O’Toole fights on the Ijaz British title show

Sian O’Toole looks for openings during impressive debut

SIAN O’Toole is looking to put on a worthy sequel after catching the eye in her pro debut. 

She goes again at the Holiday Inn, Queensway, Birmingham city centre, on the undercard of the Ijaz Ahmed-Marcel Braithwaite British super-flyweight title rematch on October 20.

O’Toole, from Droitwich, turned over last month in Birmingham on a BCB bill at the Eastside Rooms and put on an impressive debut. 

The 24-year-old featherweight went straight into a six-rounder against Amy Greatorex.  She put combinations together and targeted both the head and body with precise punches, all of the rounds going her way.   

O’Toole was soon back in training and back to her other profession as a maths teacher at Bishop Perwone C of E College in Worcester. 

  She has a son, Michael, who is two in November, with partner Frankie Gavin, former British and Commonwealth welterweight titleholder.   

 Gavin was Britain’s first world amateur champion and O’Toole is also highly-rated from her own amateur exploits, having gained three national titles: Two NABGC (National Association of Boys and Girls Clubs) and England Youth accolades. She has international experience, too, through two years with Team GB. 

 Sian said: “I’ve gone through another brilliant training camp and I only took a week off after my debut, but I still did my runs every day. I feel good and I want to keep that up.  

 “That was my best performance in a long time and the first time that I’ve boxed since April, in the England Elites (against Vivien Parsons, lost by majority decision). 

“I went in there confident that I would perform to the level that I’m capable of and my opponent was different from what I’ve come up against before. 

“The only thing that really took a beating was my right hand with the amount of shots that I landed. It was certainly different with 8oz gloves on (amateurs wear 10oz gloves). 

“I’ve shown that I can be fancy, on my toes, and move inside and out, so it’s about finding that balance now. There’s still a lot to work on and I’m not the finished article. 

“I wanted to do six rounds on my debut and I had the option to do four, so it was my choice. Whatever comes next, I’ll just adapt again. You train to what you’re fighting at. 

“I’m used to fighting three, three-minute rounds from the amateurs, so to box two-minute rounds was rapid. I actually got more rest between the rounds. 

“I think that it (the rules) will change and there will be three-minute rounds for women in the pros. It’s just a matter of time. I don’t mind too much, either way, because I’ll have to get on with it. 

“It’s nice to know that I’ve made the right decision to turn professional and I’m taking it seriously, in the same way I do with teaching and tutoring. 

“I tell the kids about my boxing and they enjoy hearing about it. I’m passionate about everything that I do, just like when I’m at home being a mum. 

“I’ve bought Michael a two foot punch-bag for kids and he absolutely loves punching it. We are definitely a boxing household, with me and Frankie as the parents!”

*Tickets for the Holiday Inn bill are available, priced at £40 standard or £80 VIP ringside, directly from the boxers or by visiting myfighttickets.com.