Leonard out to make history at National Stadium

Kelsey Leonard, or Kelsey Clarke-Leonard to give her full title (the Clarke comes from her mother’s maiden name), returns to the ring on this Saturday night, 4 April, to take on Mayo’s Elaine Harrison in Dublin’s National Stadium. It’s a history making night as this bout on the JB Promotions Show will be the first time that two Irish female boxers will meet in Ireland in a Boxing Union of Ireland (BUI) sanctioned professional fight.

Leonard, who only turned professional last August, carved out a busy schedule over the following five months before taking a break after her fourth successful fight in early December. 

“It's been a little bit weird having such a break between my fights,” Kelsey told The Kildare Nationalist as she wound down preparations this week for the fight at the South Circular Road venue. 

“I was used to just being busy, busy, busy, so it was a bit weird to kind of slow down. I took December, kind of completely off after my fight and then a break in January. It was something that I wasn't really used to, but it was good to just refresh the body and take a little bit of a break because you can't keep going like that all the time,” she continued.

Kelsey, who boxes out of UNIT 3 Boxing Club in Naas under Coach and Manager, Niall Barrett, said of the 2025 busy schedule.

 “I think because each fight was so close, I didn't really have to get my fitness back up again or go into really intense training. It was just a steady pace the whole time but you're just constantly in focus mode. So, I think just to actually switch off the brain and just relax mentally as well. I just ate all around me, yeah, just had some food, enjoyed my friends and family and literally just relaxed,” she laughed.

The 26-year-old built her round time in the ring over those four successful 2025 fights, with a two round, four round and two six round victories in the process. 

“It was great to get that many rounds in and to have such good step ups in all my fights, the opponent got better and better as they went on. So, a really valuable experience,” Kelsey opined. While Leonard always prided herself in her “professional” approach to her amateur fights she has faced different challenges in the Professional game now. 

“I think, so far so good, it’s been pretty smooth sailings but there's obviously been a couple of ups and downs and just little struggles along the way,” she explained of the Professional game. 

“I'm lucky with the support system that I have around me and I was kind of aware of the professional side of things before I turned, kind of mentally prepared. It's completely different to amateur, especially promoting and selling tickets and stuff like that. It just takes a lot of mental focus, you have to be constantly thinking in a business mindset. I think I've handled all those situations good,” she said.

Looking forward to Saturday’s fight and her bout with Ballina native, Elaine Harrison, a former National Intermediate title winner and Irish International, Kelsey Leonard says. 

“She'll definitely be my toughest opponent yet. She was a really well skilled amateur boxer. It will be tough fight but I think it'll bring out the best of me. I think we both might have won Irish titles at the same weight.” 

Concluding Kelsey Leonard, who would love to be on her idol, Katie Taylor’s last fight card in Croke Park, should it happen, said, “I'm really excited to be a part of that JB Promotions Card on the night and I think that it will have a nice atmosphere to it as well. But I think I'm really most excited for the step up that I think I'm really going to be able to show my true talent and skills. She's going to be such a high level so I'm really excited for that.”