Athlone boxer Cheyanne O’Neill turns professional

Twelve years after she first laced on a pair of gloves at Athlone Boxing Club, Cheyanne O’Neill has turned professional.

The 25-year-old Battery Heights native is hoping to make her pro debut in April and she told the Westmeath Independent this week that her goal in the years ahead is to compete with the very best.

"Like with anything, you always want to be the best at it. You always want to be number one," she said.

"Over the next year, I want to get professional experience. It's a different ballgame compared to amateur boxing. There's no headgear, there's no vest, and the boxers are strong, experienced women.

“So, for me, the aim is to grow my experience over the next year and see how I fare. But I definitely want to be up there with the best, fighting for titles.”

As an amateur, Cheyanne won national championships in several age categories and represented Ireland on a number of occasions, including winning silver at the European Youth Championships in Italy in 2014.

She is now hopeful that her pro debut will happen in Scotland in early to mid-April, after she finalised her management and promotional team. The pro debut, she said, "is not 100% confirmed, but it's nearly there."

Cheyanne signed a deal which will see her being managed by Waterford man Robbie Flynn's RF Sports Management, and promoted by the Scottish-based Kynoch Boxing Promotions.

The boxer is a serving member of the Defence Forces and will be remaining in that role, saying she has received great support from her employer for her sporting exploits.

"I'm still employed in the Defence Forces, and that's not going to change. That's my job," she said.

In fact, it was during her six months serving abroad in Lebanon last year that she decided now was the right time to turn pro.

Due to both the pandemic and her work commitments, Cheyanne hasn't boxed competitively for some three and a half years and she is eager to get back in action.

"I've been out of it quite a while, but I'm not worried because the boxing ability is there. The fitness comes back, the sharpness comes back, and the brain is always ticking. But it has been a long time, so I'm really looking forward to getting back in. It's exciting.

"I'm actually heading over (to the UK) to a professional show in two weeks' time, so that will give me a sense of what it’s like before I do it myself."

Cheyanne started boxing at the age of 13, and had her first fight in December 2010.

Throughout her journey in the sport she has been coached by Rory Parkes of Athlone Boxing Club, and she said Rory would remain in her corner as she enters this new phase of her career.

She has also been doing strength and conditioning training with Crime Fitness in Kiltoom, which she finds very beneficial.

"I'll be heading over to the UK for sparring camps and training camps roughly two weeks before the fight, to settle in," she said.

"I know myself that with everybody working together, with me pushing myself and all these people pushing me, I'm going to be in probably the best shape I've ever been in."

Cheyanne said she's been delighted with the reaction locally to the news that she was turning professional.

"When it was announced, it just blew up. It really did. People are still texting me about it. People have been texting to get on board, and to help out.

"A lot of people are talking about travelling to see the fights as well, which is amazing," she added.