On October 10, 2026, I had the incredible honor of receiving a Special Award from the International Women’s Boxing Hall of Fame, commemorating the 30th anniversary of my fight with Christy Martin.
Thirty years. Sometimes it’s hard to believe that much time has passed since two women stepped into a boxing ring and, without really knowing it, became part of something much bigger than themselves.
When I look back, I don’t just remember the fight. I remember the journey that brought me there, the obstacles we faced, and how different the world was for women who wanted to box.
I grew up in a little village in Ireland, where boxing was considered no place for a woman. They told me it wasn’t suitable for me. They even told me no man would ever want to marry me if I became a boxer!
Thankfully, I wasn’t very good at listening to advice like that.
Women’s boxing was fighting for recognition, and we owe so much to the women who came before us—the women of the 1970s who challenged the system and helped make professional boxing licenses possible for women in the United States. They opened doors many of us would later walk through, often without fully understanding how hard they were to open.
My own journey eventually took me from Ireland to Louisiana, where my American boxing dream began in a very different setting than I had imagined. I expected a big, traditional American gym. Instead, my trainer, Beau Williford, took me to a little, moldy chicken shack in the countryside, surrounded by rice and sugarcane fields.
It was hardly glamorous. But that unlikely place became my boot camp for life. I learned to endure, keep going when I was exhausted, and find strength when circumstances were far from perfect.
Those lessons would prove invaluable when I faced Christy Martin.
Those lessons would prove invaluable when I faced Christy Martin.
Christy came from Mullens, West Virginia. I came from a small village in Ireland. We both started boxing later than most fighters, and we had virtually no amateur experience. Yet there we were, on a major Mike Tyson card, surrounded by five men’s world-title fights.
The crowd didn’t exactly welcome us with open arms. We were booed as we made our way to the ring. People came to see the men, and some weren’t convinced two women belonged on that stage.
Then the bell rang—and suddenly, the crowd came alive.
We fought our hearts out, and I believe we stole the show that night.
We weren’t thinking about history. We were simply trying to win, survive, and prove we belonged. But looking back, I understand our fight meant more than the result. It showed the boxing world that women could bring the same courage, heart, and excitement as anyone else in the ring.
Receiving this award thirty years later brought all of those memories rushing back. I’m deeply grateful to Sue Fox and everyone who continues to support the International Women’s Boxing Hall of Fame and preserve the stories of the women who helped build this sport.
And, of course, I’m grateful to Christy. She was an incredible opponent, and I’m blessed that our rivalry became a friendship. She even keeps our tradition alive by wishing me a happy anniversary every March 16th.
Today, when I see Katie Taylor filling stadiums in Ireland and women competing on the biggest stages in the world, I’m reminded of how far we’ve come. What once seemed impossible is now reality for a new generation of fighters.
That is what makes this award so special. It isn’t just a recognition of one fight or one career. It’s a reminder of the women who came before us, the battles we fought, and the opportunities that now exist for those who follow.
My boxing career taught me that you don’t need perfect circumstances to pursue an extraordinary dream. You need heart, courage, and the determination to keep going when the odds are against you.
Fight on. The world just might catch up.
0 Comments