ELLIE SCOTNEY took a step closer to becoming undisputed world champion – while keeping her promise to the late Georgia O’Connor.
Scotney and O’Connor came up through the amateur ranks together and formed an inseparable bond boxing across the globe.
But tragically O’Connor – aged 25 and three fights into her professional career – passed away after bravely battling cancer.
The devastating news came only two weeks after she married and two months before Scotney’s unification bout against Yamileth Mercado.
The WBC, IBF and WBO super-bantamweight champion accompanied O’Connor at her wedding and vowed to fight on in her name.
And Scotney, 27, told SunSport: “I always say it as much as I can, I’ll make sure her name and her story is remembered.
“The fight she fought she was endless with it and the way she battled with it and the that was just so much bigger than whatever we do in the ring. She showed me that in her ways.”
Scotney – promoted by YouTube star-turned boxer Jake Paul – even walked to the ring with O’Connor’s father John before her points win over Mercado.
She added: “To have her dad there, I felt her there every step of the way.”
Scotney had to endure an emotional training preparation and revealed: “I was crying in sessions.
“I was in a bad place, a very bad place and I didn’t enjoy this camp at all.
“And people said, what’s been your hardest sacrifice? And it’s been emotion in the sense that I wasn’t allowed to grieve.
“But I had to put that to a side and that was hard. She said to my mum, ‘I know she’s in camp but I more or less need to say bye.’
“But it weren’t like that, it was like, ‘I’ll see you soon.’ And as I left, she kissed every one of my knuckles.
“She was like, ‘You’re gonna get the knockout!’ Obviously I did get the knockout but I got the win and I know she would have been shuffling up there.”
Scotney now just has the WBA belt – held by Mayelli Flores Rosquero – left to win in honour of her Nan Eileen who died aged 99.
She said: “I’m literally one fight away from completing collection. My Nan always said, ‘Finish the collection.’
“To know I’m one fight and one step away and we’re there.”
Scotney celebrates with her promoter Jake Paul[/caption].
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