Girl power! Meet the talented teen boxer crowned IBA Junior European Boxing Champion

Talented schoolgirl Ella Lonsdale, 15, is celebrating after being crowned IBA Junior European Boxing Champion after winning all of her bouts by unanimous points decisions.
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Ella, who lives in Easington and attends Shotton Hall Academy, has just returned from 10 days in Pescara in Italy where she overcame competition from fighters representing 32 different countries, including girls two and three years older, to take the European belt for the 54kg weight division.

It was the culmination of a four month journey which began in June when the teenager boxed for England in the Tri-Nations Championships where she beat off competition from Scottish and Welsh fighters, again in the 54kg division, to be crowned champion.

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She was then selected to attend a specialist training camp in Sheffield with England Boxing where for two months she received specialist weekend coaching ahead of the European Championships.

During this period she also continued to train with Sunderland East End Amateur Boxing Club, who she has represented since the age of 10.

Ella, who is also studying for her GCSEs, said: “I’d trained so hard for this competition and was confident I was going to win. It was really exciting when I found out I’d won – I was over the moon.”

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It was a bitter sweet experience for Ella, after her grandmother, Lesley Morrison, who always attended her fights, sadly passed away from cancer during the Tri-Nations competition.

Ella Lonsdale, 15, with her England Junior Female Boxing title belt and her medal for winning the European Junior Boxing Championship for her weight division.Ella Lonsdale, 15, with her England Junior Female Boxing title belt and her medal for winning the European Junior Boxing Championship for her weight division.
Ella Lonsdale, 15, with her England Junior Female Boxing title belt and her medal for winning the European Junior Boxing Championship for her weight division.
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The Year 11 pupil added: “I was thinking about my grandmother at the end of the fight and I blew a kiss towards the sky – there were a few tears. She would have been so proud to have seen me win.”

Ella did have the backing in the crowd of proud mum, Anna Lonsdale, along with grandfather Ronnie Morrison and younger sister Lily Lonsdale.

Anna, 33, said: “I always get nervous before Ella fights but it was absolutely amazing to see her win. She trained really hard and I’m so proud of her.”

Ella Lonsdale, 15, has just been crowned female European Junior Boxing Champion in the 54kg weight division.Ella Lonsdale, 15, has just been crowned female European Junior Boxing Champion in the 54kg weight division.
Ella Lonsdale, 15, has just been crowned female European Junior Boxing Champion in the 54kg weight division.

Ella counts female WBO middle weight world title holder Savannah Marshall and Tyson Fury as her biggest idols.

She said: “My first ambition is to get onto the 2024 GB Olympics team and then to turn professional. I’d love to fight at Wembley Stadium one day.”

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