Undefeated in five outings, and with a 53 second stoppage win on her debut, Emma Dolan, now residing in the Newark area of Nottinghamshire is, heading to Friday’s local dust-up with Nicola Hopewell, as the Commonwealth super flyweight champion.
Represented by Carl Greaves Promotions, Dolan, 5-0(1), moved to Nottinghamshire, from her native Norfolk, she’s a Norwich girl, in order to continue her progression as a professional boxer, it paying instant dividends.
Her last outing, and first under Greaves’ management, saw her pick up an emphatic, UD10 success, at the Newark Showground, against Tanzania’ three-time world title challenger, Halima Vunjabei (WBF World light flyweight, 2018, UBO World super flyweight, 2021, and WIBA World super bantamweight, 2022).
A tough ask for Dolan, for her then, fourth outing, Vunjabei had already had 21, winning 11 of those, and in different parts of the world, although there is a little difference between Moscow and Newark….
Speaking of that part of the world, Moscow, Russia, Dolan’s move from Norwich to Newark is somewhat smaller than one of her stablemates, she saying that: “Carl (Greaves), he’s the reason behind my coming here.
“I a six-week trial last August, and moved to Nottinghamshire shortly after that; although there’s a big difference between that, and David Avanesyan (from Pyatigorsk, Russia).
“Myself though, I’ve been boxing since I was nine-years-old, after my brother watched the Rocky films and talked into taking him to a boxing gym.
“I felt left out, so went along as well, and I’ve never looked back.”
Having eventually made her professional debut in September, with a TKO1 success over Birmingham’s Nicole Goldsmith Ryan, Dolan would enjoy two further successes that year, PTS victories over Slovakian Klaudia Ferenczi (Hopewell’s debut opponent) and Bournemouth’s Gemma Ruegg.
A seven-month gap then followed before Dolan defeated Nicaragua’s Jamilette Janitza Vallejos, her first four outings coming in her home-town of Norwich, before the move, and the Commonwealth fight.
“I guess it was frustrating a little to begin with, but I’ve had a few fights,” admitted Dolan.
“The title fight (against Vunjabei) was my first fight in eight months, and a lot of people wouldn’t have touched that kind of fight.
“I could have taken an ‘easier’ fight, but I took a lot from winning the title, I learnt a lot, got a good, solid ten rounds under my belt, and I was in the ring with someone who came and wanted to win.”
Another seven months has elapsed for Dolan since winning the title, she and Dolan finally getting a chance to dance together in the middle of the ring. It’s an occasion which, for Dolan, she knows that, even though she’s going in as champion, she’s also going into the lion’s den.
“I’ve just been keeping myself ticking over in the gym,” continued Dolan, a former England representative.
“We’ve been working on, and improving different things; I feel confident though, and I’m looking forward to it.
“I know I have to go in there and be the best that I can be; I asked for this fight, and I know that she (Nicola Hopewell) will be a tough opponent for me.
“The camp, it’s been one of the best that I’ve had, but I’m just looking forward to going into what’ll be the lion’s den, Nicola’s home if you will, with here being a Sheffield (United) fan and all.”
Emma Dolan is sponsored by DP Boxing, RCP Electrical, Newark & Sherwood United FC, Fountain Sports, Richards Quality Meats, Chipmonkz Slots, and David Lloyds Lincoln; Emma Dolan defends her Commonwealth super flyweight championship, against Nicola Hopewell, at the Park Community Arena, Sheffield, on Friday 6 October (GBM Sports), as support to the Reece Mould vs. Martin McDonagh WBA lightweight continental title clash.
*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).
*Main image @emma_dolan21 Boxer Emma Dolan will be looking to defend her belt.
