“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.”
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