Ellie Scotney is on the edge of history. If she wins her next fight she will become Britain’s youngest ever undisputed world champion of the four-belt era, male or female.
Scotney fights Mexico’s Mayelli Flores at Kensington’s Olympia on Sunday April 5, live on Sky Sports.
They box to unify the WBA, WBO, WBC and IBF world championships at 122lbs.
“It’ll mean everything,” Scotney told Sky Sports. “This is the pinnacle that I’m boxing for.
“It is everything you want in boxing and it awaits,” she added. “It’s been a long journey and God willing on April 5, it’ll be worth it.”
That journey through professional boxing had an inauspicious start. Catford’s Scotney picked the wrong time to leave the Great Britain amateur squad at the start of 2020.
Readying herself for her pro debut, the Covid pandemic forced the sport into lockdown.
Instead of boxing in front of energetic British crowds and working towards her dreams, Scotney couldn’t fight at all.
She found herself working at B&Q, the hardware store, and that undisputed goal couldn’t have felt further away.
“I used to work with the nails and that. I didn’t have a clue, I used to blag it. Someone could ask me a question and I’d tell them to go that end of the store knowing it weren’t there and I’d hide,” she laughed.
“It was a nightmare. I was just in the transition from leaving GB and turning pro so I needed a job. Because it was during Covid I was a key worker, I don’t know how!”
“Welcome to the real world, Ellie,” she told herself. “I’ve worked in a garden centre, I’ve worked in Sainsbury’s, I’ve worked in B&Q so I’ve had a taste of that. It’s much easier getting punched in the face. It’s so much easier.”
When she did finally get her pro career under way late in 2020, Scotney advanced at a rapid pace.
Scotney may be closing in on becoming an undisputed world champion… but she is still chasing her driver’s licence. Watch Ellie Scotney: Behind the Ropes on the Sky Sports YouTube page this Sunday
In her sixth fight she won the European title and then picked up her first world championship belt, the IBF championship. She then claimed the WBC and WBO belts too. For every one of those title victories she beat the reigning champion.
“I feel like it’s the right way to do things and it’s the old school way,” Scotney said.
“You become undisputed but you haven’t fought for a vacant belt, you literally beat every champion on the way, there’s no better way in my opinion.
“I’ve never had the easy touch but again I’m grateful because I wouldn’t be standing here and have the hunger and the drive that I have. Maybe the recognition’s not as much because I’ve done it in that sort of manner.”
Going undisputed will realise a personal commitment. Scotney promised her grandmother she’d win every major title.
“My nan, the fight she had in her was second to none, she was a big, big fan. She was my best friend and I remember, thank God, I managed to win the world title and she witnessed the first one and she said: ‘You complete the collection now,'” Scotney said.
“I made a promise then that we complete the collection.
Watch Behind The Ropes: Ellie Scotney on Sky Sports on Sunday night
“Sadly we lost her,” Scotney continued. “She saw me win the first one and two months later she passed. We’re the last one away.
“It’s took a lot longer than I thought it would but again it’s took the right time. It was meant to for me. Becoming undisputed is something that every fighter dreams of and I’ll fulfil that on April 5.”
She is one step away from the monumental moment in her career. For Scotney, who has deep religious faith, it’s only fitting that this final fight is taking place on Easter Sunday.
She will be going to church on the morning ahead of the fight that night.
“My pastor will be coming up to join me, to pray, it’s a big day. It’s the biggest day, the biggest stage,” Scotney said.
Scotney’s church in south London only found out she was a boxer when she was already a world champion. “No one knew,” she said. “My pastor preached and he spoke about how you prepare for battles through prayer and he mentioned Rocky.”
That encouraged her to reveal her trade, shortly before a world championship defence against Mea Motu.
“He watched it and since then he’s fully backing,” Scotney said.
“It’s been a very long journey,” she reflected. “I’ve had so many moments in my career where I was thinking I’m going to have to go back to B&Q. I laugh about it but there were moments of that before I even signed with MVP.
“God willing the collection will be completed on April 5.”
Watch Behind The Ropes: Ellie Scotney at 7.45pm on Sunday on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Action.
