Female pros aim to make a Point

THE FIRST women’s professional boxing match will be held next month at the Point in Dublin as part of the under card for Bernard Dunne European super-bantamweight title defence against Norwegian Reidar Walstad.

On June 23 Jill Emery and Angel McKenzie will meet eight-round international light-welterweight contest on the Hunky Dorys Fight Night, which is headlined by Dunne’s bout but which will also feature former world champion and Olympic silver medallist Wayne McCullough.

The Emery-McKenzie bout will break new ground for women’s boxing in Ireland.

“The World and European Champion Katie Taylor has done wonders here in Ireland to lift the profile of women’s amateur boxing,” says promoter Brian Peters.

“I think the time is right to stage a professional fight here now.

“Women’s professional boxing is now firmly established in the US — Muhammad Ali’s daughter Laila is a big star now and there are some terrific female professionals out there.”

New Yorker Emery hopes a win over McKenzie can propel her to another world title fight, having lost out on a controversial split decision to Karolina Lukasik in Germany for the IBF title and lost her unbeaten record in the process.

McKenzie, meanwhile, was born and raised in Moscow but is based in London.

“Fighting Angel McKenzie should be interesting,” said Emery. “Although she’s the Russian, I box with a Russian style since my trainer is Russian.”

Emery hopes to have plenty of support at the Point given her Irish connections.

“I’m half-Irish. My father’s side of the family is descended from Ireland and my sister and her family live in Dublin. I’m a regular visitor and normally get to Dublin a couple of times a year.

“I am thrilled to be fighting in Ireland. Presently, there is no women’s professional boxing in Ireland, which is surprising due to it’s rich boxing history. To fight in the first sanctioned professional female bout there will be an honour.

“Women’s boxing is becoming increasingly more popular as accomplished amateurs enter the pro arena bringing the overall integrity of professional women’s boxing to a higher level.”

Emery has her sights set on further glory: “I want to go on and win titles in three different weight classes as I did in the amateurs.”

Also squaring off on the Hunky Dorys Fight Night card are Belfast’s Neil Sinclair and England’s “Fearless” Francis Jones, while Irish light-welterweight champ Oisin Fagan also features, fresh from a first round knockout win in Kansas last weekend. The Oklahoma-based Dubliner meets Brighton’s Chill John.

Popular Pole Lukasz Wawrzyczek faces Belfast battler Ciaran Healy, while the return of Wayne McCullough will also be eagerly anticipated by Irish fight fans who have not had the chance to see him live in Dublin in over a decade.

Tickets for the event priced from €60 are available now from Ticketmaster and all usual outlets.