Healy says win will be “life-changing”
It’s the dream that has come true for Katie Healy
WOLVERHAMPTON golden girl Katie Healy has described her forthcoming battle with WBA bantam champ Nina Hughes as potentially life-changing.
The former kick-boxer bids for world honours at Wembley Arena on June 10. It’s a golden opportunity that has come at fairly short notice.
Healy has grasped the golden opportunity at fairly short notice. Hugh’s original opponent, Shannon Courtenay, withdrew with a knee injury with four weeks to go before the bout – and 25-year-old Healy stopped into the breach.
She’s more than a worthy replacement. Katie has won all her six pro bouts and has already claimed world honours of sorts.
Last year, she travelled to South Africa and outpointed Matshidiso Mokebisi for the WBF strap at super-bantam. And Katie was already in training for a contest when called to step into the breach against Hughes.
Speaking to website fightpost.co.uk, the Black Country’s Million Dollar Baby said: “I was going to a strength and conditioning session and Gavin Burrows rang me and said it’s not public knowledge yet, but they are looking for a replacement for Shannon.
“We didn’t know what had happened at that stage, we just knew that she couldn’t do the fight and they needed a replacement. I just said yes straight away, tell them I am up for it. They were looking at a few different options, so even though I said I was happy to take the fight I didn’t know they would chose me. But a few days later we got the good news.
“I’ve seen a lot of comments from people saying it is a really short fight camp, four weeks from the announcement. But I was in training for a fight in Liverpool on June 9.
“So I was already in camp and it was just a matter of right, we are training for this now and we just tweaked a few things. It’s not far away now and it is just so exciting and it has given me that extra push and motivation.
“I have always believed in myself and I trust in my team. If they are saying the fight with Nina is the right fight to take then that fills me with extra self-belief, as well.
“I really do have a good gut feeling about this fight. I am not a spiritual person but before the fight in South Africa, I was getting certain signs, like seeing my lucky number come up in odd places, and it’s been happening again for this fight. So, hopefully, that is a good sign. I am feeling good, camp is going really well.”
Katie added: “I think Nina is really talented. Her name has been floating around for about 12 months now. I have seen a few of her fights and I think she is a really talented fighter, and you can see that she has got the heart and got the engine.
“So I am really excited to share the ring with her. I have seen a few of her interviews and she seems a really lovely girl, as well. Nina definitely works to her strengths and it will be a very interesting fight.
“A win over Nina would be life-changing. It’s one of those opportunities that is a win-win for me. I am so early on in my career and even just having a fight on Matchroom gets my name out there and after just two years of boxing it is such a fantastic achievement. But if I do win it would be life-changing and the fights after that would go up a level.”