Best win of career for crowd-pulling boxer Storm Steele

The 23-year-old Steele, of the Spire Boxing Academy, fought her way to double success at the all-female Esker Box Cup tournament in Dublin.

Not only was she crowned champion in the 75kg weight category, she was also named best senior boxer, ahead of fellow Chesterfield fighter Jade Ashmore, who was second.

“Storm is an exciting fighter who is going places,” said Lauren Sivyer, secretary at Spire and daughter of Steele’s coach, Robbie Sivyer, founder of the academy.

“She has always been strong, but was also a bit of a brawler. Now, she is technically much better. Everyone is talking about her. She’s a real crowd-puller.”

The Dublin tournament is regarded as one of the most prestigious for female boxers in the world. It attracted 370 entries from 14 countries.

But Steele took the coveted best boxer award for the way she overpowered Irish opponent Casey McGuinness, who had won all of her previous bouts in the first round.

Now she is taking a break before defending her East Midlands middleweight title when she tops the bill at a Spire show at the Proact Stadium on Sunday, December 23.

Spire teammate Amy Greatorex was also due to fight in Dublin, but her opponent pulled out with a hand injury.