Vicky buzzing as her big chance beckons

Vicky Wilkinson celebrates victory over Beccy Ferguson

FOR Black Country belter Vicky Wilkinson, the biggest fight of her career – a televised encounter - beckons.

On Saturday, March 11, the Wombourne lightweight meets Rhiannon Dixon for the vacant Commonwealth title at Liverpool’s Echo Arena. The Matchroom show is topped by local hero Callum Smith.

It’s an intriguing encounter. Warrington’s Dixon is unbeaten in seven and, at 27, is 12 years younger than her opponent.

But if there’s justice in this world, Vicky will have her hand raised.

In February last year, she seemed victim of a rank injustice. With the Commonwealth junior lightweight belt on the line, Vicky drew with 41-year-old veteran Kristine Shergold in Torquay.

Dubbled “Rumble on the Riviera”, the decision seemed more a rip-off for Wilkinson. Most observers had her clearly ahead.

“My most annoying fight – not my hardest fight – was Shergold,” said Vicky. “I boxed completely differently to the way I usually box. It was a draw which we didn’t agree with, even her corner didn’t agree with it.

“We wanted the rematch. It was hard to swallow, but you come back stronger.

That is the only minor stain on a six fight career that has seen Vicky face Stoke’s Beccy Ferguson three times – the last encounter for the Midlands area junior-lightweight crown. That 10 rounder was a slice of boxing history – the first time two women had competed for a Midlands title.

In interview, Vicky is assured and confident. That has a lot to do with her job as a recruiter for the army, based at Fallings Park, Wolverhampton.

The former kick-boxer joined the professional party late, making her pro debut at the age of 38, but compiled a solid amateur career with Dudley’s Lions ABC and Darlaston Boxing Club.

“I won amateur developments, had four years out, then went to Darlaston and won the national championships,” she said.

“I didn’t lose many as an amateur. I think I had around 20 and lost four.”

Now the biggest night of Vicky’s fighting life beckons, and she’s positively buzzing.

“She (Dixon) is sharp, a great prospect with good footwork,” said Vicky. “I’ve got around 30 people coming up.

“I’m the away fighter, but it doesn’t matter. In the ring, you don’t really hear the crowd. You hear them roar, you don’t know who they’re roaring for – I don’t, anyway.

“Anyway, I prefer to fight away. There’s no pressure to sell tickets.”

She is a woman with a pragmatic approach to the game – and an athlete at the vanguard of the local rise of female professional boxing.

“I won the ABAs at the age of 37,” she explained. “One lad in the gym was going to turn over (go pro) and he said why don’t I give it a try. The cut off for amateurs is 40.

“I train hard and work hard at everything I do. If you commit to something, you have to commit 100 per cent.

“One fight at a time, anything can happen in a fight. You can get badly hurt in a fight. Of course, I’d love a world title shot, everyone would, but it’s one fight at a time.

“My workrate is my strength. I love boxing. If I was in my 20s, I’d drop my job tomorrow and do it full time. As it is, (financially) I don’t need to box. Financially, I’m OK. I’m lucky.

“My partner is fully supportive. He’s the one who gets me out of bed to go on a run on mornings when I don’t feel like it – and there are mornings when you don’t feel like it.”

Vicky is confident that one day women’s and men’s boxing will be on the same footing. That equality includes scrubbing the rule that restricts female fighters to two minute rounds.

“It (women’s boxing) is developing all the time,” she added, “boxing is getting bigger for women.

“I came from the amateurs, where I was fighting three, three minute round, to the pros where I was fighting four, two minute rounds and thought, ‘this doesn’t make sense’. It will come.”

Women’s boxing has found an extremely articulate spokesperson in Vicky Wilkinson. And if she wins on March 11, the whole country will hear her message.