Performance Selection Camp. To do that, she will need to finish within the top two places of her competitive weight class.
While Laila is certainly spreading her talents across a wide spectrum, she maintains incredible focus on qualifying for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, beginning with her contention at the upcoming 2025 USA Boxing National Championships, taking place December 6 to 13.
