Commonwealth junior bantamweight champion Emma Dolan added the newly minted women’s British 115-pound title to her collection by outboxing and outfighting the previously undefeated Shannon “Kaos” Ryan over 10 quality rounds.
Dolan (7-0, 1 KO), the taller fighter, also had the deeper amateur background of the two and tried to keep the energetic Ryan (7-1) at bay from the center of the ring. But she took a number of fast right hands over the top in the opener as the 27-year-old Ryan immediately recognized a path to success.
Ryan, who started boxing after a successful taekwondo career, continued to move and fire the right hand in the second, but Dolan kept her composure and hurt Ryan with a right of her own as the round drew to a close. Ryan backed away and was dropped to her hands and knees by a short right hook as the bell sounded.
Realizing that Ryan had recovered well, Dolan boxed sensibly in the third. Ryan began to once again dart in and out with her attacks, but although she righted the ship, her high-energy, intense style appeared to be taking its toll.
Dolan was clearly the puncher of the two and held the center of the ring throughout the fourth, stinging Ryan with a stiff right hand. She continued to box calmly and smartly in the fifth, using her jab and lots of feints to slow down Ryan’s raids inside. Ryan’s attacks were the more eye-catching, but Dolan was pacing herself well and having success by keeping things simple.
Dolan punctuated a dominant seventh with a well-timed left hook as Ryan’s output slowed, and she continued to force Ryan to work for every success by keeping her distance, feinting and timing Ryan’s rushes with a solid jab.
Aware that she needed to change the tide, Ryan upped her work rate in the ninth and landed a number of clean shots. She was finding it extremely difficult to land more than single punches, however, and Dolan found enough counters to prevent her from building real momentum.
Both fighters threw everything they had into an exciting 10th and final round, Ryan shooting in those right hands whilst Dolan tried to meet her with stiff counters.
The score went to the cards: Lee Every scored the fight 95-94 for Ryan whilst Kevin Parker saw it 96-93 Dolan. Mark Lyson had it 96-94 for Dolan, who retained her Commonwealth title and made history by becoming the first woman to ever win the British junior bantamweight title.
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