By James Reid

From the workshop to the boxing ring, Shannon Ryan is on a mission to inspire the next generation as she prepares for a British and Commonwealth title fight.

It’s only been two years since Ryan swapped the shop floor of the O2 store in Watford for the silver screen of professional boxing, but the 27-year-old has quickly racked up seven consecutive wins and has just announced the extension of her sponsorship deal with O2 for a further two years.

Her undefeated record is on the line again in June when she faces Emma Dolan for the British and Commonwealth super-flyweight titles, and Ryan knows it will further enhance her fast-growing reputation as one of the country’s most exciting boxers.

And that is exactly what she wants, because she wants to spread her message: “Pursue your passion, no matter what setbacks you face.”

“I want to advocate for the younger generation. Not just girls, not just boys, but men and women,” says Ryan, who has a rich sporting past. She started kickboxing at the age of eight, was later recognised as the best athlete in the world in her weight class and won several international tournaments before representing Great Britain in taekwondo.

“I want to be a voice that says: don’t forget to do what you love. Time passes so quickly, which everyone realizes as they get older, but people forget to find their meaning and be happy.

“I want to be the voice that can spread it in the community so that people can continue to pursue their dreams.”

Ryan speaks from experience, having travelled the scenic route to where she is today. Her love of fighting was evident from the age of five, and her father’s kickboxing gym in Bushey was her first foray.

She switched to taekwondo to secure a place at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, but returned home after nine months in Manchester with injuries and discovered boxing.

With no immediate prospect of a professional career, Ryan combined her training with regular work in an O2 retail store, where she discovered how challenging it was to pursue her dreams as an amateur athlete.

“I would never say I had it easy. If people look from the outside, they might think it is, but for me it has not been easy,” she added.

“It was hard, but I did it. I did my 9-5 job and then my 6-10 job that was my passion.

“I closed the shop and then went straight to the gym, missing out on a vital meal that would have helped me keep going during my workout. I absolutely loved the job, but I had to find a way out to do what I love.

“It was my very first job and I’m so grateful to my team at the O2 store for supporting my dream of becoming a professional boxer. When I had to change shifts for training, the whole team were fantastic.

“The rest and relaxation weren’t quite there, and the planned meals weren’t quite there. Now that I’m a professional, I see a big difference.

“It’s a crazy journey. When someone looks at my career and sees where I am now, I think it’s incredible. I’m proud of myself, I’m proud of the support I’ve received.

“I always said that because of my background, it was not my destiny to be a boxer. But now I say that it was always my destiny to be a boxer. I just had to go through everything I had to go through to become the boxer I am today.”

She owes her professional status in part to her previous employer O2, who offered Ryan a sponsorship when her professional qualification was recognised in 2022.

They are not the only ones with an eye for talent. Management company 258 and fellow Watford boxer Anthony Joshua’s promoter Boxxer also backed them before Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing added them to his world-class squad.

This means Ryan can prepare for her fights exactly as needed, without having to swap shifts or skip meals.

“For me, things have come full circle, but it was hard work and training,” she reflects. “Now working with O2 as a professional has been a crucial part of my career.”

“Without them, I probably wouldn’t have improved or advanced as quickly. Thanks to O2, I can now train twice a day and rest and recover.”

This means that all the conditions are in place for Ryan’s fight against Dolan on June 22nd and the 27-year-old can take more time to study her opponent instead of falling asleep in front of video clips after a full day at work.

She has enjoyed the professional world so far and Ryan hopes that the fight is just another step to greater heights where she can continue to tell the story of her long journey to the top.

“Every fight is a new experience and with every fight you learn more about yourself as an athlete and as an individual,” added Ryan, who does a lot in her community by encouraging young girls to get involved in sports/boxing and helping with the O2 database.

“I believe I can become the undisputed champion at super flyweight and then either move down or move up to become a world champion in two weight classes. I firmly believe I can do it.

“It’s scary but also exciting and the two go hand in hand. It’s scary because when you have the world title, all eyes are on you. You have the title, the goal is to keep it.”

“It’s also exciting because your voice has more power. That means you have a little more say in what you want to do, both inside and outside of boxing.”