Christina Desmond weighing up pro options after ‘unfair’ Olympic heatbreak

Christina Desmond is currently weighing up pro options but claims the only certainty is that she will be seen in the ring again.

The 23-year-old member of An Garda Síochána seen her Olympic dream snatched from her due to circumstances outside of the ring and as a result is considering her future.

Considering her talent, age and amateur resume it’s no surprise promoters and managers have been in touch with offers.

The Macroom BC graduate is in demand and no doubt the High-Performance powers that be will be selling her the idea of a romantic Paris 2024 Olympic trip.

However, the Cork fighter has yet to decide which boxing road to follow moving forward.

The only thing the talented and decorated fighter can guarantee is she will fight on.

“I have been approached about turning professional,” she confirmed when speaking to Irish-boxing.com.

“I just need to sit back and have a look at everything. It’s a difficult position to be in. I’m lucky I’m young yet.

“I have been asked about going pro so it’s just put everything into context. I am very busy at work and it is tough at the moment, so that is my main focus right now.

“Either way, I will be back in the ring. I’m not finished.”

Desmond would have preferred to be weighing up potential World Olympic qualifier opponents than possible pro options.

However, a reshuffle in the qualification system means Tokyo 2020 (moved to 2021) is no longer an option.

The IOC executive committee recently confirmed the scheduled World qualifying event will not be held – and after the places available via the European qualifiers are secured world rankings will be used to allocate the final slots.

Desmond’s world ranking isn’t strong enough to secure a place on the plane to Tokyo.

It’s a massive disappointment for the Rebel fighter, who was very confident of doing enough in the now-canceled World qualifiers to become an Olympian.

“I’m ok, very disappointed,” Desmond adds.

“A number of years of training and dedication gone. It is very hard information to take in,” she continues before declaring the whole situation unfair.

“I was very surprised, no one had any idea, it wasn’t even rumoured. It just happened! It was very out of the blue. It’s an unfair way of doing it if you ask me.”

Desmond, who exited the European qualifiers at the first hurdle, also revealed she felt she would take the World route to the Games.

“I was very confident, that was always going to be the most likely route I’d go anyway, even before covid.

“European boxers at my weight at the best in the world and I have the beatings of them all. I just was aiming to have my best performances at Worlds.”