Gallagher joined the celebrated ProKick Gym in Belfast in 2004. She was 14 stone and hoped the regime in the gym – run by former four weight world kickboxing champion Billy Murray – would help her shift a few pounds. Before long, she settled at ProKick and set herself a target of getting down to 10st 7stone.

Murray said the Donegal woman – who represented her county at under 14 level in gaelic football – was an inspiration to many in the gym and was readying herself for a ring bow. “Anne came here because she wanted to lose weight,” he said.

“I told her there was no quick diet in this gym. I set out dietary and training programmes adapted for individual members needs and if people stick to them they can hit their goals. Anne has always been focused and the more experienced she became during training and the more time she spent training with world champions, the more she decided she wanted to have a go herself in the ring.

“She’s brave and she’s sharp. I don’t think an Irish title is out of the question. And when you are as sharp as Anne, age isn’t any sort of barrier. Donegal could be saluting a new champion in the coming months.”

Such is Gallagher’s growing love for the sport that she is hoping to take the ProKick ethos home to Donegal and open a kickboxing gym there.