Bilston's Katie Healy says Wembley title fight could change her life

Healy takes on Hughes at Wembley’s Ovo Arena tonight (SATURDAY) knowing victory would send her career soaring to new heights.

The 25-year-old, who last year won the WBF title in South Africa, revealed she did not hesitate to accept the challenge after being offered the fight at just four weeks' notice when Hughes’ original opponent, Shannon Courtenay, was forced to withdraw through injury.

“I always say everything happens for a reason,” Healy explained. “When we received the call, it was a straight yes. It was an opportunity we just couldn’t turn down.

“It is a chance I am really grateful for and really excited for. I feel so ready, this is a life-changing moment for me and I am going to going to make every moment worth it. We’re ready to go.”

Healy, a five-time world kickboxing champion who has won all six of her professional boxing bouts since switching sports two years ago, has played down any concerns over a lack of preparation time, explaining she was already in camp preparing to fight in Liverpool this weekend when the call to fight Hughes came through.

She continued: “Self-belief is such a big part of boxing and I have always been someone with a really strong mentality.

“I know this is a fight we can win. We are coming for that win and I am 110 per cent ready for this.”

Healy, who fits her training around her day job at Goodyear, told Seconds Out Boxing: “When I am training for a fight, I am always training 110 per cent, no matter what that fight is going to be.

“I don’t think you can ever underestimate an opponent, whether it is six rounds or 10.

“I didn’t know who my opponent was going to be in Liverpool. Now we know who we are fighting it makes a difference. We have upped it even more than it was to make sure we are ready for that fight.

“I can’t wait. I love boxing. I don’t do it for the money. I do it because I love the sport. This opportunity is a dream come true.”

Hughes sprang a big surprise of her own to beat Jamie Mitchell and win the bantamweight title in Saudi Arabia last year.

That makes the former GB boxer naturally wary of Healy and at the age of 40, she knows a defeat would scupper her own dreams of a possible future unification fight.

Hughes said: “We’ve had a long camp, we have trained hard and we are ready for anything. No matter what opponent is put in front of me we are ready.

“She (Healy) is in the same situation I was in. No-one knew who I was, going out there to make the most of the opportunity.

“But I have worked hard to win this title and there is no way I am letting it go. I can’t have any slip-ups.”