Hill: firefighter brings heat to The Hangar

Kirsty Hill…Grimsby hope faces Vicky Wilkinson in Wolverhampton

KIRSTY Hill – firefighter by day – is blazing a trail to the Black Country that, she hopes, will lead to title glory.

The only thing preventing her is our own Vicky Wilkinson who faces Kirsty at Wolverhampton’s Hangar venue on September 15 for the vacant Commonwealth junior-lightweight belt: super-feather in today’s boxing parlance.

It’s very much experienced pro against new kid on the block. Vicky has fought for Commonwealth honours twice before, taken the Midlands title and been the 10 round distance twice.

Hill, aged 31, has yet to have travelled beyond six rounds in a 4-1 career.

“I don’t know too much about Vicky,” Kirsty told me. “She’s had a couple of 10 rounders, she likes a fight, she’s very game – it all makes for a very good fight.”

The pair were originally meant to be contesting the Midlands title: something that bemused Vicky’s trainer, Tony Marshall.

That’s because Kirsty hails from the Lincolnshire town of Cleethorpes and fights out of Grimsby. That appears to be stretching boundaries a little, but both towns fall within the British Boxing Board of Control’s Midlands area. That has been the way for many, many years.

The geographical arguments are now redundant. The position as Queen of the Commonwealth is on the line.

Kirsty entered the paid ranks with a fine amateur pedigree. She had 40 bouts for Cleethorpes Trinity, won the East Midlands regionals, collected an English title and represented her country.

She stressed her job as a firefighter has helped, not hindered her professional career.

“I think it’s hard juggling any job with boxing,” she said. “You just have to make it work. The fire service is big on keeping fit, so I do have time in the gym during a shift.

“I’m looking forward to the fight, I’ve worked hard in the gym and I don’t think my fitness will be a problem. My coach says I’m better with more rounds.

“I’m tall, but make weight easily. We had a turbulent start (to my pro career), I had quite a few fights cancelled, but I’m happy with the way it’s gone. I want to stay active because the more I box, the more I learn.”

Kirsty is proud to be a part of the women’s boxing revolution and craves to carry its banner on a bigger stage.

“If there’s an opportunity there, I’ll take it,” she stressed. “I’d love to be on a big show, but my ambition at the moment is to become Commonwealth champion.”

Looks like fans are in for a humdinger at the Hangar.