Boxing world mourns 25-year-old fighter who died after cancer battle and wedding

Lately, there has been more and more sad news coming from sports news, including this time.

The boxing world was shocked by the news of the death of Georgia O’Connor, an English boxer and gold medalist at the 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games, who lost her battle with cancer at the age of 25. O’Connor was one of the UK’s most promising young fighters, with a professional record of 3-0, but behind the scenes of her sporting success she was fighting a personal battle with a cancer diagnosis she received in October 2024.

Two weeks before her death, O’Connor posted a touching message on her Instagram profile; she married her partner Adrian, leaving a strong message of love and togetherness despite a difficult phase in her life. It was her last public appearance.

She built her career methodically; in addition to wearing the England national team jersey, she also performed at the major event Claressa Shields vs. Savannah Marshall at the O2 Arena in 2022, where she further confirmed her potential in front of a wider audience.

BOXXER organization's statement

The BOXXER organization, under whose umbrella she competed, said goodbye to her with an emotional statement:

"We are devastated by the loss of Georgia O'Connor. A true warrior in and out of the ring, the boxing community has lost a talented, courageous and determined young woman far too soon. Georgia was loved, respected and admired by her friends at BOXXER. Our thoughts are with her loved ones at this difficult time."

Georgia O'Connor will be remembered as a young athlete who showed great promise; and who, despite a serious illness, maintained her dignity, courage and love until her last breath. May she rest in peace.

Many of her acquaintances and colleagues said goodbye to the 25-year-old with emotional messages, offering support to her family. There will be a big void after the death of such a promising boxer, who unfortunately did not manage to win her last fight.