Kelsey Leonard ready to make her mark in professional game

Irish Daily Mirror

4 days ago

Ireland's newest female professional boxer makes her debut this weekend after a stellar amateur career.
Kelsey Leonard has won eight Irish Titles, as well as medalled at both the European and World Championships, and will now aim to follow in her idol Katie Taylor's footsteps in the pro ranks.
The Kildare Town native's ultimate goal is to become a world champion - but the featherweight fighter will take it one step at a time.
The first of those comes at the Girdwood Community Hub in Belfast on Saturday night when Leonard faces Leeds' Kira Carter (0-19-1) in a bout scheduled for four rounds.
"I've obviously been an amateur for so long and I've been thinking about turning pro for a while," Leonard told the Irish Mirror.
"And then at the start of this year, I finally was able to get all the applications in and medicals and stuff like that. So it took a little bit of time. So finally, I'm just really excited that it's finally happening now."
The 26-year-old watched Taylor dominate her trilogy fight with Amanda Serrano at a sold-out Madison Square Garden earlier this month using the silky skills she perfected as an amateur.
And Leonard believes her amateur pedigree, as well as her experience of fighting all over the world in countries such as Taiwan, Canada and Bulgaria, will stand to her as a pro.
"I know a lot of people say you need to have a pro style, which is a little bit different to that amateur style. But I think having that amateur experience and the technical ability, it will push you on a lot further being able to do that as well," said Leonard. Kelsey Leonard (Image: Babs Daly)
"I've boxed all over the world and I've boxed, I'd say, nearly every style. So it's good to have that experience and to just be aware of what you're getting into."
Leonard is coached and managed by Niall Barrett in UNIT 3 Health and Fitness in Naas and is advised by 18-2 pro Gary Cully, who has fought on both of Katie Taylor's 3Arena cards, as well as massive events in the UK and beyond in recent years.
Both Cully and Taylor are huge inspirations for Leonard, who has seen up close the work the 6ft2in southpaw, who fights at 135lbs, puts in.
"I think Gary, because I see him every day and I see how much work he puts in, he's taught me so much about being professional and then seeing him on the big stage and seeing what he's been able to do is such an inspiration to me," she explained.
"But then, ever since I was a kid, I've always looked up to Katie and seeing what she's been able to do just makes, not only for me, but for every female boxer, see what is possible."
Barrett is hoping Leonard can fight - and win - four times in the first few months of her career that should get her inside the top 30 fighters in the world rankings. Gary Cully (Image: Dave Thompson/Matchroom)
The aim is to then win a European championship in her seventh fight and to challenge for a world title in her tenth.
Barrett has seen the commitment Leonard has put into her boxing over the past three and a half years of them working together.
"After about six months I saw a lot in her so I sat her down and I said 'look I don't know if you know this but you could be really, really good, you could be special', but not on two days a week.
"So I said 'go home, have a think about it, talk it over with your family and if so I think it might be worth reducing your work hours so that you can train a bit more'.
"The very next day she came in, saying 'I handed in my notice at work, I'm going full-time boxing' and I was like 'I didn't mean that'.
"But it just shows her commitment that she'll sacrifice and for the last three years she's been living on absolutely nothing, all with this single-minded focus of this big dream."
Leonard turns pro at an exciting time for both women's boxing and Irish boxing as a whole.
Taylor and Serrano headlined a historic all-female card in New York earlier this month, with Jake Paul's Most Valuable Promotions investing heavily in women's boxing.
Meanwhile, big shows continue to take place in Ireland, with Michael Conlan headlining an event at the 3Arena in early September before Lewis Crocker and Paddy Donovan fight for the IBF world welterweight title at Windsor Park a week later.
"There's so many shows now in Ireland and it's just like big time boxing's really coming back to Ireland now and there's so many big shows that will just help so much and just really help with that activity as well, which is great," added Leonard.
"You had the full female card with MVP Promotions, that was huge for women's boxing.
"That's only happened a couple of times before and for the amount of eyes that were on it, and it was on Netflix, it's huge. I think amateur boxing for females was always at a high level, especially in Ireland. But I think the pro is getting a lot more attention now.
"Even in Ireland there's a couple more female pros turning over and a lot more big fights and title fights for women. So it's really, I think it's the perfect time for it."
So what can people expect to see in the months and years ahead?
"I don't want to put too much pressure on myself. I want to feel it out, but I'm a strong technical boxer, so I won't be losing that. But I am an entertaining boxer and I want to be an entertaining boxer. So just that when you're watching me fight, you will be entertained," said Leonard.
"I'm not saying I'm not looking for knockouts or anything like that. If that type of stuff comes, it comes. But just entertainment."
Leonard is very grateful to the continued support of her sponsors: UNIT 3: Health and Fitness Naas, Diva Coffee Co., Sli Beatha Floathouse Naas, The Unit Recovery Naas, Brendan Conlan Automobiles, The Curragh Racecourse, Fightstore Ireland, SDK Detailing.
If any companies would like to help out with sponsorship, they can contact her manager and coach Niall Barrett at [e-mail] or on 087-2852774.