History awaits Christina Desmond on Friday, October 9th, when the Cork native and Dungarvan resident steps into the ring at Cork’s Parochial Hall for a landmark professional boxing contest.

Desmond will take on Louise Creven, a Galway fighter who is now based in Australia, in what is expected to be the first-ever Irish professional women’s title fight. Victory would see Desmond become the first Irish female professional champion.

Her boxing journey began at Macroom Boxing Club when she was around 11 years of age, inspired by her twin brother Michael. Two years later, the pair made history by winning Irish titles on the same day, becoming the first mixed twins to achieve the feat.

Desmond has since built an impressive amateur record, collecting 19 Irish titles along with two European and two World medals. In 2014, she became the first Irish female boxer to qualify for the Youth Olympics in Nanjing.

Away from boxing, Desmond works as a Garda in West Waterford, covering the Ring and Ardmore areas, and has made Dungarvan her home while retaining strong links to her native Cork.

She is now entering a nine-week intensive training camp ahead of the historic contest, including sparring trips to England as she prepares for the biggest fight of her career.

With support expected from Cork, Dungarvan, Ring, Ardmore, Tramore and throughout Waterford, October 9th promises to be a significant night for Irish boxing and a potentially historic one for Christina Desmond.

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