Lynn Harvey is one of only two currently active female professional boxers in Ireland at the moment.
Recently I had the privilege of speaking to Lynn Harvey who trains out of the Celtic Warriors Gym in Dublin. In a time where little is made about female professional boxing, we thought it would be apt to get the perspective of someone at the front line of this:
“For women in pro it’s diabolical, especially in this country (Ireland). It’s very hard to get a fight if you are not in America or in other countries. It’s hard over here to try and get it going, to try and get the momentum going. I had my first fight in November (2015) and I’m still trying to get a fight.”
(Lynn’s impressive first pro fight in November in 2015 – hat tip to Fight Store media YouTube account):
As our chat continued, Lynn also spoke on the top class boxing company she keeps in the renowned Celtic Warrior Gym in Dublin, where professional male boxers are always on hand to help out:
“I’m the only girl training there and honestly I just fit in like one of the lads. I honestly could not have asked for a nicer bunch of people. Even if I’m sparring or if they just see me doing something on the bag or whatever, they’ll be over and say something like ‘Lynn try this or do that’ because they know I’m still learning.”
She added:
“I much prefer the pro training than the amateur because the style suits me better. It probably helps because I love the club I’m in. Training is a pleasure anyway.”
Lynn is also a big believer in the goodness boxing can do outside of the ring, as it helps her a lot in her own life:
“I actually think that I kind of got boxing sent to me. I suffer with depression and anxiety, I have done for years, but because of boxing I’m eating clean, I’m exercising, I’m taking vitamins, now I’m doing that for boxing – but the knock on affect it’s improving all the other things.”
Lynn continued:
“Everything I’m doing is for boxing but for me, Lynn as a person, mentally and physically it’s doing amazing things for me. I’m mentally and physically so much healthier than I would have been if I hadn’t started boxing.”
Towards the end of our conversation I wanted to know what some of the main goals in boxing were for Lynn, to which she enthused:
“World champion. That’s it. There’s no point in doing it if that’s not what you want. That’s exactly what I want. You know what they say, success occurs when opportunity meets preparation. I need opportunity, I’m doing the preparation. I just need to stay positive and keep going and not give up.”
Lynn concluded:
“There’s only 130 flyweights as far as I know in the world. After 1 fight I’m already number 50, so it doesn’t take a genius to figure out with another 4 or 5 fights could have me very high on the list.”
Lynn is a flyweight boxer (1-0) and is coached by Daniel O’Sullivan and managed by Paschal Collins. You can catch Lynn Harvey on Twitter at @lynnharveyboxer.
(Image via Lynn Harvey)
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