In a previous life, Terri Harper worked in a chip shop. Sensing that women’s boxing was about to explode in popularity, she turned professional, acted quickly, and won a world title in her 10th fight.
Before she became world champion, Rhiannon Dixon was a pharmacist. As a white-collar player, she saw the opportunities created by players like Harper and turned professional. She also won the world title in her tenth fight.
The two are affable characters, and while shocked isn’t the right word, they both seemed a bit surprised at how quickly they’ve risen to the top of the sport.
Harper (14-2-2 (6 KO)) is in exactly the same situation as Dixon (10-0 (1 KO)).
While it seems like she’s been around forever, Harper will be the younger woman who faces Dixon this weekend for the WBO lightweight title. The 27-year-old sees a lot of herself in Dixon, and experience has taught her that when the first bell rings in Sheffield, her opponent will be asking questions.
“Yes, I’ve said it before. I like Rhiannon as a warrior. There is no ego there, it’s just about boxing and practicing the sport, for real. There’s no conflict between us or anything like that,” Harper told BoxingScene.
“She comes from a white-collar background, I come from an amateur background – not necessarily from the UK or anything like that – and here we are, our paths have crossed and I think it’s a great fight for both of us.
“I’ve talked to Rhiannon a few times and I think she’s a great girl, she’s a great laugh. She has good banter and stuff, she’s just very carefree and she’s just a nice girl. I think there are a lot of fighters who go through that moment in their career and think, “Do I belong at this level, on this stage and so on?” I’d be lying if I said I’ve never thought about it myself, but it’s something we all go through and these fights cement it and make you realize that yes, you belong to yourself.”
Harper made a name for herself in the junior lightweight division, but a loss to Alycia Baumgardner made her look for opportunities to further her career.
Many fighters took advantage of the lack of depth in women’s boxing to jump up weight classes and revitalize their careers, but instead of aiming for a uncomplicated title belt, Harper sought the toughest challenges available.
She immediately moved up to junior middleweight, where she drew with Cecilia Braekhus, and then moved down to welterweight, where she was stopped in four rounds by Sandy Ryan.
The defeat to Ryan was comprehensive and convinced Harper to return to a more natural weight. She recovered well mentally after Baumgardner stripped her of her WBC title, but the circumstances surrounding the defeats mean there’s a long way to go before a successful comeback this time around.
“I feel like after the Alycia fight, I’m at a point in my career where you can come back and rebuild,” Harper said.
“Whereas now, obviously, losing to Sandy is kind of… I feel like I’m really on the edge this time and there’s no room for error. If this fight doesn’t go the way I want, where do I go? Should I go back to the petite hall and rebuild, or do I not want to do it at all? Or maybe this is the moment when I end this day and look at the next chapter in my life? But I put it all aside and don’t think about it. I am fully focused on the fight and the task at hand tonight and to achieve a good victory.
“It puts me back on the front foot and opens a lot more doors for me.”
Even though she sees it as a make-or-break battle, Harper has some comforts to fall back on.
The 135-pound weight limit is an obvious advantage, and after injuries sidelined Dalton Smith and Johnny Fisher from main events, the fight with Dixon will now be the headline event at Sheffield’s Park Community Arena, just 25 miles from Harper’s Denaby home.
Not many fighters jump for joy at the thought of boxing a southpaw, but Harper is more than content to take on the left-handed Dixon.
“I like it,” she said. “It’s a little weird because I know there are a lot of players who hate Southpaw, but there’s something about it that I really like. I think it’s because it really engages me and makes me think.
“There are little shots that they can make, and there are little shots that I can make as an Orthodox. I find it exhilarating and have always enjoyed fighting southpaws.
“Going back to those weights and stuff, that’s another advantage I have because I’m a lofty fighter and I’m substantial for my weight. I need to buy a smaller wardrobe because my clothes are a bit too substantial for me at the moment.
Although she was a mainstay in women’s boxing during its formative years, other notable fighters often received more attention than the soft-spoken Harper.
Coming back from a stoppage loss and winning a world title from an undefeated and improving player like Dixon would be an achievement that would surely finally earn her the respect she deserves, but future accolades were not on her mind. Only Saturday night counts.
“It’s all about winning the fight,” she said.
“All it takes is a good win and a dominant performance to really get back on the field because I feel like I’ve been off the radar for long enough and I feel like I need to come back and show everyone who I am and what I’ve been.
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