‘Don’t ever give up’ – Shauna Browne reveals she came close to walking away before title glory

Shauna Browne has revealed she was close to walking away from boxing just months before enjoying her biggest pro success to date.

The Tipperary fighter claimed the WBO European title, a strap that should boost her world title credentials significantly, by stopping Lilia Cherifi in July.

However, a difficult period before the career boosting win nearly meant there wasn’t a career to boost.

Behind the scenes, the 32-year-old was battling through a series of personal and professional setbacks that left her questioning whether her boxing journey was coming to an end.

She had already endured the disappointment of a fight being cancelled during fight week after completing a four-month camp.

The setback left the big puncher in tears and questioning her future in the sport.

“I was nearly at breaking point in April because obviously I was supposed to fight in Dublin in March, did a whole camp for 4 months, skipped Christmas, I was staying in the UK on my own all over Christmas,” she revealed.

“The fight got pulled fight week. And then I was in tears wondering, is this going to be it? Was considering packing it all up, moving home.”

Just weeks later, however, she received a call from promoter Johnny Clark that would ultimately change everything.

“And then I got the call a week later about the fight, and here I am 4 months later, and I’m sitting with a WBO European title after having won it the biggest night of my entire life on.”

Browne believes that moment serves as a reminder of just how close athletes can be to their breakthrough when they are tempted to give up.

“I could have packed everything up, and that may have not happened cuz I gave up.”

The cancelled Dublin fight was far from the only adversity Browne faced this year.

Seven weeks before her WBO European title fight, she was involved in a serious car crash.

“I crashed my car 7 weeks ago. It overturned. Then a person very close to my heart got killed on a motorbike accident. It’s been a difficult time.”

Yet Browne continued – and she believes the resilience required to keep moving forward through those moments is ultimately what has made her a stronger fighter.

“These are all things that people don’t know about, but the resilience that I show and the not being able to be knocked back, just get up and get on with things, that’s more powerful than anything that I can get out of the ring.

“That’s the resilience. That’s the persistence. That’s what makes me the fighter I am, and that’s what’s going to bring me all the way to the top because nothing phases me now. Nothing.

“The growth in me as a person more than a boxer in the last year has been exceptional. Like I barely recognize myself, the person that I’ve changed into even in the last 3 to 6 months.”

And now, with a title around her waist, Browne can look back on the moments when she considered walking away and realise just how close she was to missing the biggest achievement of her career.

Her message to anyone facing their own setbacks is simple.

“One thing I’ll say is, no matter how hard things get, lads, don’t ever give up, because you never realize how close you are.”