Georgia O'Connor, beloved and unbeaten British boxer, dies at 25
Georgia O'Connor, a British boxer who was unbeaten in her young professional career, has died at age 25.
The promotion company BOXXER said in a statement Thursday that it was 'heartbroken by the passing' of a fighter it had represented for all three of her professional bouts.
'A true warrior inside and outside the ring, the boxing community has lost a talented, courageous and determined young woman far too soon,' the company wrote. 'Georgia was loved, respected and admired by her friends here at BOXXER. Our thoughts are with her loved ones at this difficult time.'
No cause of death has been given, but O'Connor had revealed on Jan. 31 on Instagram that she had been diagnosed with cancer.
'I'm still smiling and that smile will NEVER fade, no matter what,' she wrote. 'We've already got an amazing oncologist on my case and we've made sure I'm going to have the best treatment and healing possible. Starting NOW.'
A GoFundMe page, which O'Connor had said was set up by her parents to help cover her medical bills, described the cancer as 'rare and aggressive.'
'Doctors are calling it 'incurable,'' the fundraiser's description states.
'But Georgia does not accept this.'
O'Connor is survived by her husband Adriano Cardinali, whom she married May 9.
'From the moment I was diagnosed with cancer, Adriano didn't hesitate,' O'Connor wrote Feb. 3 on Instagram. 'He quit his job without a second thought and made it his mission to fight this battle alongside me. Not just by my side, but leading the charge, doing everything in his power to save me.'
O'Connor was born Feb 18. 2000, in County Durham, England. Her father introduced her to boxing very soon afterward, she told SkySports in 2021.
'My dad put a pair of gloves on me before I could walk,' she said. 'He always wanted me to be able to look after me. He never wanted me to be a superstar, my family aren't like that. He just wanted me to defend myself because the world isn't a nice place.'
She added: 'I was a three-time national taekwondo champion, undefeated in kickboxing, but my heart has always been with boxing.'
As a youth boxer, O'Connor won a gold medal at the Commonwealth Youth Games in 2017 and a silver and bronze at the Youth World Championships in 2017 and 2018. She won all three of her professional fights, between October 2021 and October 2022, later revealing she did so while suffering from what was eventually diagnosed as ulcerative colitis.
'I was going to the toilet between 15 and 20 times per day,' O'Connor wrote Feb. 9, 2024, on Instagram. '... I had pain in my joints and unbearable bowel cramps almost every day. I had 3 professional boxing fights during this time, all of which I somehow managed to win without any form of medication or treatment.'
O'Connor also revealed in February on Instagram that she had suffered a miscarriage within 'the last few months.'
England Boxing paid tribute on Thursday to one of its rising stars in a statement .
'A hugely talented boxer and much-loved member of the boxing community, Georgia inspired many with her achievements in the ring and her spirit outside of it,' the sport's governing body in England wrote. 'Her dedication, passion, and talent made her a role model for young athletes across the country. Georgia's legacy will live on in the hearts of those she inspired, and she will be deeply missed by all who knew her.'
International Boxing Federation and World Boxing Organization super bantamweight champion Ellie Scotney addresssed her late friend on Instagram.
'Being a pure soul and a good person gets thrown around so much, but you my friend are the definition of every word of that and so much more,' Scotney wrote. 'I still can picture that timid shy but larger than life young girl walking on her tip toes a few steps in front of me, little did I know that very same girl was going to show not just me but the whole world how special life is and mostly how to live by every second.
