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Katelynn Phelan wants to build on her big break with unique Irish homecoming

Katelynn Phelan [4(1)-0] is cueing up a unique homecoming fight.

Having spread her name around the female fight world with victory over Jessica Schadko in Germany just over a week ago, the Kildare native wants to make noise in her home county.

The 20-year-old prospect wants to build on her big break by fighting in Goff’s, the former home of the Irish Snooker Championships.

“Next time I want to headline Goff’s. Goff’s, get on to us, I want to headline a show there.”

A fight night just off the Naas Road can’t happen anytime soon, but once pandemic problems disappear it’s an ideal option.

Regardless of where or when Phelan fights next the win last week has provided her with the chance to kick on.

However, despite it being such a big occasion she claims she went to Germany relaxed.

“Of course you’re going to have the nerves and you’re not going to know what to expect, you’re in a different country. But we just had to sit down and stay calm, stay relaxed.

“I have a good team around me and everyone was supportive, especially everyone at home as well. We just stayed as relaxed as we could – I brought over the TV box that we have at home, so they had no TV at home! I was just sitting down, chilling out, colouring, watching TV, just relaxing as much as we could. Deep down, though, I knew that I would be world champion.”

It seems she had every reason to be calm as she proved the faith her team had in her was justified. The ‘Smiling Assassin’ says she knew victory was hers within seconds of the first bell.

“As soon as my head gets through the ropes, that’s it, everything’s focused on punching. I can control everything when I’m in that ring, it’s all down to me then. I knew from the first punch I threw – I could actually tell from her eyes when we were touching gloves, she was looking away, she wouldn’t look at me. That’s how I knew I had her, that this was my fight, I just made her fight my fight.”

Joe O'Neill

Reporting on Irish boxing the past five years. Work has appeared on irish-boxing.com, Boxing News, the42.ie, and local and national media. Provide live ringside updates, occasional interviews, and special features on the future of Irish boxing. email: joneill6@tcd.ie

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