Murphy extends perfect record

Sarah Murphy came through the toughest fight of her budding pro-boxing career after she beat a steely Eva Cantos 39-37 in the Pavilion Building in Leopardstown Racecourse on Saturday night.

In what was the latest JB Promotions event headlined by another Kildare women, Kelsey Leonard, who accounted for Slovakia’s Klaudia Ferenczi on the night, the 18-year-old Murphy met her Spanish opponent on the front foot, taking three of the four rounds, to extend her unbeaten run to 4 and 0.

Facing off against the very experienced Cantos, who is 11 years her senior and, who, with a 9 and 28 record, has never been stopped, Murphy and her coaching team of Brian Guy and her father, Wes, knew they would have to try and meet her head-on.

“It was a completely different fight compared to my previous three” insisted Sarah. “She [Cantos] wanted to stand and trade, so I was coming forward a lot and I didn't give her much space. I had to play her game, but when I saw the openings, I took them.

“She was well able to take a punch, and she wasn't going down, so I had to learn how to pace myself. It was definitely a learning curve in my career and I'm very grateful to learn from a fight like that.

“She was a tough and solid opponent. It was a massive step-up and I’m over the moon at how I performed.

“As my promoter said in the ring himself, it was the best performance of my career. It just shows that, with each camp, I'm learning more and more and I'm only progressing. And I can tell from my punches and the way I was hitting in that fight that I'm only getting stronger” she insisted.

Sarah’s father, Wes was also very pleased at the manner in which she handled herself, telling The Kildare Nationalist that all the hard work put in certainly paid off.

“We knew Eva was going to be dangerous” he said. “We knew she was strong and powerful, so we had to do what we did to take that advantage away from her.

“We knew she’d come forward, so we didn't give her time to let her shots go, and Sarah dominated from the first bell. It was a much more rounded performance by Sarah.

“We've worked so hard and we’ve done so much sparring in the build-up to this camp. We've been in Liverpool, we've been up with Kelsey Leonard in Unit 3, we’ve been up in Tallaght, and it’s all paid off.

“Sarah dominated the first three rounds and we knew Eva had to come out strong in the last, and she started strong, but Sarah put her straight back.

“We had her hurt a few times, and a good few people afterwards said they thought we were going to get her out of there. But the plan was not to try and get her out of there because she's never been stopped before.

“The important thing was to get the win and move on. With four-rounders, it can be dangerous, because if you lose the first round, there's very little time to get that score back. What you need to do is to win those first two rounds and at least that way, you're on track then.

“It was a step up, and to be able to control the fight at such a young age, it shows you the improvement and that level of maturity Sarah has. She’s building with every fight.

“When you look back to her debut in October, she was raw. She wanted to come forward and knock the head off anyone. But now she’s that bit more relaxed, taking her time and then waiting for the opening. And when the opening presents itself, she takes it” he said.

It was Sarah’s third fight in 2026, the Kildare woman having made her professional debut back in October of last year when she beat England’s Kerry Orton.

The St. Brigid’s boxer is delighted to have been kept so busy and is expected to be back out in Leopardstown on July 10th for what will be her final four-round bout.

“I've settled massively into the pro game, and it's only coming more natural to me with each fight I'm taking” she remarked.

“I'm ready to get in one more four-rounder in July before my first six-rounder in September, and then, please God, in 2027 we're going to go for a title fight.

“I'm very happy with how active I’ve been. With each fight, I'm only learning more and more. So, please God, by the end of the year, if everything goes to plan, I'm going to be 6 and 0,” she said.