Maiseyrose Courtney: A Different Corner

Maiseyrose Courtney: A Different Corner

There was a stark contrast in the corners on Sunday night in Brentwood, Essex. The celebrations of the winner. For the loser, a quite different mood. The feeling of defeat, in a manner nobody saw coming.

Megan Redstall can look forward to some more big nights. A breakthrough performance that promises plenty more nights of celebration. Redstall delivered an almost punch-perfect display of flyweight dominance against an incredibly brave Maiseyrose Courtney. Redstall claimed the vacant WBO International flyweight title. More titles will almost certainly follow.

It’s a different story now for Courtney. Her performance was one of defiance. A refusal to bend or break. It was heroic at times. Courtney found herself on the floor in the opening round. The way she fell, many expected her to stay there. But Courtney found that fighting spirit. A born fighter who refused to fold.

Redstall was superb, beyond impressive. But Courtney can take solace in her performance. She stayed the distance when there were times when it didn’t look like she would. That opening round knockdown was heavy. I don’t think she ever really recovered from it. Her chance of victory had probably gone the minute that beautiful uppercut found its target. One punch that took away so much.

Megan Redstall solidified her dominance for the nine rounds that followed. But there was much to admire about the sheer willpower of Courtney to stay in the fight. There was no quit in her. Courtney never stopped trying to win. Even in a one-sided defeat, you can still impress. Guts can’t be bought. Or faked. Courtney showed hers in abundance. Her trainer, John Ryder, said, “One thing you can’t teach is heart and grit.” Ryder is right. You can’t.

Courtney never made any excuses in the aftermath. There was praise for her opponent. Redstall responded in kind. Mutual respect before and after. “Not the result I dreamed of,” Courtney posted on her social media. “But one thing everyone saw is that I never quit. I got put down. I got back up. I left everything in that ring. No excuses. No complaints.”

Courtney says she will learn from her second professional defeat. And she will. At 25, Courtney is young enough and good enough to come again. There are still options available to her. She might decide to return and build back up with a few wins over lower grade opposition. Redstall could face either Chloe Watson or Nicola Hopewell in her next fight, potentially with the British title on the line. Courtney could fight either. Hopewell is likely to get the Redstall gig. Courtney vs. Watson has always been a fight that should have happened. Watson is coming off a defeat herself. It might make more sense than ever to revisit that matchup.

Time will heal the scars of a painful defeat. Courtney will undoubtedly return with lessons learned. And renewed drive. Her career is far from over.

Redstall quite rightly recieved all the plaudits for a quite stunning performance. But we should also remember the efforts of Maiseyrose Courtney. It’s all too easy to forget the fighter in the losing corner. We shouldn’t.