The former Team GB Flyweight returns after her terrestrial television win in her home city where Watson defeated Fara El Bousairi on Friday June 17 at the M&S Bank Arena, Liverpool, in what proved to be a ‘Fight of the Night’ contender. Watson’s performance rightfully saw her stock rise, as the win rewarded her with the opportunity to face more talented opposition like Gutierrez.

“She’s undefeated, and she’ll be coming as the away fighter and wanting to cause an upset and get a big win,” said Watson.

 “There’s no defeat on her record, so she’ll only be coming to take another win back to Spain with her, but that’s the approach we like. There’s nothing to take from a fight when your opponent doesn’t necessarily want to win, and they just show up.”

“My last fight was very much the same type of fight against someone who wanted to come and win, and it reflects what I said before about taking fights against better opposition who are game,” continued the former Team GB Flyweight. “I’m going to improve more when they come and want to bring it to me, and I know that I haven’t just won but I’ve done it with a good performance in a fight that excites the fans.”

The fight against Gutierrez not only signifies Watson’s eagerness to face another tough fighter to enhance her progress, but also signifies an exact year since she debuted at York Hall on November 25 2021. One complete orbit of the sun has left Birkenhead’s female boxing prospect rubbing her hands at the chance to show just how far she has developed during that time.

“When I debuted at York Hall in 2021 I had no idea what to expect, I was just taking everything in my stride and trying to soak up everything around me. Now I’ve got more experience and had a full year of being a professional in the bank; three wins and four camps later too,” said Watson.

“I’ve gained a lot of knowledge from all the time spent in the gym with Ricky (Hatton) and Blain (Younis) since turning professional too, and from there I’ve now got a path set out for me to become a world champion one day.”

“The plan is always to be stepping up in opposition in every fight i take, and to deliver the best Chloe Watson there is come fight night because that’s what people want to see and that’s what I work hard for. If I keep doing that, then I’m a happy fighter and I know I’m working well towards my goals.”

A happy fighter is a dangerous fighter, and Watson continues to prove her potential with every second spent inside the boxing ring. With impressive performance upon impressive performance, she continues to validate the expectations placed on her to have a long and successful career in the sport. Such expectation can often burden fighters with a heavy weight upon their shoulders, but this is something that Watson thrives off and shows all her sacrifices have been worth it to reach this stage.  

“I don’t see any of this as pressure at all, it excites me. I’ve been boxing since I was 8-years-old and I’ve put a lot into this sport, but I also know I’m not the finished product yet by any means,” she said.

“I am looking to make the necessary steps so, when I am the finished product, I will be achieving everything I’ve set out to achieve. I’m striving to reach these goals not just for me but for my coaches and my team as well as there’s a lot of work that that goes into this by the people guiding me.”

A part of the team backing Watson toward her world title aspirations are Wasserman Boxing, with whom the Flyweight has recently re-signed a new deal with the home of live and free boxing on Channel 5. The deal is testament to Watson’s performances in the first year of her professional boxing life, and it was an easy decision to keep her smooth rise heading in an upward trajectory with everyone singing from the same hymn sheet.

“I feel like my first three fights have shown exactly what I can do and what my potential for the future is,” said Watson.

“The best thing is both myself and the team at Wasserman are on the same page which was a big reason for me re-signing. When it’s a clear agreement between me, my coaches, my team and Wasserman, then there’s no doubt about the decision. Plus it’s great to be a part of Channel 5 too and get the exposure with them.”  
*The York Hall event on November 25 will also provide a break in the boxing action for a live screening of the England vs USA FIFA World Cup game*

Harlem Eubank (15-0, 6 KOs) and Tom Farrell (21-5, 5 KOs) headline at the historic York Hall on a huge night for British boxing, Friday November 25. Liam ‘The Machine’ Williams (24-4-1, 18 KOs) looks to remind everyone of his Middleweight prowess on an unbelievable night of action that also includes Ricky Hatton protégé and former Team GB Flyweight star Chloe Watson (3-0) against undefeated Spaniard Minerva Gutierrez (2-0, 1 KO), and Sweden’s Lucy Wildheart (10-1, 4 KOs) as she makes a swift return to the ring at Featherweight at York Hall. Promoted by Wasserman Boxing in association with William Hill and Infinitum Entertainment, all the action will be shown live and free on Channel 5.
 
