Lynn ‘The Hunter’ Harvey has big power and big support
In the lead-up to Lynn Harvey‘s debut last November, the crew at the Celtic Warrior Gym told Irish-Boxing.com in hushed tones about the surprising power that the Kilbarrack puncher possessed. Harvey had won the 2014 Senior Elite title via stoppage but Collins and co. stressed how Harvey had snap that was seemingly unnatural for a woman her size.
Their whispers proved true as debut opponent Ivana Yaneva lasted less than a minute at the Red Cow Moran Hotel.
365 days later, this time at the National Stadium, Harvey fights for the second time and will enter the ring with a reputation as a puncher and a ring nickname to go with it – Lynn ‘The Hunter’ Harvey.
A seek-and-destroy sort of fighter, the Dublin flyweight spoke to Irish-Boxing.com about the pop in her punches and admitted that “I’m not sure where my strength comes from, I’ve naturally a freakishly strong back and shoulders. I don’t work with weights or anything for them they just naturally have muscle.”
“Although I know real power comes from the legs, my legs are very thin and I’ve been building on them this year with lots of squats and explosive box squats etc. Before my last fight I’d never even done a squat so I’m looking forward to seeing the difference that makes.”
“One of my sponsors, Bodyblox Fitness, is doing me up an all-over body plan to increase strength and speed over the next six weeks so it’ll be interesting to see the effect of that on top of whatever comes naturally.”
If Harvey’s power can translate to the upper echelons of the division it can become something of a unique selling point for her. Across all female World champions, the knockout ratio is under 40%, for flweights it is under 30%.
The 35 year old Irishwoman noted how “you don’t really hear of that many women’s knockouts – personally I think it’s down to the fact that women are the tougher sex ha! We have better chins than men… I’ll wait for the backlash!
“All messing aside, I don’t think women crumble as easy.”
“It would do my career no harm to have a reputation for knockouts but I wouldn’t want to rely on that either as I want to show that I can box as well and that I have a defence.
“I’m not just a one trick pony, although this pony does prefer to go in and stop the opponent when the opportunity presents itself – I’m not one for faffing about!”
It has been a busy week for the Northside ticket-seller since the announcement of her fight on the Red Corner Promotions ‘Inception’ show. The popular puncher had seen a groundswell of support, in the form of both interest and sponsorship, since her fight announcement
Harvey described how “this week has been overwhelming with support I have actually had to turn away sponsors as they would be conflicting with existing ones! Madness.”
“I’m not able to work a normal job as, not only do I train and am in the gym six days a week, I’m a full-time single mother doing school-runs, football training etc.”
“It leaves not much time to go out working so the sponsorship for me is paramount in ensuring that I can give my career and my son the time they both need so I can make it to the top.”
“I’m extremely blessed and nobody’s help will be forgotten or unappreciated when I do make it to the top.”
Thanking her backers, Harvey credited “Fight Store Pro, who are the first sponsors I’ve had since before my first fight. Kev Progum who custom makes my gumshields for each fight. Energie Fitness Gym in Swords. Bodyblox Fitness. Corina Mooney LowCal Meals Delivered. And last, but certainly not least, Darren Fogarty and Bigshots Nutrition who are not only sponsoring me with supplements and vitamins etc but who are also working on building my public profile and the promotional end of things which is invaluable!”
To purchase tickets for Lynn Harvey’s fight at the National Stadium on November 5th, contact the woman herself on 0858244554.
Photo Credit: Ricardo Guglielminotti – The Fighting Irish (@ThefIrish)
