{{short description|Australian boxer (born 1995)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox boxer |name=Che Kenneally |image= |image_size= |caption= |realname=Chei Aleta Kenneally |birth_date={{Birth date and age|1995|02|02|df=y}} |birth_place=Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |nationality=Australian |nickname= |weight={{plainlist| *Heavyweight *Light heavyweight}} | height=183cm | reach=185cm |style=Orthodox |total=6 |wins=5 |KO=2 |losses=1 |draws= |no contests= |medaltemplates= }}
'''Chei Aleta Kenneally''' (born 2 February 1995) is an Australian professional boxer. She has held the WBA female light heavyweight world title since July 2024.
==Early life== Kenneally was born in Sydney, Australia and relocated to the Gold Coast in her younger years.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Gold Coast's Che Kenneally set to fight Claressa Shields in hope of unifying her world title belts |url=https://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/sport/boxing-gold-coasts-che-kenneally-set-to-fight-claressa-shields-in-hope-of-unifying-her-world-title-belts/news-story/8680237b32476c0df151d21d6e3a859f |date=4 December 2024 |access-date=22 December 2024 |website=Gold Coast Bulletin}}</ref> Her first sporting interest was athletics, which was rewarded when she was selected to represent Queensland at the 2005 Pacific School Games in under-10s shot put competition<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pacific School Games 2005 |url=https://www.schoolsportaustralia.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/day01.pdf |date=28 November 2005 |access-date=11 March 2022 |website=School Sport Australia}}</ref> and went on to compete in multiple Australian national athletics championships in the disciplines of shot put, discus and hammer throw.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Former model Che Kenneally chases world-title dream |url=https://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/boxing-mma/former-model-che-kenneally-chases-worldtitle-dream/news-story/bd8c96c99ac70d8b0aba54c82553bd95 |date=20 July 2024 |access-date=27 December 2024 |website=Courier Mail}}</ref>
Kenneally began boxing at the age of 15 when she joined the Albert Boxing Club on the Gold Coast and trained alongside future world champions Skye Nicolson and Cherneka Johnson.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-04-06/three-former-gold-coast-female-boxers-on-verge-of-world-titles/103672874 |last1=Lamb |first1=Jessica |title=Aussie women fight a path from backyard Gold Coast shed to world boxing title contention |access-date=15 January 2025 |work=ABC News |date=6 April 2024 }}</ref> She has also competed in modelling competitions and was chosen to be Miss Teen Oceania at the 2014 World Supermodel Pageant.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Che Keneally steps out of boxing ring into the world supermodel pageant |url=https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/city-east/mascots-che-keneally-steps-out-of-boxing-ring-into-the-world-supermodel-pageant/news-story/5da5fd0565050a87363faa2018df5dff |date=17 November 2014 |access-date=15 December 2024 |website=Daily Telegraph}}</ref>
A single mother, she trains on the Gold Coast in Burleigh Heads.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-04-06/three-former-gold-coast-female-boxers-on-verge-of-world-titles/103672874|title=Aussie women fight a path from backyard Gold Coast shed to world boxing title contention|first=Jessica|last=Lamb|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|date=5 April 2024}}</ref>
==Professional career== Kenneally made her professional debut on 18 March 2023, where she defeated Rhianna Arnold in a four-round bout by technical knockout (TKO) at the Geelong Arena in Geelong, Victoria.<ref>{{Cite web |title=BoxRec: Che Kenneally |url=https://boxrec.com/en/event/868155/2935892 |access-date=October 26, 2024 |website=BoxRec}}</ref>
Kenneally then faced Kate Langenhorst for the vacant ANBF Australasian Women's light heavyweight title on 24 June 2023. After six rounds, she won the bout by majority decision to win the title.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Fight Results on WBAN |url=https://womenboxing.com/fightresults2023/fighjune2023.htm |date=8 June 2023 |access-date=26 October 2024 |website=www.womenboxing.com}}</ref>