TICKETS AVAILABLE AT WASSERMANBOXING.COM NOW!

In other sporting contexts you’ll seldom find Manchester and Liverpool as a match made in heaven. Hatton and Watson have broken that taboo and are both singing from the same hymn sheet as she continues to progress at a rapid rate, much to the delight of her coach.

“She’s improving all the time. It’s a pleasure to come to work every day with a talent such as Chloe, and she’s getting better all the time,” he said.

“The most exciting thing as a coach working with her is that I don’t think we’ve even scraped the surface yet. You could see from day one that she had the talent with the amateur pedigree that she had, but she’s transformed that talent right into the pro game.”

There’s a great amount of excitement that surrounds a fighter performing in their home city, and Hatton is no stranger to the pressures and privileges of fighting in your own back yard. Having proudly boasted a 48-fight career, 17 of these have been in Manchester.

Liverpool has the possibility of birthing a new star in 22-year-old Watson and using her home city as a fortress is a prospect that Hatton likes the sound. Not only will the roar of the crowd spur her on, but it will also be an opportunity to add more to her ever-growing fanbase.

“It’s very important, I hope she has more fights on a regular basis in her hometown. Wasserman are doing a fantastic job with her anyway, but I always felt that fighting regularly in your hometown helps that fan base,” he said.

“Chloe has an exceptional fan base through what she has done as an amateur, and what she’s done in the early stages of her pro career. That fan base has got quite healthy suddenly, straight away, and I think once she has a few fights in her hometown she’ll go through the roof.”

The momentum that Watson has already gathered reflects the strong performances that have kicked off her early professional career. This Liverpool homecoming is arguably coming at the perfect time, as she prepares to put on a big performance having taken to professional boxing so naturally.

“The talent she has was obviously there to work with, and to be honest with you, when she first came down to the gym she had a bit of a professional boxing style already. She was good on her feet, very rhythmic, good movement, and her judging of distance was there,” said Hatton.

“Now she’s holding her feet a little bit more, coming back with two and three attacks and getting leverage and power in her shots. She’s added more to her game, sitting down on her punches, changing the angles and stuff like that; and that will just improve more and more as time goes by.”

With progression comes a step up in competition, and Spain’s Fara El Bousairi certainly meets the criteria. A fighter that the Watson camp have studied thoroughly throughout the camp, and remain fully aware of her strong record and potential threats.

Hatton remains keen to maintain a steady pace during the rise of his fighter however, and feels no need for any immediate rush to propel Watson to the top. This fight is a necessary challenge for her still, and it is a fight that they would not have accepted without having complete faith in the Liverpool fighter doing the business.

“This opponent has got a winning record, she’s very, very capable. I don’t think I’d have stepped her up if I didn’t think she was ready for it,” said Hatton.

“I think the way she’s handled the first few fights has shown what ability she’s got. I think the hardest thing will be for us to hold Chloe back because I think she’s going to race through the rankings the way she’s been developing in the gym, and how she’s transferring that from the gym into her fights.

“I think she’s going to shine again, and I think the most important thing is she keeps shining and keeps shining. I know I’ve picked this one but it’s also my job, and Team Wasserman’s job as we’re all one team, that even though she’s improving like she is we don’t necessarily need to floor it at this stage.”

Heavyweights collide as Nathan Gorman (18-1, 12 KOs) takes on Tomas Salek (17-3, 13 KOs) as part of a huge night of free-to-air boxing on Friday June 17 at the M&S Bank Arena. ‘Pretty Boy’ Josh Kelly (10-1-1, 6 KOs) also features alongside an electric British Super Flyweight Title Eliminator between Liverpool’s Marcel Braithwaite (12-3) and Thomas Essomba (11-7-1, 4 KOs). This unbelievable card will also host the professional debut of Aaron Chalmers, former Team GB fighter Chloe Watson (2-0) against Fara El Bousairi  (5-2, 1 KO), the undefeated Paddy Lacey (2-0) , Mason ‘Nutty’ Cartwright (17-3, 7 KOs) and heavyweight giant ‘Magic’ Matty Harris (2-0, 1 KO). Promoted by Wasserman Boxing, live on Channel 5, in association with William Hill, Numan and Infinitum Entertainment.
 
Tickets are available via https://www.ticketquarter.co.uk/