Lauren Johnson keen to play it like a pro

Johnson is the new England Boxing English middleweight champion after a battling victory in Birmingham last weekend,

'The Black Widow' claimed the non-tournament belt, which has to be defended every six weeks, at the second attempt by bouncing back from defeat.

Inaugural titlist Alex Turbitt, fighting out of the Army, vacated after winning the crown on a points split decision over Johnson in January.

The Wodensborough Boxing Club fighter would get a second chance at the same venue - the Irish Centre in Digbeth - against Ella Narazanski, from the respected Repton gym in London.

Johnson controlled the first two rounds, using her range to throw long hooks and snap into right back hands as she moved inside.

A fightback from Narazanski followed as the two went toe-to-toe in the third, with the Londoner going after a tiring Johnson as she took the fourth.

It left some nerves as the four-round title fight again went to the cards, but this time it was to be Johnson who had her hand raised on a split.

The 32-year-old will now to defend her crown before the England Elite competition kicks into gear at the start of April, which could throw up some tasty tests.

And she's looking to finish on a high before joining the pro ranks, where there's every opportunity to be fast-tracked to major world titles.

She said: "My plan is to do one more season and then turn pro. I won't be hanging around for the Olympics, put it that way.

"I haven't got the time to waste, so the way to get to world honours is in the pros after I've got a few bouts under my belt.

"I look at someone like Kelly Morgan (boxing for a WBC silver light middleweight title this month after just three fights) and it shows what you can do if you are busy.

"I think I'm capable of that, but first I want to finish in the amateurs on a high."

Johnson has been benefitting from one-to-one sessions with Tony Wilson, Wolverhampton's last British champion over 25 years ago.

The city has never had a major female world boxing champion, although Lyndsey Scragg did claim the little-known GBC featherweight crown.

Wolverhampton's first woman professional also challenged for the WBC, WBA and WBO title travelling away to fight in Canada, the United States and Australia.

Those are the sort of dreams student and part-time security officer and door supervisor Johnson is having.

She burst onto the scene in 2012, winning a Class C (0-5 bouts experience) ABA national title in her very first competition bout, with a stunning first round stoppage over Natalie McGauclin.

She reached the Class B (6-10 fights) final in 2013 but, this time, was beaten by one point on two judges' scorecards against Watford's Vivianna Castaldo.

The death of her father, Kingsley, led to an 11-month sabbatical from the sport before she returned and switched gyms, from Walsall Wood to Wodensborough.

She settled in quickly under the tutelage of coaches Steve O'Rourke and ex-pro Varuzhan Davytan and got back into action.

She boxed in London's Haringey Box Cup and travelled to the States to compete for the England Universities team in the Inter-Collegiate Championships, before her English title win.

Her studies towards a degree in physical activity, exercise and health at the University of Wolverhampton enabled her to qualify for the trip.

She said: "When I won a national title, I'd only been carded to box six weeks. All of a sudden, I was a champion and it was hard to build on that.

"I had a break, came back and went back to basics. I've always had power and long limbs. We've worked it out that my wing span is actually more than my height.

"I feel like I've had a proper apprenticeship now and my jab, footwork, movement and defence are coming on all of the time."

The England Elite event could throw any number of matches for Johnson, who has now taken part in 23 outings with 16 wins.

Old rival Turbitt, talented England international Natasha Gale and Savannah Marshall, the latter the first Brit to ever win a female world amateur title, are all at 75kg.

Johnson added: "I'm ready to take on all comers, it's a tough old division and there won't be any easy fights at the top level."

Wodensborough club-mate Josh Stokes is moving in on the 81kg England Elite super middleweight title after winning an eliminator on the Digbeth bill.

Stokes, a 2011 junior ABA national champion, scored a stunning second round stoppage over Richard Twist, from Sileby Boxing Academy in Leicestershire.