'Even when life was on a timer, you never let anything dim that light of yours. A smile that never ever fades, and a heart that will forever live on in so many ways. There was nothing you couldn't do, the world at your very feet no matter what room you entered. I was so blessed with not just a friend for 10 years, but a sister for life.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Historic College Football Program Projected to Have Most Expensive Recruiting Class
Historic College Football Program Projected to Have Most Expensive Recruiting Class originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Georgia Bulldogs don't have the top-rated recruiting class for the 2026 cycle. But as it stands right now, it's the most expensive one. Advertisement According to On3's predictions, Georgia is projected to pay $253,000 per player in the 2026 recruiting class. That has moved the Bulldogs into first place in average NIL value per 2026 prospect. The Miami Hurricanes sit in second place with an average NIL value of $251,000 per player. Georgia has landed 12 commitments in the 2026 recruiting class. With an average value of $253,000 per prospect, the Bulldogs are set to pay $3,036,000 for the entire upcoming class. According to On3, Georgia is one of just four schools that is averaging more than $200,000 in NIL value per prospect for 2026. Besides Miami, the other two programs with that high of an average are the LSU Tigers and Tennessee Volunteers. Georgia Bulldogs football head coach Kirby Smart© Marc Weiszer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images A handful of other schools have average NIL values per prospect exceeding $100,000. Advertisement The list of programs with that high of an average includes the Texas Longhorns, Alabama Crimson Tide, Ohio State Buckeyes, USC Trojans, Oregon Ducks, Maryland Terrapins, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Michigan Wolverines and Texas A&M Aggies. The price tag the Bulldogs are set to pay their incoming recruiting class is interesting considering how adamant head coach Kirby Smart has been in the past that he doesn't want prospects at Georgia who are just trying to land with the highest bidder. According to 247Sports, Georgia has the sixth-ranked recruiting class for 2026. While that doesn't sound all that impressive given how expensive it will be, the Bulldogs sit just outside the top five because they only have 12 recruits. Advertisement The Penn State Nittany Lions, who are No. 5 in the 247Sports 2026 recruiting class rankings, have 19 commits. It wasn't long ago the Bulldogs were outside the top 10 on the list. But the program continues to add high-quality prospects. If that continues to happen this spring, Georgia is likely to contend for a top three recruiting class. Related: Georgia Dealt Bad News on Coveted Playmaker in Latest College Football Rumors This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 6, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Braves designate Craig Kimbrel for assignment after calling him up from minors for 1 appearance
Craig Kimbrel's reunion with the Atlanta Braves lasted one game. The veteran reliever was designated for assignment on Saturday, the team announced. Kimbrel, 37, appeared in Friday's 5-4 loss to the San Francisco Giants after being called up from Triple-A Gwinnett. Pitching the seventh inning, he allowed no runs with one hit, one walk and a strikeout. Kimbrel threw 14 pitches in total. Advertisement However, Braves manager Brian Snitker didn't sound terribly impressed with Kimbrel's performance after the game, attributing the scoreless inning partially to luck. 'He kind of lucked out of it a little bit,' Snitker said, via the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. 'I'm glad he got through it. It was good to get him out there for the first time. So we'll see.' Kimbrel allowed a leadoff single to Heliot Ramos, who was then thrown out trying to steal second base. Jung Hoo Lee then drew a walk on four pitches, but was picked off first base. Kimbrel then ended the inning by striking out Wilmer Flores. However, his average velocity was 91.7 mph, far below what he threw in his prime. The Braves signed Kimbrel to a minor league deal during spring training, but didn't make the major league roster. In 18 minor league appearances this season (15 for Gwinnett), he had a 2.00 ERA with 23 strikeouts in 18 innings with 8 walks and 9 hits allowed. Advertisement Kimbrel pitched the first five seasons of his career with the Braves, collecting a 1.43 ERA and 186 saves in 294 appearances. He won the 2011 National League Rookie of the Year award and made four All-Star teams during his stint with Atlanta. The Braves traded him to the San Diego Padres before the 2015 season and he's pitched for six other teams since then. Last season, he had a 5.33 ERA for the Baltimore Orioles in 57 appearances despite a strikeout rate of 12.6 per nine innings and was released in late September. Left-hander Austin Cox was called up from Gwinnett to take Kimbrel's place on the roster. In 19 minor league appearances, he compiled a 3.86 ERA and 26 strikeouts in 23 1/3 innings. He last pitched in the majors with the Kansas City Royals in 2023. Atlanta lost in the 10th inning when Tyler Fitzgerald scored on a wild pitch by Pierce Johnson. The Braves have lost five consecutive games and holds fourth place in the National League East with a 27-35 record, 12 games behind the New York Mets.
