Who Is Adriano Cardinali? Georgia O’Connor’s Husband, Married Just Weeks Before Losing Her Cancer Battle

“The day I married the love of my life. ,” Georgia O’Connor wrote on May 9, just two weeks ago, as she celebrated her marriage to Adriano Cardinali. Yesterday, the young boxer from Durham left us far too soon, passing away at just 25 after a courageous battle with cancer. The boxing world is heartbroken over the loss of such a bright and promising talent.

After a stellar amateur career that brought her national and international acclaim, O’Connor transitioned to the professional ranks. She won all three of her bouts, most of them on cards featuring Savannah Marshall, before her health took a devastating turn. She was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). Then, in January this year, she revealed she had cancer. Amid her struggle, she found joy and strength in love, marrying her longtime partner Adriano Cardinali. He is said to have left his job to care for her full-time. Before her passing, she proudly took on the name Georgia Cardinali.

Georgia O’Connor’s husband, Adriano Cardinali’s profession & more

To begin with, not much is known about Mr. Cardinali’s background. However, citing the information received from Georgia O’Connor’s mother, multiple reports have mentioned how Cardinali stood by Georgia O’Connor throughout her illness.

A heartfelt Instagram post O’Connor shared on his birthday reveals much about their bond and his roots. The post from February 19, where she’s wishing Cardinali, reads, “Happy birthday to my Italian prince . ” The message from Georgia O’Connor was incredibly touching, full of raw emotion, deep love, and a sense of shared resilience.

“Never in my life thought I would find someone like you. Someone with such a pure heart and soul, someone who makes me feel loved every day, someone who would do absolutely anything for me… someone as weird as me ,” she wrote further. Being his girlfriend was ‘the greatest title I could ever wish to have,’ Georgia O’Connor concluded.

More than anything, her message revealed the depth of their love and how much they meant to each other. As deeply as she loved Cardinali, it was her passion for boxing that first brought Georgia O’Connor into the public eye.

Georgia O’Connor’s boxing record and international accolades

Georgia O’Connor was just five years old when her father, John O’Connor, an amateur boxer himself, bought her a pair of boxing pads to practice with. He wanted his daughter to grow up knowing how to defend herself.

But before the boxing ring could call her, it was the Korean martial art of Taekwondo that first captured young O’Connor’s attention. Reportedly, she won 24 of her 28 fights. It wasn’t until after she claimed her second consecutive British Taekwondo Championship that she finally answered her true calling: boxing.

After winning national championships, Georgia O’Connor joined England Boxing’s elite squads and went on to earn medals at both the European and World Youth Championships. She represented Team GB and won gold at the 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games in Nassau, Bahamas. That same year, she also claimed a silver medal at the Youth World Championships in Guwahati, India.

Finally, in 2021, Georgia O’Connor made her professional boxing debut. She compiled a perfect record of 3-0. On October 16, 2021, in her first bout, she defeated Ester Konecna. The event at Newcastle Arena featured Hughie Fury, Savannah Marshall, and Chris Eubank Jr. also. Six months later, she returned to the ring to face Erica Juana Gabriela Alvarez, winning the fight on points. In October of that same year, she secured her third professional victory against Joyce Van Ee at the O2 Arena, on the undercard of an all-women’s event headlined by Claressa Shields and Savannah Marshall.

But in October 2024, Georgia was diagnosed with an aggressive, incurable form of cancer. She met the diagnosis with the same spirit she showed in the ring: “I’m going to kick the absolute sh*t out of this cancer.”

Georgia O’Connor was so much more than an athlete. She was a daughter, a wife, a friend, a gifted singer, and a resilient soul whose story inspired thousands. Her childhood resilience, her rise in sport, and her unbreakable will in the face of illness have left a deep and lasting impact.

She leaves behind a profound legacy and a void that words can barely fill. But her memory will live on through those who loved her and those she inspired.

Our thoughts are with Georgia O’Connor’s family and loved ones during this time.

The post Who Is Adriano Cardinali? Georgia O’Connor’s Husband, Married Just Weeks Before Losing Her Cancer Battle appeared first on EssentiallySports.