Chloe Watson is relishing the prospect of following in the footsteps of Natasha Jonas and Savannah Marshall by continuing the progression of women's boxing in the UK.
On a momentous night for British boxing earlier this month, female pugilism proved once again that it is thriving in this country when Jonas and Marshall added more belts to their collections on the same night and on the same fight card.
At Manchester's AO Arena, Marshall became the undisputed super-middleweight champion by dethroning Franchon Crews-Dezurn, while Jonas became Liverpool’s first two-weight world champion when she stopped Kandi Wyatt.
Around 8,000 tickets were sold for the event, which also saw April Hunter beat Kirstie Bavington on points. And now, as Watson prepares to return to the ring on Saturday night, she does so inspired by what she witnessed in person at the AO Arena.
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Speaking to the ECHO, she said: "You see, with Natasha Jonas and Savannah Marshall, I actually went, and the atmosphere was unbelievable!
"People actually want to go and watch us females showcase our skills, and that's the other thing that is really exciting for me.
"I also do believe that I have got the people behind me as well to create that atmosphere when the time comes and I am headlining fights.
"Look how far it has come in the last few years. I’m still only 23 as well, so it's not like I'm in a rush, but of course I want to get there.
"But look at where it is going to be in another four years, and that is what excites me the most, looking at where we are now and looking at where we are going to be in four years.
"Then, in another four years after that, I’ll be 27. So that is what really excites me; just seeing that fight night really excited me, and I’m sure we are going to see more fights like that."
The former Team GB flyweight will take on Laura Belen Valdebenito at the Vertu Motors Arena, live on DAZN. Watson, who is trained by former world champion Ricky Hatton, has won all five of her previous professional outings, but she is still getting used to the fame that comes with fighting on television.
"After my last fight, I had the postman stop me and congratulate me and things like that," she recalls.
"Or you come across a young girl in the gym, and they are a bit shy around you because they have only really seen you on TV.
"But that was once me looking up to boxes at that age. I was the shy girl in the gym who didn’t want to go and approach the boxer I had just seen on TV. I was a shy kid who did want to go and approach Natasha Jonas when I first met her."
