Rhiannon Dixon Crowned World Champion After Impressive Victory
Former Pharmacist Claims WBO Lightweight Title
Rhiannon Dixon, a former pharmacist, has officially claimed the title of world champion after an impressive victory on Saturday night. The 28-year-old southpaw boxer defeated Argentina’s accomplished Karen Elizabeth Carabajal, dropping her opponent and securing a comprehensive unanimous decision to capture the WBO lightweight title.
Dixon’s remarkable rise through the ranks is a testament to her determination and skill. Just over four years ago, she made her professional debut at Bolton’s White Hotel, without a long amateur career or a major promotional deal. Her unpaid experience amounted to only seven white collar fights, and she balanced her training with a day job as a pharmacist. To achieve a world title in such a short span is an extraordinary accomplishment.
“Because it’s been such a long camp, it doesn’t feel real. It’s still so fresh, so it’s not hit me, and I think I’ll wake up tomorrow and be like ‘Oh my God, I’m a world champion,'” she said.
Dixon’s journey to the top has been fueled by her partnership with trainer Anthony Crolla, a former WBA lightweight champion. The change in her training and the support of her new team, including manager Paul Ready, has been a pivotal factor in her success.
“When I was doing pharmacy, I thought, ‘Oh, it’s so far away I’ll just see how I get on.’ and then when I got with Paul and Anthony and got this whole new team around me, it was real. I want to not only do it for myself but do it for them. Everything changed. My training changed and I thought, ‘You know what? I am going to be a world champion,'” Dixon recalled.
The newly crowned WBO lightweight champion is now a major player in one of women’s boxing’s premier divisions. While she remains her own harshest critic, Dixon can take comfort in the knowledge that she deserves to compete at the highest level. For now, she is determined to savor the moment and enjoy the achievement of becoming a world champion.
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