Kenneally faced Sequita Hemingway for the vacant ANBF Australasian Women's heavyweight title on 14 October 2023. She won the bout by split decision to win the title. She also defended her title against Hemingway on 23 March 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Boxing Results of Professional Female Boxers |url=https://www.womenboxing.com/fightresults2023/fightoctober2023.htm |date=4 October 2023 |access-date=26 October 2024 |website=www.womenboxing.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-04-06/three-former-gold-coast-female-boxers-on-verge-of-world-titles/103672874|title=Aussie women fight a path from backyard Gold Coast shed to world boxing title contention|first=Jessica|last=Lamb|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|date=5 April 2024}}</ref>
In her fifth bout, Kenneally faced Angie Paola Rocha for the vacant WBA female light heavyweight title on 20 July 2024. She won the bout by TKO in the third round to win the vacant title in her hometown of the Gold Coast.<ref>{{cite web |author=Yesica Palmetta |date=2024-07-22 |title=Che Kenneally crowned 175 world champion |url=https://www.wbaboxing.com/boxing-news/che-kenneally-crowned-175-world-champion |website=World Boxing Association |access-date=30 September 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=S Saadeq Ahmed |date=2024-07-23 |title=Title Fights From Around the World: Che Kenneally Strikes Light Heavyweight Gold |url=https://bigfightweekend.com/news/che-kenneally-defeats-angie-rocha/ |website=Big Fight Weekend |access-date=26 October 2024}}</ref>
Kenneally signed a contract with Salita Promotions in April 2025.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.boxingscene.com/articles/titleholders-lani-daniels-che-kenneally-both-sign-with-salita|title=Titleholders Lani Daniels, Che Kenneally both sign with Salita|publisher=Boxing Scene|accessdate=25 April 2025}}</ref>
==Professional boxing record== {{BoxingRecordSummary |draws= |nc= |ko-wins=2 |dec-wins=3 |ko-losses=1 |dec-losses=0 }} {|class=wikitable style=text-align:center |- !{{abbr|No.|Number}} !Result !Record !Opponent !Type !Round, time !Date !Location !Notes |- |6 |{{no2}}Loss |5–1 |align=left|Danielle Perkins |TKO |6 (10), {{small|1:45}} |22 Feb 2026 |align=left|{{small|Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, Michigan, USA}} |align=left|{{small|Lost WBA female light heavyweight title}} |- |5 |{{yes2}}Win |5–0 |align=left|Angie Paola Rocha |TKO |3 (10), {{small|2:00}} |20 Jul 2024 |align=left|{{small|Southport Sharks AFL Club, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia}} |align=left|{{small|Won vacant WBA female light heavyweight title}} |- |4 |{{yes2}}Win |4–0 |align=left|Sequita Hemingway |{{abbr|UD|Unanimous decision}} |8 |23 Mar 2024 |align=left|{{small|JBS Basketball Arena, Ipswich, Queensland, Australia}} |align=left|{{small|Retained ANBF Australasian Women's heavyweight title}} |- |3 |{{yes2}}Win |3–0 |align=left|Sequita Hemingway |{{abbr|SD|Split decision}} |6 |14 Oct 2023 |align=left|{{small|Gold Coast Recreation Precinct, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia}} |align=left|{{small|Won vacant ANBF Australasian Women's heavyweight title}} |- |2 |{{yes2}}Win |2–0 |align=left|Kate Langenhorst |{{abbr|MD|Majority decision}} |6 |24 Jun 2023 |align=left|{{small|Mantra on View Hotel, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia}} |align=left|{{small|Won vacant ANBF Australasian Women's light heavyweight title}} |- |1 |{{yes2}}Win |1–0 |align=left|Rhianna Arnold |{{abbr|TKO|Technical knockout}} |4 (4) |18 Mar 2023 |align=left|{{small|Geelong Arena, Geelong, Victoria, Australia}} | |}
==See also== *List of female boxers
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{Boxrec|id=853978}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kenneally, Che}} Category:1995 births Category:Living people Category:Boxers from the Gold Coast, Queensland Category:Boxers from Sydney Category:Australian women boxers Category:World Boxing Association champions Category:World light-heavyweight boxing champions Category:21st-century Australian sportswomen Category:Australian women shot putters Category:Australian women discus throwers