| Hosts: Birmingham Dates: 28 July to 8 August |
| Coverage: Watch live on BBC TV with extra streams on BBC iPlayer, Red Button, BBC Sport website and BBC Sport mobile app; Listen on BBC Radio 5 Live and Sports Extra; live text and clips online. |
To the untrained eye Amy Broadhurst’s life changed overnight back in May.
The years of sacrifice, early mornings, travel and competition had largely escaped the public consciousness until all of a sudden she thrust herself into the spotlight.
In winning gold at the world boxing championships alongside team-mate Lisa O’Rourke, Broadhurst’s was a name known by all with a passing interest in Irish sport.
What helped the public grasp the magnitude of the achievement was the fact that Broadhurst and O’Rourke now shared their rarefied air with just two others: Katie Taylor and Kellie Harrington. Both icons of Irish sport, and the only other female boxers to have claimed amateur world titles.
Quite the company for any young fighter, and if that wasn’t enough she also had the personal endorsement of Taylor.
Women’s boxing’s single biggest star brought Broadhurst out for sparring in preparation for her win over Amanda Serrano at Madison Square Garden, and told her compatriot that she was going to become a force of her own.
After the win and a whirlwind of public appearances, Broadhurst returned to training in Jordanstown to begin plotting her answer to one question: what comes after success?
Where there was hope there is now expectation, and Broadhurst arrives at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham with her card marked.
“At the beginning I didn’t really feel any pressure but now as it’s getting closer I can feel it a little bit,” admits the 25-year-old.
“I don’t want to get into the ring at the Commonwealths thinking that [because] I’m world champion, I’m untouchable because that’s not the case.
“I’ll bring the confidence in with me that I am world champion, but not take anything for granted.
“There’s going to be people watching that are expecting me to win, but it’s boxing and anything can happen.”
‘You’re the best boxer in the world in your weight category’
Amid all the talk of pressure and expectation one might be moved to conclude there is no benefit to going into a tournament as favourite.
But to do so would be to ignore what put Broadhurst in that position in the first place. Hers is the name that most fighters in the women’s 60kg category would have looked for after finding their own in the draw; without a punch being thrown, she is the one to beat.
“Knowing you’re number one in the world,” Broadhurst said when asked for the most valuable thing she could take from her world championship success.
“You’re the best boxer in the world in your weight category.”
For the Birmingham Games Broadhurst has dropped down to 60kg having enjoyed her recent success at 63kg.
That in itself has helped focus the mind, with the unfamiliar challenge of making a new weight forcing her to change her usual pre-competition habits.
“I’d walk around at 64kg for 63kg so I was able to have a treat every so often,” she says.
“I didn’t really watch what I was eating because I was always at that weight but now coming down to 60kg, because I’ve gained a lot of muscle over the last two years, it’s a lot tighter so I have to be very strict in what I’m putting into my body.”
‘Unbelievable’ NI boxers to shoulder medal responsibility again
At least in weight making and indeed all aspects of preparation Broadhurst is not alone. Indeed not even expectation is reserved solely for the world champion.
All those who book their place in Northern Ireland’s Commonwealth boxing squad must deal with the pressure of being part of the sport that has historically led the way for Team NI.
A staggering 49% of Northern Ireland’s Commonwealth Games medals have come inside the ring, where they have secured over three times as many podiums as the next most successful sport.
True to form, the 2022 crop offer much to get excited about. Alongside Broadhurst are siblings Aidan and Michaela Walsh, 2018 silver medallist Carly McNaul and a host of young talent.
“It’s an unbelievable team and quite possibly one of the best teams that has gone to a Commonwealth Games,” says Broadhurst.
“Dylan Eagleson is only 19 but he’s a talent. Eireann Nugent hasn’t won anything but she’s going to shock a lot of people and we all know that.”
Soon, Broadhurst and her team-mates will no longer have to field questions about pressure or replicating past glories.
The world championship is in the bank, where it will remain forever. No-one can take that away from Broadhurst nor tarnish the achievement, but perhaps now is the time to park it.
“I’ve nearly forgot about what I’m after achieving because you can’t dwell on it too much,” she concludes.
“You have to achieve more.”
