Emma-Sue Greentree: “I have two big goals. To win an Olympic medal and to become a world champion.”

Emma-Sue Greentree: “I have two big goals. To win an Olympic medal and to become a world champion.”

The Commonwealth Games are fast-approaching for Emma-Sue Greentree. A trip to Glasgow, for the next step of her flourishing boxing career. Greentree will represent her native Australia, and a long-time ambition has now been realised.

“Being selected in the Australian Squad for the Commonwealth Games is a massive tick on the list of life goals,” Greentree told FightPost. “I’ve dreamed of this since I was a little kid. It wasn’t boxing as a kid, as I was a track and field athlete, but to make a whole sport change and achieve one of my dreams. It’s unreal! I am super proud of myself and my team! We have all done the work to be here, and I have no doubt we are going to bring home some medals. I truly am overwhelmed with happiness and pride to be able to put on the green and gold and represent my country at the Commonwealth Games, which was in a spot of worry at one point.”

Like many fighters who will compete in Glasgow, this is an important step in the career of Greentree. “I think for my career, it can allow me to stamp my name into history. I’m living someone else’s dream, and I know that I’ll make them proud. It gives me the opportunity to showcase not just my ability as a boxer but who I am as a person.”

Competing on that Commonwealth stage carries an even deeper meaning for the 27-year-old Australian. “One of the bigger things for me personally is that it will allow me to show Type-1 Diabetics everywhere that a diagnosis doesn’t necessarily mean your dreams are broken. I am living proof that you can still achieve what you want.”

“I am not entirely sure what to expect,” Greentree added. “It’s my debut at the Commonwealth Games. My first multi-sport event. I suppose I am expecting to meet some unbelievable athletes and humans along the journey, competing in able-bodied sports as well as Para sports. I’m excited to hear their stories, their whys.”

Greentree is a two-time national champion, and won a bronze medal at the 2023 World Championships, and can quite rightly consider herself one of the favourites to medal in Glasgow. But she is taking nothing for granted and knows she has a tough tournament ahead of her.

“The boxing tournament itself, I know there will be some great world-class bouts, and I’m excited to watch as much as I can to learn more. Every boxer has been selected for a reason, and I have no doubt that every boxer will perform at their peak! It’s going to be exciting.”

“From the teams that have been announced so far, I think India and England have both selected very strong athletes in my division,” Greentree added. “Having said that, I say that lightly because every boxer at this level has earned their place, and every boxer brings a different style to the ring. Styles make fights, and that’s no different on this stage. On any given day, anyone is capable of winning. I’m a firm believer that if I prepare the way I know I can and perform to the best of my ability, I’ll give myself every chance to come away with the result I’m chasing.”

Winning a medal in Glasgow is only part of her immediate ambitions. The next Olympics are only two years away and are already in her sights. “The next few years are going to be all about hard work and dedication. My biggest goal is to win an Olympic medal, and everything I’m doing is geared towards giving myself the best chance to achieve that. The Olympic qualification process begins in early 2027, so that’s a huge focus for me. I know there are areas of my boxing that I still need to improve, but that’s what excites me. Setting big goals pushes me to work harder every day and continue developing as an athlete.”

Emma-Sue Greentree is also a professional boxer. Greentree is already 2-0 in the pro ranks and a highly-ranked light-heavyweight. The 27-year-old wants to keep building her pro record over the next few years.

“Alongside the amateur pathway, I’d also love to fit in a few professional fights where it makes sense,” Greentree told me. “Gaining that experience and climbing the professional rankings is something I’m really excited about, while always keeping my eyes firmly on the Olympic dream.

“The professional side fits into my plans wherever my team and I can make it work. There are often gaps between major amateur tournaments, and if the timing is right, I’d love to take those opportunities to have another professional fight. I’m not scared of the challenge; I’m not scared of hard work, and I know I can make it happen.”

Competing on that Commonwealth stage is imminent. A medal in Glasgow is more than a possibility. But nothing will be taken for granted. A fighter who understands her sport. Greentree will give everything for that sport.

But whatever happens in Scotland, there are even bigger ambitions ahead, both professionally and personally. “I’m 27 years old, and I have two big goals. To win an Olympic medal and to become a world champion. Right now, I don’t see those goals as being mutually exclusive. As long as I can continue pursuing both at a high level, that’s exactly what I’ll do. Eventually, I’d love to have a family and kids of my own, so I know there will come a time when my priorities shift. But for now, I’m in a position where I can give everything I have to chasing both dreams, and that’s exactly what I intend to do.”