It was at her new club that Gallagher’s talent began to flourish. At 13 years old she won her first national title, claiming the coveted Golden Gloves, and became the number one female boxer in England in her weight class.
“That one was special,” she says.
But just as her amateur career was peaking when she was 19 years old, life took an unexpected turn.
“I had a few weeks off over the summer, and I fell pregnant,” Gallagher says.
“I just didn’t know if I was ever going to box again. A lot of people were telling me I wouldn’t box again.”
In the early stages of motherhood, Gallagher’s passion for boxing lay dormant.
“I was in a bit of a baby bubble,” she says.
“I wasn’t really interested in getting back into boxing, but then after about a year I thought, ‘I need to get back to it badly’.”
It was during the Covid pandemic that Gallagher’s drive returned.
“I started sparring again and everything just started coming together. It clicked – this is what I was meant for,” she says.
Since turning professional under coach Tony Pill in 2021, Gallagher has claimed both British and Commonwealth titles at super-bantamweight, and fell just short in a world title attempt late last year.
On 27 September in Sheffield, she will defend her Commonwealth title against Tori-Ellis Willetts.
The sacrifices Gallagher is making in camp, she believes, will not only prepare her for the fight but also serve to inspire her daughter.
“I’m putting all these hours in, I’m missing out on parties, and when it was her birthday I couldn’t even have a slice of cake,” she says.
“But in the back of my head, I’ve got to do this for her – to give her a good life and to make sure she’s proud of me.
“It’s also showing her how to be strong when she grows up.”
