Focused Kellie Harrington not fixated on possibility of Amy Broadhurst bout as Paris and retirement loom

Tokyo Olympic Champion Kellie Harrington admits there is a target on her back.

Off the back of her first defeat in three years, and with 11 weeks to go until she defends her lightweight boxing title in Paris, the Dublin woman admits the challenge has shifted.

"Realising that things have changed now and I am the target and people want to beat me and there are probably people out there training for my type of style," she told RTÉ Sport's Paul O'Flynn.

One boxer who knows her style well is Amy Broadhurst. Harrington defeated Broadhurst in the 60kg national elite final in 2018 and they were subsequently sparring partners as part of the Irish boxing squad at the Sport Ireland Campus.

Following Broadhurst's shock switch to box for Team GB at the Olympics, all thought went to a possible clash between the ex-team-mates in Paris.

Broadhurst has stated her intention in qualifying in the 60kg category, of which Kellie is defending champion, however Harrington said she wasn't dwelling on the prospect of the two meeting in the ring.

"I know Amy well and to be honest with you, I don't actually think about that. There’s no point in thinking about it because a draw has to be done.

"The talent has got so much bigger and there are still a lot of people in the tournament that were in Tokyo as well.

"Who knows what’s going to happen. And I’m sure she feels the same also. It’s one foot in front of the other really."

No Irish athlete has successfully defended their Olympic title since Pat O'Callaghan in 1932.

She took the pressure off by qualifying for Paris at last year's European Games but a first loss in three years to Serbia's Natalia Shadrina at last month's European Championships could have knocked Harrington's confidence.

However, she claims the