Inside Track: Amy’s aiming for Los Angeles now that she’s back in the ring

If Amy Broadhurst is seen out in international competition this year – and the near certainty is that she will – it will be in a Great Britain singlet.

The Dundalk-born boxer has re-joined the GB Boxing programme, which she has the licence to do since her father, Tony, was born in London.

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And as she plans to take in the next stage of her already honour-laden career, she will compete at her favoured 60kg category, having at one stage moved up to 66kg.

Broadhurst didn’t compete in 2025 – with very good reason. Early in the year, she and her partner, Eoin Pluck, welcomed son, Luca, into the world. The happy occasion came after she had put behind her a most traumatic year in the ring.

As the 2024 Paris Olympics loomed, the former World, European and Commonwealth champion had hopes of making the Ireland team.

However, she failed to be included for a selection assessment ahead of the final Olympic qualifier, thus ruling her out of representing her native country.

While that upset her greatly, she kept the door open to making the Games by declaring for GB. She took part in the qualifiers, in Thailand, but by failing to get beyond the quarter-finals, lost her last hope of going to Paris.

But, 18 months on, the 28-year-old is back with a long-term ambition, to make it on to the British team for the Los Angeles Games, in 2028.

To begin with, she’ll train four days per week at the English Institute in Sheffield, following an assessment with boxers and coaches from the GB podium squad.

Her arrival in England has been welcomed by GB Boxing performance director, Rob McCracken.

Speaking to The Irish News, McCracken said that having worked with Broadhurst previously, they know first-hand the level of quality and commitment she brings.

“When you combine that with her proven track record at international level, it’s clear she has the ability to compete with the very best and has real Olympic potential.”

Broadhurst told the Belfast-based paper: “While the initial decision to switch to Great Britain in 2024 was a bit of a whirlwind experience, I was warmly welcomed by GB Boxing and treated very well; so it is great to come back into the squad.”

She added: “Balancing boxing and being a mum definitely is challenging, but my little boy is my biggest motivation.

“I’ll be flying from Ireland to GB every week, but having him with me every second week will make all the difference and keep me grounded, and remind me why I’m doing this.”

Recalling the events of 2024, the former Dundalk CBS student said when she missed out on qualification the last time, she was devastated.

“But now I see it differently. Everything happens for a reason. I feel strong and comfortable competing at 60kg. I was up and down with weight, but this time I am focused on staying consistent.

“I am fully committed to the next two-and-a-half years now, and my goal is simple – train hard, keep improving and do everything I can to make it to the 2028 Olympics.”

Aside from having won medals at all the big championships, Broadhurst has been part of the Katie Taylor story. It began when the Olympic and World champion was a surprise visitor to the CBS after the school’s star student had won the first of her major titles.

They knocked up a friendship, but more than that, when Taylor was preparing for the first of her World title bouts with Amanda Serrano in New York, she invited the Dundalk girl to America to spar with her, an invitation that was readily and quickly accepted.

As she takes the next step in an already honour-laden career, Amy Broadhurst will know that there’ll be no one more interested in her progress than the Bray girl, who is accepted as the world’s greatest-ever female boxer.