Shannon Ryan

Summarize Timeline Fact Check

A former world-class kickboxer and member of the Team GB taekwondo squad, Ryan switched to boxing in 2016 and went on to have an amateur career which included winning the 2018 Alliance Boxing Champion and 2019 Women's Winter Box Cup before signing with former World heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua’s 258 management company and turning professional in 2022.^[4]

She made her pro-debut on 26 March 2022 at Wembley Arena in London,^[5] defeating Klaudia Ferenczi on points in a four-round contest.^[6] Her third fight was a points victory against Buchra El Quaissi on the historic all-female card topped by the Claressa Shields vs Savannah Marshall unified middleweight title showdown at The O2 Arena in London on 15 October 2022.^[7]

Ryan signed a promotional deal with Eddie Hearn's Matchroom Boxing in March 2023.^[8] She was scheduled to challenge Commonwealth female super-flyweight champion Emma Dolan for her title in a bout that would also have been for the inaugural British female super-flyweight crown on 10 February 2024, but the contest was called off after Dolan withdrew due to illness.^[9] Unbeaten Jasmina Zapotoczna stepped in to face Ryan at the Indigo Arena at the O2 in London with the WBA female super-flyweight International belt on the line.^[10] Ryan won via unanimous decision to claim her first professional title.^[11][12]

Ryan and Dolan's fight for the Commonwealth and British female super-flyweight titles eventually took place at Resorts World Arena in Birmingham on 22 June 2024. After being knocked to the canvas during round two, Ryan lost the bout, and her unbeaten professional record, by split decision. One ringside judge scored the fight 95–94 in her favour but was overruled by the other two who had it 96–94 and 96–93 respectively for Dolan.^[13][14]

Ryan faced Chloe Watson for the vacant IBF female Intercontinental super-flyweight title at York Hall in London on 17 October 2025. She won via unanimous technical decision after being ahead on all three judges' scorecards when the bout was stopped following the fourth round due to an eye injury suffered by Watson as a result of an accidental clash of heads.^[15][16]

In her next outing, Ryan defended her title against Nicola Hopewell at University of Wolverhampton at The Halls in Wolverhampton on 2 May 2026, with the vacant Commonwealth female super-flyweight title also on the line. She won the fight by stoppage in the second round when her opponent's corner threw in the towel after she had knocked Hopewell to the canvas.^[17]

In a rematch of their fight from June 2024, Ryan is scheduled to face Emma Dolan at Utilita Arena in Sheffield on 24 October 2026.^[18]