"It does not stop your Parkinson's. Parkinson's is a degenerative disease. It never stops but you can slow it down," Van Der Stracten said at a gym in the Mediterranean province of Antalya where she has lived for 15 years.

Non-contact boxing does not involve taking any punches, so there is no risk of head trauma.

Known affectionately by the locals as "Auntie Naciye", she said when she first stepped into the ring, people watched the grandmother of eight with their mouths agape as they were not used to seeing women of her age box.