In the ring she’s a big hit but Laang boxer has many more strings to her bow

By AIDAN FAWKES

Oct. 10, 2012, 4 a.m.

Laang’s Philippa Hannagan has come home a winner following her maiden win in the ring.

SHE’S a mother and a maths teacher, and now Philippa Hannagan can add boxing victor to her personal profile.

Hannagan is this week celebrating her maiden win in the ring, after she claimed a points victory in the second bout of her career.

The 42-year-old defeated South Australian Ushi Artym 13-11 in Adelaide during Boxing South Australia’s Masters’ Invitational Tournament.

Her victory followed a career-opening loss, 19-10, to the more experienced Mercedes Taaffe, of the Northern Territory, and a non-scoring exhibition bout.

Hannagan, who fought in the 35-44 years 54-57kg novice category, said she only took up the sport in March.

Before that, she boxed to keep fit rather than as a competitive outlet.

“I love it,” she said.

“I asked myself why someone my age would like boxing, and I keep asking that.”

“Some people find it confronting but I found it quite exhilarating, it’s fantastic for my fitness.

“And it’s really challenging physically and emotionally. Getting in the ring is a huge effort, mentally.

“There’s no fear factor but nerves, can I do this?

“It’s part of the sport, you have to take one (punch) to land one. That’s hard, and something we train for, we practice getting hit.”

Hannagan said she was encouraged by her performance in the loss to Taaffe on Saturday.

“I was chuffed I landed 10 shots and the ref said it was a really good fight,” she said.

She took the experience into her second fight on Sunday and did enough to beat Artym.

“She was in my age group and a kilo heavier than me,” she said.

“She’d had 14 fights so she was an open girl.

“By that stage I was quite tired but I learnt from the day before and I stayed on her and I won 13-11.

“I was really chuffed — she was also a judge and was involved in boxing.

“I was pretty knackered and there were a few airy shots, but I landed enough.”

Hannagan, of Laang, is a VCE maths teacher at Warrnambool’s King’s College and trains at Rodney Ryan’s Kelp Street gym. She said she wanted to continue her boxing career at the 2013 Australian Masters’ Games, in Geelong.