Another box ticked for razor-sharp Sian

Sian O’Toole celebrates last night’s victory with son Michael

I EXPECT Sian O’Toole – blessed with textbook skills – to reach the same giddy heights she scaled as an amateur.

The Droitwich feather is already thoroughly accomplished. And as her partner, Frankie Gavin, stressed last night, Sian is getting better with each outing.

Most female fighters hit their professional stride at 27-28, O’Toole is only 24.

At the Holiday, in Birmingham city centre, Sian peeled off her second paid win. Experienced Polish opponent Karina Szmalenberg posed the local favourite with a different set of problems than those O’Toole faced in her debut.

But O’Toole – a maths teacher by day – solved the conundrum and romped to a landslide 60-54 win, on referee Ryan Churchill’s card, after six rounds.

It’s a noteworthy success. Szmalenberg’s precise record is hard to chart because she has also boxed under the name Karina Kopinska.

I’ve traced over 70 fights and Szmalenberg has certainly faced such top operators as Katie Taylor, Rhiannon Dixon and Chantelle Cameron.

She was dragged through the mill by O’Toole, at times clinging on like a shipwreck passenger clutching driftwood, and ended the fight gashed on the scalp and in the corner of the right eye.

O’Toole, bright and articulate, is a joy to interview. She’ll come over well in the TV fights that must surely follow.

“She was a tougher opponent,” Sian told me, “and that’s what I want. She was using her head all the time. I was happy with what I did. I boxed more and picked her off.”

O’Toole has her hand raised in victory. Pics: Jack Perry

Gavin told me: “I’ve said it before, a happy fighter is a dangerous fighter and Sian’s very happy in her gym.

“There are still things to learn, but other fighters aren’t emerging until they’re 27. She’s got time. Seven or eight fights and we’ll look at titles.”

I was impressed with O’Toole. She’s developing a pro’s ruggedness.

Szmalenberg (9st 5lbs 4oz) came to make it ugly and messy, attempted to bully Sian out of her stride, but, down the stretch, lacked the conditioning to impose the sustained pressure needed to knock O’Toole out of her stride.

And once O’Toole’s motor is running, she’s a joy to watch.

Szmalenberg rumbled forward in the first, only to be checked by jabs and rights to the body. By the second, O’Toole was sinking punches to the body as the Pole tried to smother.

Sian possessed gears her opponent did not.

Szmalenberg soaked up a stream of jabs at the end of the fourth and was caught cleanly by an eye-catching jab, right hand, left hook in the fifth.

Sian (9st 4lbs) was going through her repertoire. With little coming back, she was enjoying herself.

By the final round, Szmalenberg, blood seeping down the side of her face, was trudging into flak. She was stiffened by a lightning strike right and endured jab after jab.

For O’Toole, another box was ticked. Last time out she showed she has the skills to succeed. This time she showed she has the mettle.