Triple champion Tysie Gallagher has brushed off amateur defeats to Ebonie Jones and warned her rival that she’s a “completely different fighter” in the paid ranks, as she prepares to defend her belts tomorrow night.
Luton’s ‘First Lady’ turned professional just days apart from her opponent having twice lost to her as a youth, but has so far been the more successful fighter and she goes into tomorrow night’s super bantamweight televised title clash defending the British, Commonwealth and WBO international straps.
Gallagher made history by claiming the Lonsdale belt as the inaugural British champion in her weight division when she dispatched Stevi Levy to also claim the Commonwealth crown.
The vacant WBO belt followed in her next fight, when she saw off Tori Ellis-Willets and while a victory at Doncaster Rovers FC’s Eco-Power Stadium tomorrow night against first-time challenger Jones would add some redress for their two amateur clashes, it’s not been on her mind.
“I’m a completely different fighter. I don’t even think about them two fights, because I was 12 and 17. I’m 26 now and amateurs is a lot different to the pros,” Gallagher said in the pre-fight press conference.
“I’m a seasoned professional. For four years now, I’ve been building my pro career, doing everything properly, S&C [strength and conditioning], nutrition, just living like a proper true professional champion and I’m ready for these step-ups.
“Each fight I’m getting better. Each camp I’m getting stronger and everything’s going really well. So, I’m ready for these step-ups.
“Complete respect to Ebonie because she is a great fighter and I’m really looking forward to this fight, but if I want to become a world champion, I have to beat Ebonie Jones.”
Indeed, Gallagher has made no secret in the past of her ultimate aim of bringing world titles back to Luton, having controversially lost out to then undefeated WBO champion Segolene Lefebvre in the Frenchwoman’s own back yard, but she is fully focused on Jones.
She was originally due to fight the Portsmouth puncher in January, but a family tragedy struck when her partner’s mother was killed.
Boxing has helped Gallagher through those difficult times and when the fight was announced in March Gallagher said at the GBM Sports unveiling event: “I’m not going to overlook this fight, this next fight and that’s all I’m focused on, on beating Ebonie. But, of course, world titles are on the horizon and, obviously god-willing, I come through on the May 23.
“There so many exciting fights to have out there but I can’t take my eyes off Ebonie. She’s a great fighter. I’ve got to be fully focused and ready to beat her on the 23rd.”
GBM promoter Izzy Asif warned Gallagher two months ago that the Jones match would “an extremely hard fight”, but the Lutonian said: “I’m not jumping in a pond I can’t swim in. I’m just going to put on a clinical boxing performance, however I win. But I’m going to be very dominant and those belts are coming back to Luton, for sure.”
It’s a sentiment she echoed in a chat with fightpost.co.uk earlier this week when she said of Jones: “She’s no mug, and I know that but I feel the way I’ve been developing over the last couple of years, if she tries to box me I believe I will get the better of her, and if she wants to stand and trade, I feel like I’d still come out on top.
“I’m not looking to run around that ring, I’m looking to stand in the centre and win the fight. It will be a hard fight, though, probably one of the hardest I’ve had in my career so far, but I also think it’s going to be the best performance of my career to date. If I execute what I’ve been showing in the gym, I feel like this could be my best performance so far.”
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