Looking forward to a glorious future and putting the past firmly behind her.
That is ex-Great Britain amateur star Gemma Richardson, who will make her professional debut in Bolton this Saturday night.
The 23-year-old, a former Commonwealth Games silver medallist, takes on Poland’s Angelika Oles, over six rounds on the show staged by promoters VIP Boxing.
Richardson enjoyed quite a career in the amateur ranks, losing only seven times in 67 contests. Highly decorated in youth championships, her highlight came in Birmingham 2022, when she won the silver medal at the Commonwealths.
Her story as an international boxer, sadly, would end in acrimony when she was overlooked by GB Boxing for the Paris Olympics, with an Irish boxer parachuted in in her weight division.
Gemma can’t wait to tackle the next instalment.
“I’d like to win as many world titles, make some money and then get out!” smiled the Hartlepool-based talent pictured above with coach John Stubbs.
“I don’t want to be getting punched in the head all my life so I want to get belts as I can, make a name for myself in the sport and look to create a bit of a legacy.”
Gemma’s first professional opponent is no dummy, having beaten a new UK professional last September in Swindon. But she is confident of getting better of the 27-year-old, from Poland, who has a 3-14 record.
“I don’t know a lot about her,” explained Richardson. “I don’t really like to watch my opponents before my bout, but my coaches and my dad have watched her.
“They’ve told me she’s got a good left hook, and she likes to work on the inside a lot, so I’ll be looking to keep it long and put the pressure on her.
“I’ve had a great eight-week camp here, lots of running and boxing and I have a strength and conditioning coach now.
“It’s been hard, but good, and I’m ready for this.”
Richardson is a proud Scunthorpe girl but has swapped one famous northern steel town for another to be based in Hartlepool with John Stubbs who, alongside Sunderland trainer Anth Kelly, are the men behind Tenacity Boxing, a squad headlined by unbeaten Wearsider Travis Waters.
“I felt like John was the right coach for me when I turned professional,” explained Gemma .
“I’ve always had a good relationship with him from my England days and I think I’ve made the right move.
“It’s been a great first camp and I feel we have gelled very quickly – we work well together, and I believe I’ve made a lot of improvements already.
“And I love Hartlepool. The people are a little crazy, but everyone’s friendly and I’ve been welcomed into the town.”
For Richardson, Saturday’s new chapter brings closure to a long and productive amateur career which, sadly, had something of an unhappy ending when she was denied a crack at the Olympics.
Gemma made the headlines last year for the wrong reasons after being embroiled in a bitter row over selection for Paris 2024.
GB Boxing provoked a storm by selecting Irish boxer Amy Broadhurst for the final Olympic qualifying event in Thailand last June.
Broadhurst had won European, World and Commonwealth Games gold representing Ireland, but fans, friends and family of Shona Whitwell and Richardson were desperately unhappy.
Whitwell had boxed at the first two qualifying events while Richardson surely deserved the last opportunity having won a silver medal last April at the World Boxing Cup tournament in Colorado.
“It’s always going to hurt,” said Gemma. “It’s not a nice feeling to know your dream has been stolen.
“I’m over it now – I have new goals, new aspirations. What happened happened, there’s nothing I can do about it now.
“There’s a saying that everything happens for a reason. Clearly, I wasn’t meant to go and now I can start this new journey. I’m so excited.”
Words: Roy Kelly
