Video
‘Stevi is absolutely adamant she is fighting’ - trainer Graham Everett
Stevi Levy on the attack against Bojana Libiszewska on her debut Picture: Mark Hewlett - Credit: Archant
King's Lynn fighter Stevi Levy has insisted the show must go on, despite a late change pitting her against a 'dangerous' opponent in just her second pro fight.
Levy steps into the ring against Gabriella Mezei at The Halls in Norwich on Friday night - not the opponent trainer Graham Everett, by his own admission, would have chosen.
"We've had Stevi matched for six weeks - then we lost the opponent at the end of last week," he said.
"We have now got an opponent and it is a hard fight, a real hard fight - certainly not one I would have picked for Stevi.
"But Stevi is absolutely adamant she is fighting, that she has got to fight.
You may also want to watch:
"She is up against a very experienced woman who is a few notches on from where we would want to go, but Stevi has improved so much, she has so much determination and like she said, she will give everything she has got.
"We have had to match her deep but I have explained everything to her. The girl was in England last week and beat a 6-0 girl as an away fighter so you can see it is a tough fight.
Most Read
- 1 Norfolk woman fined after travelling 200 miles to visit daughter
- 2 Atlantis Tower up for sale after owner signs ‘outrageous’ loan deal
- 3 Fired twice in two months: Events boss feels the pain of Covid
- 4 Norfolk bowls star tests positive at world indoor championships
- 5 Covid rates continue to fall across Norfolk, especially in Norwich
- 6 Revealed: The areas where Covid cases are still increasing
- 7 Man admits defrauding more than £1.3m from Norfolk firm
- 8 Man's neck broken after being hit by 800kg load which fell off forklift
- 9 9 of Norfolk's most famous blue plaques
- 10 A47 closed in both directions after crash
"My honest opinion is I think she will win, but it is a tough ask, genuinely."
Levy, 26, made her pro debut at the same venue in November after becoming Norfolk's first female professional boxer, and Everett says the change is clear to see.
"The improvement in Stevi is immense," he said. "Ever since she has been in this gym - she works really hard, she is twice as fast as she used to be, she is more determined, she is more clever and she has really settled into this pro boxing game and she loves it."
Wisbech's Joe Steed is on the same show and looking to take another step towards a title shot. Steed defends a 6-0 record when he faces Londoner Richard Samuels.
"I can't wait to get rolling again," said the light-middleweight. "I want to push on this year, I'm not messing about this year. I will fight whoever I can, whenever I can.
"That is what I want, that's what it is all about - be in the gym, keep fit and active and then sees what comes.
"My target is to get as many fights as I can and towards the end of the year get into a position where I can fight for a title, that's the goal."