This in My Story: Claire Hafner: “With opera and boxing, it is a solo performance sport. I love it.”

On Saturday, February 8 at the Hammond Civic Center in Hammond, IN, the third year professional boxer and twenty year opera singer “Classy” Claire Hafner (4-2) Of Ottawa, Ontario Canada steps foot inside the ropes with another heavy handed female, in Chicago’s Leatitia “Baby Girl” Robinson’s return to action after a long layoff.

Robinson vs. Hafner will be a huge feature in the International Showdown presented by 4 Champs Promotions, in association with DiBella Entertainment, Team Empire Management, McGee House of Champions, LRP Network, and #NextGenChamp, headlined by IBF Champion Mary McGee defending her title against Deanha Hobbs.

Since turning professional in 2017, Hafner knew she had what it took to compete. Her disciple paved the way to derailing unbeaten Sonya Fox in only her 4th pro bout.

Hafner followed that up with a strong victory over former champion Carlette Ewell.

Late in 2019, Hafner left the comforts of North America to compete in New Zealand against their favorite Geovana Peres in WBO’s inaugural Light Heavyweight female world championship. Factors played into that result, but did not discourage “Classy” Claire.

We met up with Hafner at the Press Conferences for her matchup with Chicago’s very first world champion ahead of their matchup.

How are you enjoying the Chicagoland area?

“The thing I love about Chicago is deep dish pizza! But you can’t eat it because you’re on a weight cut.”

How was the preparation for an opponent that is quite removed from the sport but with such lineage?

“Every time I go into the ring, I am expecting A game, 100%. There are people who can get into the ring about a month before their fight and be amazing. There are people who box their entire life, yet don’t have an edge on any specific day. You can never, ever predict. It is a waste of brain space and time to predict. My mindset is that she is 15-1, world titles, legit champ, 10 years off. No one is thinking about that. She is coming in as hard as she always does. So it does not factor in.”

Do you think it will be more of a battle than your WBO Light Heavyweight Championship with Geovana Peres in 2019?

“The Georvana Peres fight was tough because she headbutted me in Round 1. It was a shitty move. Geovana was not my hardest fight that I have had. Every fight I go into, I expect it to be my hardest fight. In hind-sight, I am expecting this to be my hardest fight. Its new territory for both of us – new weight class for me, she has been away for 10 years. . So I am hoping it is a really clean, fair fight on Saturday.”

“It is such an honor to share the ring with women with such experience. When I fought Carlette Ewell and Sonya Fox, they fought a lot. It is great to be able to respect and be respected by these women.”

I have meet so many women around this sport and you fall into a similar category as many others so I have to ask… You are an opera singer. This sport does not fit your other life personality. So, why boxing?

“So there are a lot of similarities. It is a lot of disciple. So I did 20 years of opera so coming into boxing and being disciplined in how I train and how I eat and what I do and where I go. It’s a lot of travel. With opera and boxing, it is a solo performance sport. I love it.”

“A lot of people can get the first 60% down and you are really good but it’s that last 40% of finesse and intelligence and ring smarts that takes forever to perfect. It’s just the disciple in grinding away. The singing for 20 years has given me a phenomenal lung capacity for this athletic endeavor.”

That is what is necessary in all sports. I have been involved in many sports, coaching many team sports. Being real honest, I have never thrown a punch.

“[Laughing and joking] Do you want to start? Let’s go!”

It was a pleasure to meet Hafner and we wish her luck on Saturday.

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