Business Upturn
4 hours ago
- Business Upturn
From film sets to sports stadiums, Bollywood actors are changing the game
When it comes to ambition, Indian film stars are no strangers to reinvention. And now, a growing number of them are making headlines not for their roles in films, but for their strategic forays into the high-stakes world of professional sport. This isn't about a passing passion or publicity stunt — it's a savvy business decision that's reshaping how India consumes both entertainment and sport. Of course, it helps that today's sports presentation is slicker than ever before. Anchors, presenters, and commentators have evolved into celebrities in their own right. Nikita Anand, who first made her mark as Miss India Universe and an actor, has emerged as the most articulate and celebrated presenter in Indian sports broadcasting. She has been a part of major shows like the Indian Super League on Star Sports and Cup Tak on Star News. Her work consistently garners appreciation on Instagram, where fans praise not just her fluency but also the emotional intelligence she brings to her presentation. 'Presenting sport isn't just about stats and scores,' she says. 'It's about capturing the moment, connecting with the energy, and giving the audience something real to hold on to.' Which is exactly what India's actors-turned-sports-investors are doing. Whether it's a stadium full of fans or a streaming audience at home, they're building experiences. They're building brands. And more than anything, they're betting on the future of Indian sport. This shift has taken centre stage over the past decade. It began, unmistakably, with the Indian Premier League. Cricket has always been more than just a game in India — it's religion, celebration, and business rolled into one. When Shah Rukh Khan picked up ownership of the Kolkata Knight Riders in 2008, alongside Juhi Chawla and Jay Mehta, it wasn't just a glitzy endorsement. It was a business masterstroke. 'Sport is no longer operating in a silo. It's entertainment, it's performance, and it's powerful storytelling. Those familiar with cinema instinctively understand these elements — which is why the connection with sport comes so naturally,' says Nikita. Take Preity Zinta, who made headlines as the co-owner of Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings). Or Shilpa Shetty, whose involvement with Rajasthan Royals gave the team an extra sheen of stardust in the early IPL seasons. Their investment was financial, sure, but equally emotional and promotional — the fans followed, and so did the sponsors. But cricket is only one chapter. The new story is being written in football, kabaddi, and beyond. Abhishek Bachchan jumped into the action with Jaipur Pink Panthers in the Pro Kabaddi League. John Abraham made his move with NorthEast United FC in the Indian Super League, showing a genuine commitment to building football in a region rich in sporting potential. Ranbir Kapoor took co-ownership of Mumbai City FC, which has gone on to make impressive strides on the pitch and off it. 'There's real involvement here — participating in team decisions, engaging with strategy, meeting fans, and promoting sports at the grassroots. It's star power and substance,' Nikita explains. What's emerging is a pattern. Indian actors are no longer waiting for scripts — they're writing their own, and sport is proving to be an exciting new plotline. The shift is being driven by more than just passion. Sport is one of India's fastest-growing industries. With a young population, increasing urbanisation, and rising media consumption, the commercial upside is vast. Ticket sales, merchandise, broadcasting rights, streaming content — it's a complete entertainment ecosystem. 'Understanding audience psychology plays a huge role — knowing how to build loyalty, how to sell a moment, and how to turn emotion into energy. That's what great sport is all about too. The synergy is undeniable,' adds Nikita. From cricket fields to kabaddi courts, from football turf to business boardrooms, these stars are stepping into new arenas. Not to perform, but to participate — to shape what comes next. As Nikita Anand puts it, 'The stage has changed, but the showmanship, the intent and drive remain.' And now, it's game on.
