By Isabel Ramirez
A world champion boxer, who grew up in Catford, is about to defend her title in a huge match at Wembley this weekend.
Ellie Scotney, 25, is on the ticket to go up against Laura Soledad Griffa on Saturday, September 30 at the OVO Arena.
She is the current IBF super-bantamweight champion after beating Cherneka Johnson earlier this year.
Scotney trained at the Lynn AC Boxing Club in Camberwell from the age of nine, at a time when she says boxing ‘wasn’t a thing’ if you were a girl.
As one of seven with five brothers, it was her childhood that toughened her up: “My brother boxed and I wanted to be just like him.”
Although she showed early signs of talent, Scotney had a seven-year break until she was seventeen. “My mum would always say – ‘you could’ve been good.’ Then I decided to come back to the gym.”
The Lynn, which is the oldest amateur club in the UK, was recently saved from closure by worldwide boxing promoter, Matchroom Sport after they gave them £10,000. Scotney is signed to Matchroom Boxing and said she felt ‘warm’ when she heard they were saving her old gym.
Ahead of her upcoming world title defence Ellie told us: “Before I was world champion, every fight to me was a world title fight and this is the same. I’m taking the mindset of a challenger.
“I’m coming to prove why I believe I’m the number one super bantamweight in the world.”
The event is set to get underway at 7 p.m. UK / 2 p.m. ET with ringwalks scheduled for 7 p.m. UK / 2 p.m. ET.
