British boxing talent Georgia O’Connor has died at just 25, months after publicly revealing she had cancer—a diagnosis she said was ignored for far too long.
The Durham native and 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games gold medalist had been in constant pain for 17 weeks. Despite repeated visits to hospitals and doctors, she said her symptoms were repeatedly dismissed, even though she had preexisting conditions like ulcerative colitis and PSC that increased her cancer risk.
“They told me it was all in my head,” she wrote in a heartbreaking Instagram post earlier this year. “They refused to listen, to scan me, to help.”
In January, Georgia was finally diagnosed with cancer and life-threatening blood clots. A month later, on her 25th birthday, she revealed she had suffered a miscarriage and been told her cancer was incurable.
Still, she showed incredible strength and joy—marrying her partner Adriano just two weeks before her passing. “The day I married the love of my life,” she captioned her final Instagram post.
Her story has sparked outrage and grief, with tributes pouring in from across the boxing world. “We are heartbroken,” said promoter Boxxer. “Georgia was a warrior in and out of the ring.”
Longtime friend and world champion Ellie Scotney called her “the most beautiful human,” adding, “Even when life was on a timer, your light never dimmed.”