Molly McCann: Beyond The Ropes

Molly McCann: Beyond The Ropes

“I remember walking into a boxing gym and being turned away and being told I wasn’t allowed to box because I was a girl,” Molly McCann said this week.

It was a different time back in the day. An era before women’s boxing found a home in the Olympics. Even then, it took time before it found some semblance of mainstream acceptance. Over 80,000 fans will flock to Croke Park on Saturday night. I guess we got there in the end.

Katie Taylor will have her grand farewell. The final dance. Retirement is literally hours away. Flora Pili will be in the opposite corner. Almost a forgotten character in a theatre production that seemingly already has the ending written. Taylor will know boxing rarely follows a script. We saw that only last week in London when the coronation of a new British world heavyweight champion didn’t quite materialise. Taylor will not take anything for granted. But unless something totally unexpected happens, there will be a stadium crying tears of joy when that final bell has chimed.

But long before Taylor makes that last emotional ring walk, Molly McCann will take another little step up the boxing ladder.

The 36-year-old left the world of Mixed Martial Arts behind and rejoined the boxing world last year. McCann has largely impressed in winning her four fights to date. Slowly readjusting back to her old world. A former Cage Warriors flyweight champion and a couple of spells as a ranked UFC fighter, McCann can be pleased with her MMA run. The Liverpool fan favourite didn’t quite make it to UFC gold, but she got as far as she possibly could in that unforgiving, brutal world. After losing her final two fights, McCann knew that part of her fighting life had run its natural course. The switch back to boxing was always going to happen; it was a case of when, not if.

The former ABA champion turned professional with Matchroom Boxing and impressed on her debut, dominating the tough Kate Radomska in Belfast. Last time, McCann returned to Liverpool to outpoint Ashleigh Johnson. McCann was made to work but won clearly on the cards.

It is fight number five on Saturday night. Sylwia Doligala will be her opponent. Another good piece of matchmaking for a fighter still settling back into boxing. Doligala (8-2-2) is riding a three-fight win streak and will pose McCann a few problems at least. Maybe more. But the 31-year-old is a massive betting underdog. At 1/20, McCann is almost guaranteed victory. But she is far too experienced in the combat world to take anything for granted.

If, as expected, McCann does move to 5-0, it will be interesting where she goes next. Tori-Ellis Willetts might be an intriguing match-up, as would Gabriela Strikaityte. McCann is talking about winning titles sooner rather than later. You sense they are imminent.

Photo Credit: Matchroom Boxing