Shannon O’Connell on rough 2015, challenging for WBC Silver title

 
SHANNON O’Connell possesses an intestinal fortitude like few others in Australian boxing.

 
The colourful Brisbane-based firebrand will look to put a forgettable twelve month spell behind her when she faces the well-travelled Anrey Onesongchaigym for the vacant WBC Silver super bantamweight title.

 
The ten-round WBC affiliated regional title fight will take place at the Warnambool Stadium in Victorian town Warnambool as part of an eight-fight card presented by fledgling promotional outfit, Hosking Promotions.

 
O’Connell challenged for the WBC Silver title in her last outing, only for an untimely cut to halt proceedings.

 
The 33-year-old was initially slated to appear over eight rounds. However, a swift move by her promotional and management team, led by former Olympian Lynden Hosking, sees O’Connell vying for the belt for a second time.

 
“Lynden was working on making this fight without me knowing,” said O’Connell in an interview with Aus-Boxing.

 
“I guess he didn’t want to get my hopes up in case it didn’t happen. We were originally fighting an eight round fight just to get back in action after my split. When the news came from Lynden, I was naturally over the moon.”

 
After three consecutive appearances between super featherweight and featherweight, O’Connell (11-4-1, 6 KOs) will return against Onesongchaigym at super bantamweight, a division where she has previously thrived.

 
“I’m not actually moving down,” she explained. “I’m a natural super bantamweight and I make weight easily,”

 
“I can make bantamweight as well but I’m happy and strong at super bantamweight. I have fought heavier in the past but only because that’s where the opportunities have been.”

 
Having won only one of her past three fights, O’Connell is looking to start the year in impressive fashion as she prepares for an eventual challenge against Brooklyn-based Jamaican and reigning WBC titleholder Alicia Ashley.

 
With the support of an influential management team, O’Connell believes this year will be far better than the last.

 
“Last year was a rocky one for me, due to the first half of it not being able to lock in any fights,” she added.

 
“Joining the Hosking Promotions team has definitely changed things for me – and although I didn’t get the results I was wanting from the last two fights of the year – they were still big fights that I have no regrets in taking,”

 
“I fought on the world stage in Canada and had Lennox Lewis say it was the fight of the night,” she continued.

 
For this fight, O’Connell has split her time between Brisbane boxing institution, Fortitude Boxing and her own gymnasium, Shotgun Boxing and Fitness. Despite the workload, O’Connell is happy with her situation.

 
“Having my own gym has been an amazing feeling and training between Shotgun and Fortitude has been good,”

 
“I can call both gyms home, but at the end of the day – the work needs to be done – no matter where,”

 
“I won a world title training out of a carport in a rough part of Logan in 2014 and I wouldn’t change anything about my journey. It’s been hard at times but everything has made me the person and fighter that I am today,”

 
“I appreciate everything,” she concluded. “I don’t take anything for granted and I don’t underestimate anyone,”

 
 
Photo: Provided