“I can definitely do that.”
Tiah-Mai Ayton, 19, has set her sights on becoming the youngest ever undisputed champion in the four-belt era across both genders in boxing.
America’s Gabriela Fundora was just 22 when she held all the world titles in the flyweight division in November 2024.
Ayton clearly isn’t shy when laying out her ambitions, but why should she? In over 300 fights across Muay Thai, mixed martial arts, kickboxing, jiu-jitsu and boxing, just three of those have been defeats – which she later avenged.
She will contest her second professional boxing bout against Lydie Bialic on Saturday.
When the Bristol fighter was told about Fundora’s achievement, her eyes lit up: “I could do that. I can definitely do that.
“That’s going to be a new challenge for me. I’ve got a long time.”
Ayton is right. She does have a long time, but women’s boxing also moves fast – just look at compatriot Nina Hughes.
She won a world title in just her fifth fight as a professional.
Not only is Ayton setting her sights on records, but she’s got her eyes on gold and plenty of it.
“I want to be undisputed in bantamweight and super-bantamweight and then it goes featherweight and super-featherweight,” said Ayton.
“I want to do those four categories, and I want to be undisputed in all four. It’s high expectations but I think I can do it.”
Only one boxer, Claressa Shields, has won all four world titles in three different weights, no one yet has managed it in four.
The likes of Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano have paved the way for women boxers to earn millions of pounds but Ayton isn’t getting carried away despite her youth.
When asked what she would purchase with her first healthy fight purse, the teenager opted against a flash car.
“I want a farm. I want cows, sheep, goats and chickens. That’s my dream,” Ayton said.
“I’ll just live a quiet life on my farm and then when I train, I’ll go into camp, and then go back and be peaceful.”
Ayton signed with promoter Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing after she caught the eye when sparring with former featherweight world champion Skye Nicolson aged 18.
At youth level, she is a five-time national champion and won gold in the 57kg weight category at the amateur World Championships in Colorado last year.
She also won the televised Haringey Box Cup in June last year at the 60kg lightweight limit.
This was all before a stunning stoppage in the third round of her professional debut againstSara Orszagi in June.
But, despite the super-bantamweight wanting to make history in the sport, if it wasn’t for childhood squabbles with her sister, she might not have discovered her talent at all.
“It’s actually so silly,” Ayton said.
“I started because me and my sister always used to fight all the time.
“My dad got us into kickboxing at the age of six, and I just carried it on from there. I’ve always known I’d be a fighter.”
Ayton was earmarked as a potential prospect for Great Britain’s Olympic Games team because of her impressive youth career.
She said “everyone wants a gold medal” – but the style of amateur boxing put her off.
“I had the opportunity to go with GB but I’m a family person and I love being with my family. I didn’t want to move away and move up to Sheffield,” she said.
“I feel like the whole style of amateur just didn’t suit me. I just like getting in there and fighting.
“I like stopping people.”
The decision was made to turn pro at the tender age of 18 and in May, she was signed by Matchroom.
Being signed by Hearn and boasting a 21-0 amateur record mean Ayton carries a huge reputation with her into her debut.
With braces on her teeth and being touted as the future of women’s boxing, Ayton felt the pressure.
“I remember having a chat with my coach [Dean Lewis] before. We both had pressure on us,” she said.
“Everyone has bigged me up and when people lose, they blame it on their coaches, so we had a lot of pressure on us.
“I know what I’m capable of and he knows what I’m capable of.
“It’s just another day for me really. I’ve been fighting since I can remember. It’s just about winning, that’s all I care about.”
