HAVING turn into the primary Welsh boxer to win an Olympic Gold medal and the primary lady to win a Lonsdale belt Lauren Worth is now aiming to be a world champion in her seventh skilled bout.
The 29-year-old will problem Jessica McCaskill, 12-3-1 (5 KOs), for her WBA welterweight strap with particulars of the date and venue in Wales being launched in the present day throughout this afternoon’s launch press convention.
Chicago’s McCaskill should defend her title in Worth’s dwelling nation and hope to smash the desires and ambitions of the Newport fighter.
Combating McCaskill will signify solely the second 10-round contest of Worth’s profession up to now. Having began off in six and eight spherical bouts she jumped to 10 rounds and created historical past by changing into the primary British feminine champion beating Kirstie Bavington on factors in Might final yr. Since then, she has stopped former Savannah Marshall opponent Lolita Muzeya in six rounds and in December defeated former Mikaela Mayer foe Silvia Bortot.
McCaskill can be dealing with British opposition for the third time since June 2022 when she misplaced her bid to turn into undisputed light-weight champion towards Chantelle Cameron. And 6 months in the past in Orlando, McCaskill was lucky to stroll away with a break up draw throughout her unification towards WBO welterweight title holder Sandy Ryan in a battle that the 30-year-old from Derby appeared to do greater than sufficient to win. McCaskill additionally misplaced to Eire’s Katie Taylor in December 2017 in an unsuccessful try to win the WBA light-weight belt.
Chatting with Sky Sports activities, Worth highlighted how she believed she will defeat McCaskill: “My skillset, my pace, my motion.”
However she is underneath no illusions as to how huge this take a look at is.
“Whenever you take a look at my professional profession Jessica is the most effective professional one who I’m gonna step up and face. Everybody else I’ve felt comfy [with] in there and gained each spherical clear on the playing cards. I perceive it’s a step up,” Worth mentioned.
“Though I do assume the professionals is completely different to the amateurs there’s nothing like having a 75 kilo Russian working at me for 3 rounds and me having to boxing rings round her,” she added.
“I’ve combined it with the most effective. I’ve boxed each single type in boxing. There’s nothing I consider that I haven’t confronted earlier than in order that’s the place my perception comes from. I’ve received to show myself. However after I turned over as Olympic champion that was the dream from the get-go, I would like the large fights, I need to transfer quick, I need to create a legacy. I need to be the subsequent Joe Calzaghe.”
“I’m going for a Lauren Worth comfy win,” she predicted.
McCaskill is on a run of 10 world title fights and reminded Sky Sports activities viewers that no-one has ever gained a title that she owned going into a type of bouts.
“I’ve needed to vacate belts, however no-one has ever taken any of my titles and that’s how I plan to maintain it,” McCaskill mentioned.
“I really feel like I used to be in the identical place the place I had virtually no beginner fights in comparison with a few of these fighters now and folks didn’t assume I used to be prepared, and also you see the place my profession’s gone. A number of world titles, 10 title fights back-to-back. That is her alternative to close all people up and placed on a very good present.”
