The 28-year-old five-time American lightweight champion endured, along with her older sister Hazzauna, years of sexual abuse by their father Azzad until he was jailed for seven years, but released after six as both girls be a witness against him.

Hazzauna has gone on to get married, the years of misery went on for Queen, who tried to commit suicide and applied for the American air force but then failed to turn up, preferring to party and drink her memories away. Finally, everything changed for her thanks to discovering boxing in a gym in Seattle.

From there she has not looked back, her physical strength helped no end by her day job as a pipefitter, and her morale boosted when despite failing to qualify by right she was given a spot by the sport’s global governing body.

Queen has been dealt a tough draw, as she will face Briton Natasha Jonas with the winner fighting four-time world champion Katie Taylor of Ireland.

However, Queen pushed Taylor all the way in the 2010 world championship semi-final, when she came back from a double-digit deficit to floor her opponent and hold a one-point lead going into the final 16 seconds, only for the redoubtable Irish boxer to claw it back and win.

Underwood said her achievements at the Games would be a great example to those many other children who have suffered similar abuse.