Southern Area champion moves to Hazellville Road outfit

Islington Gazette: Shannon CourtenayShannon Courtenay (Image: Archant)

Current Southern Area England Boxing elite champion Shannon Courtenay has joined Islington Boxing Club.

The 23-year-old, who to date has boxed 16 times and won 12 of her contests at under-57kg, decided to join from Hoddesdon BA to further herself and for the opportunity to spar regularly with other female boxers at the Hazellville Road club.

Courtenay, who is from Watford and works as a chef, initially started out at Finchley ABC and won a gold medal in the 2015 Haringey Box Cup at the end of her first season as a competitive boxer.

After moving to Hoddesdon Boxing Academy at the beginning of the 2016/17 season, when Finchley decided to affiliate to the breakaway Amateur Boxing Alliance formed by former members of England Boxing, Courtenay added to her growing list of achievements by winning the Southern Area England Boxing title belt with a split decision against Lisa Moore (Repton ABC) in an entertaining toe-to-toe encounter at York Hall, Bethnal Green.

That made Courtenay the first non-elite boxer to win an England Boxing title belt and, in her most recent contest in November, she defeated the number one-ranked international Swedish boxer in a support contest at the annual King of the Ring tournament in Sweden.

“I’m excited for my future with Islington Boxing Club and looking forward to winning more titles for such a great club,” she said.

“I’ve been made to feel very welcome by everyone and I’m very happy. It’s been a difficult start to the year and I’m glad to put a bad few months behind me now.

“I’m back training with a smile on my face, I’m feeling very confident and the fire is back in my belly!”