History and heartbreak on big South Yorkshire fight night
"Not the result I wanted tonight, I feel so disappointed but so happy I’m safe and well”
They can take the woman out of the fight - but not the fight out of the woman.
Nicola Hopewell's corner threw in the towel, on Saturday night, after she had been heavily dropped by Shannon Ryan on her Matchroom debut.
She plunged backwards to the canvas, three minutes into the scheduled 10-rounder in Wolverhampton, yet got back to her feet, ready to continue, until her trainer opted for a safety-first approach.
Later she admitted going up from flyweight - the division in which she had won the IBO world title - to super flyweight had backfired.
There were shades, here, of a similar experience suffered by Terri Harper.
The Denaby fighter moved up to super-featherweight and was stopped by Alycia Baumgardner at Sheffield Arena in November 2021, losing her WBC title by fourth-round knockout.
Harper was overwhelmed by Baumgardner’s power and later admitted she’d paid the price for taking on a naturally bigger, heavier puncher.
Nearly five years later, a similar thing happened to Hopewell, who trains at Woodhouse Boxing Club-Sheffield Kings gym.
The Worksop fighter had managed a few decent shots, but nothing compared to the meaty right hand that ended her participation.
A day earlier, she said she'd "felt great" at 8 stone 3 lbs, but that didn't transfer to the ring.
The 34-year-old, who lost at super flyweight to Emma Dolan at Sheffield's Park Community Arena in 2023, said, after the weekend loss: "Not the result I wanted tonight, I feel so disappointed but so happy I’m safe and well.
"Shannon is a great fighter and really turned up tonight, I’ve never been hit so hard.
"But credit to Shannon for her kind words after the fight.
"My team know me best so I have to respect the decision they made to pull me out.
"I’m so happy I finally had the opportunity to box on the biggest platform in the world, I just wish the outcome was different.
"I will probably feel sorry for myself for a bit but I know one thing I stepped up to super fly weight twice now and never again it’s too big for me.
"I rolled the dice and took a chance, that’s boxing."
Trainer Daz Mecdcalf said: "Nic has done more than most ever will; she lost to a quality fighter at a higher weight - s**t happens; its boxing."
There were online messages of support from the local boxing community with Robert Riley posting: "Be proud you gave it your best shot hope you carry on, Nicola, champ all the way in boxing and in life."
Boxer Ebanie Bridges added: "We are proud of you, wasn’t your night, Shannon is a great fighter and realistically you should be fighting at light fly and below."
On the same card, Rotherham's Junaid Bostan got back in the win column with a clean 80-72 victory over Italy-based Moroccan Mohammed Graich.
Victory was essential after losing and drawing his previous two fights, in a wretched 2025.
"Now back to the script" he said later.
Meanwhile 85 miles away, on a Ryan Rhodes' bill at Rotherham's Magna Centre, history was being made.
Conner Kelsall was crowned European flyweight champion after a tight points win over Italy based southpaw Joel Santos.
One judge saw it as a 114-114 tie, while the others favoured the Conisbrough bar manager, 115-113 and 116-112.
The South Yorkshireman was a quick starter but laboured at times as the fight went the full 12 rounds. The ninth and tenth rounds were concerning for his fans in the venue, who got behind him accordingly.
It was only his 14th professional fight and to win a title of such magnitude hints at bigger things ahead.
Father of two Kelsall, 27, was emotional in victory and acknowledged the "good people" who had been around him, who had been steering him to victory.
"We have made history - I am now Denaby and Conisbrough's first European champion.
"It is mad, as a kid and coming through the amateurs I have achieved things that no one has ever achieved. Five back to back ABAs - I thought that was special."
He said he was now delighted to emulate his trainer Jason Cunningham, who had also won a European title.
"What else can I do now? Can I do more we will see; it's exciting" he told Boxed In channel.
MAGNA RESULTS:
Conner Kelsall (previously) 13 0 0, Denaby, beat Joel Santos 8 0 2, Italy, vacant EBU European Flyweight
Hughie Wilson 10 2 0, Doncaster, bt Rashid Omar 8 4 0, Cardiff, super light
Billy Jarmolinski 3 0 0, Doncaster, bt Alisha Lewis 1 4 0, Grimsby, feather
Mohammed Subhaan 11 1 0, Ingle/Bradford, bt Fernando Joaquin Valdez 1 25 1, Argentina, light
Joshua Simms 2 0 0 Doncaster bt Lamah Griggs 3 12 1 Nottingham heavy