MICHAELA Walsh is thinking about her future after ending “the toughest year of my boxing career” by rewriting the record books.
The two-time Olympian claimed a record 12th Irish Elite Championship at the National Stadium last month.
Her points win over Kelsey Leonard (Unit 3) in the featherweight final put her one clear of Kellie Harrington, who retired after wrapping up back-to-back Olympic golds in Paris last summer.
The 31-year-old from Holy Family ABC in North Belfast admits she will regret it if she doesn’t test herself in the professional ring before she retires.
But her more immediate target looks to be next year’s World Championships and the possibility of a fourth Commonwealth Games appeals to her as well.
Walsh told ‘Boxing News:’ “I’m going to take it step by step.
“The World Championships are next year [in Liverpool in September] and that will be the next step.
“I went to the World Youths [winning bronze in Turkey in 2011], but not as an Elite.
“I want the Worlds next year and then we will see what comes my way. Maybe the Commonwealth Games after that.”
The 2026 Commonwealth Games are being held in Glasgow where Walsh won flyweight silver in 2014.
She won gold on the Gold Coast four years later up at featherweight before finally striking gold in Birmingham two years ago, alongside younger brother Aidan.
“I chased that gold for so long and ticked that box in Birmingham and doing it with Aidan was so special,” she said.
“It might be nice to finish off in Glasgow which was my first Commonwealth Games. I like the professional side as well.
“There are so many amazing girls out there [in the pros] and I was around them in the amateur game and fought a few of them.
“I have been watching them on the big shows with the ring walks and the bright lights. I see people like Lauren Price and Sandy Ryan on the big screen and think: ‘Why can’t that be me?’
“I might regret it if I don’t dabble in the pros, but if I’m going to take that route, I might have to move away from home to get the right coaching.
“Pro boxing is completely different. I would have to change my style. But I have always been known for my fitness. I get better as the rounds go on. It really, really does interest me.”
Then there’s the lure of a possible third Olympics.
Walsh competed in both Tokyo and Paris – reaching the last eight and last 16 respectively – and has set her sights on winning an Olympic medal.
The International Olympic Committee have yet to decide if boxing will be included in the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028 and Walsh admits competing at a third Olympics would be “massive.”
She said: “When you come into boxing as a young kid, you’re sold the Olympic dream.
“I walked into the Holy Family gym and saw the Olympic rings. There was no women’s boxing in the Olympics at the time I first went to the gym, but I still said to myself: ‘I want my name in one of those rings.’ I’ve done it twice.
“If they take boxing out of the Olympics it will be very, very sad. You will get people turning pro too young and some others might not even take up the sport in the first place.
“The dream for me was always to win an Olympic medal.
“I have achieved a lot in my career and I’m just grateful to be happy again and enjoying the sport. I have achieved a lot in my career and if I walked away today, I could be happy with what I have achieved.”
For Walsh, being happy is everything and earlier this year boxing wasn’t making her happy.
“This year has been my toughest year in boxing,” said Michaela.
“Four months ago, I was close to walking away. I was really struggling. I didn’t want to go to the Olympics.
“But Adan had qualified and [Lead Consultant in High-Performance Sport Clinical Psychology for Team Ireland] Paul Gaffney got me feeling good again.”
In Paris, Walsh bowed out to Bulgarian southpaw Svetlana Kamenova in the last 16 and returned to the ring for the Irish Elite Championships.
Michaela says her bouts at the National Stadium in Dublin were crucial for her boxing future.
“I didn’t know if I still had it,” she said. “I didn’t know if I still had the hunger. I wanted to know if I could still compete at that level.”
Walsh rose to the challenge, posting two points wins in the space of 24 hours.
“I have been at the top for so long and people were coming to take my spot,” she said.
“I wasn’t given that spot. I worked hard for it.
“I knew they had dreams and ambitions to go to the Olympics as well and to get there they had to beat me.
“The way I was boxing, that wasn’t going to be possible.”
Walsh was at her best in the final against Leonard, who she said she “knows inside out” having boxed her three times previously.
Walsh, who says her strengths are her “footwork and speed,” said: “Everything she did I had an answer to. I was in the right mindset. If your head is right, everything is right. You need that mental toughness and resilience.”
Walsh won her first Elite championship in February, 2011 on a memorable night for Irish boxing.
“You always remember your first,” she said. “I was only 17 years of age. I was still a youth and my coach said: ‘I will enter you in the Elites in preparation for the World Youths.’ I wasn’t expected to win it. That night Joe Ward beat (2008 Olympic silver medallist) Kenny Egan (in the light-heavyweight final) when he was only 17.”
Walsh has gone on to surpass 11-time Elite champion Egan and said: “When I retire maybe I will look back on how big it is (to win 12 titles).”
Walsh is planning for her future and spoke to ‘Boxing News’ at the end of a day spent at a coaching course at Ulster University.
“Coaching is something I’m passionate about,” she said. “I have been involved in boxing most of my life and I love it.
“When I walk away from competing, I definitely want to get into coaching.”
