Ellie Scotney is ready to advance to the highest levels of boxing.
Last weekend, at Madison Square Garden, she outclassed Yamileth Mercado to unify the WBC, WBO and IBF super-bantamweight world titles on the undercard of Katie Taylor and Amanda Serranoâs trilogy fight.
Before the end of the year the fighter from Catford intends to become the undisputed champion and then move up to featherweight afterwards. In fact she hopes she can meet promotional stablemate Serrano at 126lbs.
âSheâs the top dog,â Scotney told Sky Sports. âAmanda, what sheâs carried for womenâs boxing, itâs obviously on her terms now who she fights whether she does or not. Of course thatâs a fight Iâd love. Sheâs a legend.
âTo be among those names and build that legacy, those are people that you need.â
Serrano had moved up to 136lbs to fight Katie Taylor for the Irish starâs undisputed super-lightweight championship. But the Puerto Rican is naturally smaller and holds the WBO and WBA belts at featherweight. If she is to fight on, sheâs likely to move back down.
But before pursuing that, Scotney has set herself up for the undisputed super-bantamweight bout first.
Her only remaining rival champion is WBA belt-holder Mayelli Flores Rosquero. They crossed paths after Scotneyâs latest victory.
âShe ran up to me and said: âCan I have a photo?'â a bemused Scotney recalled. But with the selfie done, it will be all hostilities now until after theyâve boxed. âI feel like it will be made next for sure.
âI do believe weâll be looking at November. Iâll be able to get Christmas dinner this year.
âEnjoy Christmas, Iâll be up at feather, and above!â
She expects that next fight to take place in America and plans to continue building her momentum.
âI got to announce myself on the biggest of stages with the most eyeballs, on the event where two legends boxed each other for the last time,â Scotney said.
âI didnât actually realise until I was watching Katie and Amanda that I was at Madison Square Garden â it was like it was a ring in the gym to me. Iâve never been that switched on before. I guess it was a flow state where I didnât see anything else but my opponent.
âTo do it on the biggest stages, where the stakes are the highest and the pressureâs at its highest, I couldnât have asked for a better time to announce myself.â
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