Unified champ Ellie Scotney hails Jake Paul as the Turki Alalshikh of women’s boxing: ‘Jake is changing the game’

LONDON — It’s almost as if Ellie Scotney needs reminding of her status in world boxing. The 27-year-old sits casually on the ring apron inside Shane McGuigan’s east London gym, rosy cheeked, looking bemused by the attention she is receiving.

“I thought you were here to join the gym,” she remarks, grinning ear to ear before suggesting she could offer me a leaflet. “I’m not used to all of this!”

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We exchange pleasantries before my eyes wander. “Alright, aren’t they?” she adds, catching me inspect her three super bantamweight world championships. The IBF, WBO and Ring Magazine titles at 122 pounds sparkle in the London sun, sitting proudly next to the Catford fighter as she wraps her hands, diligently, ahead of her latest pad session.

We’re speaking just weeks before a historic night in New York City, where Scotney (10-0, 0 KOs) will look to further unify the super bantamweight division. Her opponent, Mexico’s Yamileth Mercado (24-3, 5 KOs), brings the green and gold of the WBC title to Madison Square Garden, joining a historically stacked card headlined by a highly-anticipated trilogy meeting between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano.

“It’s crazy when you think about it,” she explains. “Little old me, going from SE6 (her home postcode in Catford, southeast London) to MSG. It’s been a dream of mine my whole life for an opportunity like this, and thanks to Jake [Paul] and Nikisa [Bidarian], it’s become a reality.”

It doesn’t take Scotney long to mention the name of one of boxing’s most controversial figures. Jake Paul and his Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) vehicle have made a big move to become the market leaders in women’s boxing over the past couple of years, and Friday’s event — airing live worldwide on Netflix — should mark a memorable milestone, an all-women card with 21 combined world title belts contested.

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“It’s third time lucky when it comes to me and Jake,” Scotney says with a laugh. “I was begging to be featured on the first Taylor vs. Serrano card [in 2022] but it never worked out. By the time the rematch came around [in 2024] I even DM’d Jake, but again I got nothing back from him. Thinking about it … he has still actually left me on ‘read.’ But I guess I wore them down eventually. Timing is everything in boxing and I guess this was my destiny all along.

“I’m not sure when the occasion will sink in, if I am being honest with you — probably the day after, when I can look back at what I have done. But I am pretty good at locking in. Obviously it’s a huge deal for me fighting inside MSG, but my mindset has always been to take care of what’s in front of me.”

Scotney’s record is unblemished as a pro through 10 outings. After turning pro during a pandemic-stricken 2020, she moved seamlessly to her first world title in her seventh fight, beating Cherneka Johnson for the IBF strap at 122 pounds. Benefitting from more eyes on the women’s code during 18 months of pandemic-era restrictions across the globe, Scotney believes that female fighters subsequently suffered a slump as Turki Alalshikh and the Saudi Arabian influence entered the game.

“As good as Saudi Arabia and the investment may have been good for the sport and big fights, it hasn’t really benefited women’s boxing,” she says. “We just haven’t had the same investment or opportunities offered to us as the men. But that’s what’s been so special about Jake and MVP investing in us. It feels like a big family here — they [MVP] are interested and invested in our stories as fighters.”

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Scotney’s next opponent, Mercado, shares a weight class, a world title in the super bantamweight division and also the same birth date as Scotney. But unlike the London fighter, Mercado has grown up in the paid ranks in typical Mexican pugilist style. She made her debut as a 16-year-old in the north of Mexico, and has since built a 27-fight record with just three losses.

“I’ve watched her loads of times,” Scotney admits. “We nearly fought in my second fight as a pro, but it didn’t quite work out. She’s got a very awkward style, she’s crude and does everything very well — she’s a box of tricks. And that’s going to be dangerous for me.

“She’s a champion, but so am I. I have put my trust in [coach] Shane [McGuigan] and I am ready to box to orders. I have to trust the process and believe in myself and know that she hasn’t seen what I have to bring to the fight.”

Scotney speaks glowingly of her coach, McGuigan, and is candid enough to admit that she has only just “dipped her toe” into what they can accomplish as a pair. Their chemistry is infectious as they glide around the ring working on spiteful combinations, with an eclectic Spotify mix booming around the gym, acting as a comfort blanket for the champion.

There’s a steely eyed focus that is impossible to ignore from the 27-year-old. She looks at home within the four walls of the Leyton gym, which acts as a much-needed sanctuary in what has been a testing year.

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In May this year, Scotney’s friend and Durham boxer Georgia O’Connor died after a short battle with cancer. Scotney previously called O’Connor the “most beautiful human” she had ever met, and Friday night in New York acts as the perfect opportunity to honor who she called her “sister.”

“In my eyes, this fight is about Georgia — she is the main event,” Scotney says. “It’s been hard, but at the same time it has given me drive and a purpose. Before she passed I made a promise to her that she’ll always be a part of my story. So that’s what I am going to make sure I do.”

Scotney’s session begins to wrap up and I push for a prediction. Perhaps the spike in endorphins will act to lower her guard? But no, “You know I’m not going to answer that,” she confirms. “But it’s going to be a historic night, and I am so proud to be a part of it. If this fight [card] was all men, I think even Turki [Alalshikh] would struggle to afford it!

“Jake is changing the game — he is the ‘Excellency’ of women’s boxing,” she laughs, poking fun at Alalshikh’s sobriquet within the sport. “Surely that’ll get me a bonus, right?”