Hannah Robinson: “When I work my way up to a world title, I want to be a fully rounded fighter.”

Hannah Robinson: “When I work my way up to a world title, I want to be a fully rounded fighter.”

It’s been a long time coming for Hannah Robinson. There were fleeting thoughts early last year. The desire to turn professional has perhaps always been there. But they were more than prominent around 15 months ago. There were live offers on the table, the mind seemingly made up. But when Robinson seemed on the brink of turning over, Team GB offered her a Podium place, and the North-East fighter decided to stay in the amateur ranks, gain some more experience and see if she could qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

But without a natural home at the Olympics, those hopes were taken away from her and the mind was turned back to trying her hand as a professional.

Robinson was on holiday in Spain earlier this week as we connected over Zoom. The European heatwave in full bloom as Robinson told me why the decision had finally been reached:

“I was thinking of turning professional anyway. But at Team GB, I was boxing at light-welterweight, and that isn’t an Olympic weight. I couldn’t box at lightweight anymore, and they said it was too big of a jump to fight at welterweight, so Team GB were reluctant to box us at that weight. It was either move up to welterweight, and I might not have been given a chance at that weight, but then Rosie Eccles qualified for the Olympics, so that kind of sealed it anyway. It was almost like I was pleased in some ways. I know a lot of people would have been devastated, but it was kind of a relief because it closed that door for me, and it set me free sort of thing. I never actually thought the Olympics was for me. I know some people dream of it, but I’ve always just thought about being a world champion.”

Robinson has gained that experience in the last year or so. Medals in international tournaments, the multi-time ABA champion has a resume to be proud of, but equally there are frustrations she hasn’t achieved everything she hoped to. But memories, and lifelong friends have been made:

“There have been a lot of frustrations and setbacks. I have been training a lot longer than the number of fights I’ve had would suggest. I did have quite a lot of injuries, I had shoulder and elbow surgeries. And when I got on Team GB, that was when Covid hit, so I lost a couple of years there. But through that time, I have been training, progressing, and improving. I am proud of my amateur career, and I am pleased that I stayed on another year because I gained a lot of experience. I know we spoke about a year ago when I was thinking of turning professional, but I am glad I gave it another year because all those experiences I missed out on during Covid I have had those experiences now. It’s been a really busy year for me.

“Winning my first ABA title will always be a top moment for me. That opened a lot of doors for me, and that is when I got my Team GB assessment, and that is when I first started believing in myself and thinking I could make a career out of boxing. So I think that will always stand out for me. And also being on GB Podium and just travelling the world and gaining so much experience boxing different styles. There are also the friends I have made on Team GB. You stay in the same house as them, Monday to Thursday, so you do make friends and get really close to people. It’s like a rollercoaster. There are so many highs and lows, and you pick each other up, so you do get really close to people that you share those moments with. We will definitely stay in touch and support each other.”

Robinson had options, but she has decided to move her life to Manchester and hook up with Jamie Moore, who has guided Chantelle Cameron to undisputed status and more recently was in the corner when Cameron spoiled the Katie Taylor homecoming in Dublin:

“I am going to train with Jamie Moore,” Robinson told FightPost. “I just feel that when I have been down there to spar with Chantelle Cameron, more recently for the Katie Taylor fight, I think it is a great environment down there, and they are genuinely caring people. I just feel they will get us to the very top in the sport. And having Chantelle there in the gym with me, she’s been there and done that, and I have no doubt that we will push each along in training as well. It will be good to be in the gym and around those people.”

There might be thoughts on the future, but Robinson wants to pay tribute to her departing coach, but equally, there is that realisation that the new journey, needs a new beginning:

“I am obviously sad to leave my current coach. But now I am at a different stage in my career. You need different coaches for those stages. It’s hard to leave people behind, but you only get one shot at it, and you have to do what’s best. I wanted to move away from home, take myself out of my comfort zone, and give myself a challenge.

“I’m especially grateful to Peter Shepperson, who was my old coach. I think Peter took my boxing to a whole new level. He took me all over the country sparring, and he helped in giving me a lot of self-belief, so I will always be thankful for that. But now is the right time to be in a gym surrounded by world champions and people who are better than me, who can push me on.”

Robinson will move her life to Manchester. Once the holiday in Spain ends, she will get to work.

“I’m hoping to fight by the end of the year,” Robinson said of her immediate ambitions. “I want a couple of months working with Jamie. I can probably make lightweight, but I think I’ll be a long stronger at light-welterweight.”

In many ways, there is something refreshing about the attitude of professional boxing’s latest recruit. Robinson wants to take her time and learn her craft gradually before she is moved to world level:

“I want to be challenged in every fight, and learn something in each fight and moved along like that. When I work my way up to a world title, I want to be a fully rounded fighter. I’m going to take as much time as I need to learn the game. I don’t want to peak too soon and get there before I’m ready. I want to be in fights that people want to see.”

At 29, Robinson has her best years ahead of her. That extra time in the unpaid ranks will have served her well. The Lee Eaton managed fighter is a more than talented addition to the blossoming female roster. Big things are expected of Robinson, even that might be an understatement. But it is what Robinson expects of herself, that will likely determine that expected golden future, becomes a reality.