The southpaw hopes to challenge for an Irish title next year in the sport that she only took up three years ago in order to get in shape. Gallagher joined the celebrated ProKick Gym in Belfast in 2004.

She was 14 stone and hoped the regime in the gym – run by former 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 10st7 and did just that by weighing in for her first contest at 10st5.

Murray said the Donegal woman – who represented her county at under 14 level in Gaelic football – is an inspiration to many in the gym Anne fought under Full Contact rules against Charlene Reynolds of Dublin’s Gan Teora kickboxing group, winning by a unanimous decision.

“Ann was very nervous going into her first fight, but stuck to the game plan by using her good kicks at long range and it worked a treat.” said her coach Billy Murray.