Wolverhampton's Kirstie Bavington out to end rival’s career

The clash at Manchester’s AO Arena on July 1 is a long-awaited rematch of their contest from October 2021, when Pensnett’s Bavington sprang a big surprise by claiming a comprehensive points victory over the previously undefeated Newcastle fighter in her hometown.

It promises to be a spicy affair, with Hunter continuing to maintain she suffered an “off night” in the first fight. The 28-year-old, who has won her next two fights, posted a video on social media last week claiming she is “levels above” Bavington, who subsequently went on to win the European welterweight title.

Those comments and others have left the Black Country fighter distinctly unimpressed.

Bavington told the Express & Star: “I want to end her career, really. She has been quite nasty online and is quite nasty in general.

“I just want to finish her, really. This one is a bit more personal than the others.

“Normally there is good sportsmanship and I wish all my opponents well. This is different.

“It is like I ruined her life by beating her. She showed no sportsmanship after the first fight and has been calling me out for the last two years. She has come up with so many excuses why she lost.”

Bavington, who fits her boxing career around her job as a PE teacher at Beacon Hill Academy, continued: “We have to be role models to youngsters in the way we behave. You can’t just have a tantrum when you lose. You have to put things right.

“I have lost my last two but I would not say anything bad about any opponent.”

In addition to proving a point, Bavington is also aiming to rebound from those defeats, the first of which saw the 30-year-old stripped of the European crown in controversial fashion after losing to Canada’s Kandi Wyatt in March.

That was followed by last month’s loss to Olympic champion Lauren Price, in what was the first ever women’s British title fight in professional boxing.

Now she will be quickly back in action against Hunter, having accepted the fight at three weeks’ notice.

She said: “We were looking for the re-match anyway. You have to take what you can get. I am in a position where I can’t pick and choose when I fight.

“I’ll have had three weeks to prepare. It is constant fighting. The aim is to be full-time but I just want to keep going.

“The Price fight was a great experience for me. I want to take everything I have learned from that camp into this one.”

Darlaston’s Olympic silver medallist is also due to appear on the Manchester show. The 26-year-old light-heavyweight will take on Slovakia’s Vladimir Belujsky over eight rounds, aiming to extend the perfect start to his professional career.

The show is headlined by Savannah Marshall’s world title shot against America’s Franchon Crews Dezurn.