Ellie Scotney can make British boxing history on Sunday night. A victory over Mayelli Flores at Kensington’s Olympia, broadcast live on Sky Sports, would unify the WBA, WBO, WBC and IBF super-bantamweight belts and make Scotney Britain’s youngest undisputed world champion in the four-belt era.
Trainer Shane McGuigan says that is only the next milestone. He expects Scotney to move beyond unifying the division and believes she has the tools to become an undisputed three-weight world champion in time.
Scotney has already made weight and this is likely to be her final fight at 122 lbs. She has stayed at super-bantamweight specifically to secure the undisputed set of belts and plans to step up to featherweight once that goal is achieved. She and her team see significant opportunities at 126 lbs, but all focus remains on the April 5 showdown.
Flores presents a difficult challenge: small in stature but fast and heavy-handed with an aggressive, high-output style. McGuigan stresses the difficulty of preparing for a fighter of Flores’s size and workrate, noting the scarcity of sparring partners who match her athleticism and durability — Flores is listed at about 4’11” — and warning that she will be hard to hit clean.
Also on the televised bill, Emma Dolan will contest the IBF super-flyweight world title against Mexico’s Irma Garcia. It will be Dolan’s first world championship fight and she says her aim is to build a legacy, win multiple belts and face the other champions in the division.
The card also features Caroline Dubois vs Terri Harper. Coverage of Dubois vs Harper and Scotney vs Flores begins on Sky Sports from 7pm.