Ariel (Beck) O’Neill is a ray of sunshine with a bubbly personality and a big smile.

The southpaw also has a lethal left hook.

That combination of personality and punching power will once again be on display during the main event of the Murders Row Fight Card Saturday night at the Butte Civic Center. O’Neill will take on Stephanie DiGiulio of Great Falls in a boxing match. It is O’Neill’s first fight in about five years. 

Doors open at 6 p.m., and fights will begin at 7. (Click here to buy tickets)

Ariel grew up on a ranch outside of Deer Lodge, and she was a multi-sport athlete at Powell County High School. She took her rodeo talents to Montana Western, and it was when she was attending the Dillon school that she got into boxing through Pink Gloves in Butte.

Thanks to her personality and punching ability, O’Neill was an instant success and an instant crowd pleaser. Her boxing turned into MMA fights, and that eventually took her to the UFC and a part in the Ultimate fighter.

Now married and with a son who is closing in on 2, Ariel is back in the fighting game. But she never really left it. Her and her husband Shea O’Neill have pretty much been training the entire time.

They opened the Copper City Combat Club on Galena Street in April, and the emerging club has been a hit. Some of its fighters will also be on the Saturday night fight card. 

At the Club, Ariel and Shea train fighters ranging in age from 5 to 65, and they have room to train more. Visit the club’s website, and maybe you can join them.

Listen in to this podcast as Ariel talks about her days growing up on a ranch and competing for the Wardens. Listen as she tells the story of how coach Al Cutler had her looking for a left-handed discus.

Listen as she talks about getting into the fighting game and how far it took her. Listen as she talks about being a mom and fighting again after a five-year layoff.

Today’s podcast is presented by Leskovar Honda, home of the 20-year, 200,000-mile warrantee.