Submitted photo Zion Hensley, right, and Ron Balante of Left 2 the Chin Boxing Club pose with Hensley’s Top Talent of the World award.

Zion Hensley, a Cardinal Mooney student and six-time national champion, made her first trip overseas earlier this year, and brought home another accolade to her resume.

She participated in the Golden Girl Championship, the world’s largest female amateur boxing tournament in Boras, Sweden.

While placing in fourth, losing in a 3-0 decision to England-based fighter Tilly Haynes, Hensley brought home the “Top Talent of the World” award, the only fighter out of 500 to do so. She was selected by a panel of judges after the conclusion of the tournament.

“I was so excited about that,” Hensley said. “(After my fight), I was kind of upset. But then the head guy who ran the whole tournament met up with us, and told me I was getting this award.”

It was Hensley’s first time in Europe, which led to some culture shock, but that was also part of the fun of traveling. While cutting the required weight, there was still time to indulge in some local treats, including a sampling table of Swedish candy.

In the ring, however, Hensley saw European fighters up close and noticed a difference in how stateside fighters approach a bout. She sparred with girls from all across Europe, in addition to her scheduled bout, and noticed a common style between them.

“The main thing that I got from fighting in that area was they have a more of a bouncy style,” Hensley said. “A lot of the girls that I fight are more pressure fighters, but over there, I feel like they actually box better. Their style was so different, but I feel like their style is just better. It’s more clean and collected. I didn’t spar any girls from France, but there was this one team from France, and they were so good. They were beating everyone. It was great. They also had that bouncy style. I feel like that European style was beating most of everyone in that tournament. There was way more technique, and I think just more output than power. It’s more about output and skill than just straight pressure.”

Going forward, it’s a style she hopes to incorporate into her own.

Two weeks prior to competing in Sweden, Hensley fought in the Cleveland Golden Glove Tune Up, taking on Naeva Pinedo from San Bernardino, Calif.

The Mooney sophomore won off points.

“She was a really, really good fighter,” Hensley said. “She also was a pressure fighter. She liked to come forward, but she also boxed really well too. I just tried to time her. Time her speed and be faster and quicker than her, and I ended up getting the win off of that.”

While still a ways away from knowing any concrete details, Hensley was also invited to compete again overseas, this time in Japan.

She’s also booked for an upcoming trip south of the border, competing in the Reinas del Semidesierto. Loosely translated as “Queens of the Semi-Desert.” Hensley has two confirmed fights set for July as part of the event. It’s held in a familiar spot, Cadereyta de Montes, Mexico, where she won both of her fights in October 2025.

In the meantime, Hensley will be competing for Mooney’s track and field team this upcoming spring. She’s expected to be participating in the 100-meter dash, and the 4×100 and 4×200 relays. Hensley was also one of two Mooney students to be selected to the HOBY Ohio-North seminar — an event focused on developing leadership among students — in June, held at John Carroll University.