Ellie Scotney Becomes Britain's Youngest Undisputed World Boxing Champion After Epic Victory
Ellie Scotney made history on Easter Sunday at the Kensington Olympia in London, becoming Britain's youngest undisputed world champion in the four-belt era after defeating Mexico's Mayelli Flores by unanimous decision to unify all four super-bantamweight world titles.
The 28-year-old Londoner, who already held the WBO, WBC, and IBF world championships, added Flores' WBA title to her collection in what was described by ringside observers as an "all-out war" and an "unrelentingly intense battle." The judges' scorecards read 100-90, 100-90, and 96-94 in Scotney's favour, though the wider margins arguably flattered her against a relentless opponent who attacked from the first bell.
Background
Scotney's rise to undisputed status has been one of the most compelling stories in British boxing in recent years. Trained by Shane McGuigan, she has built her professional record to a perfect 12 victories, combining technical excellence with the heart and durability to survive the toughest challenges her division has to offer. The fight was the headline bout on Most Valuable Promotions' debut UK show — the first UK event staged by Jake Paul's promotional company.
Key Developments
Scotney was generous in her assessment of her opponent after the fight, saying: "I can't tell you how much of a hard fight that was. I think the scorecards didn't give her justice — she was non-stop from the first bell."
Her trainer Shane McGuigan expressed confidence that Scotney has the capability to become a three-weight undisputed world champion, while Scotney herself indicated that this may be her last fight at super-bantamweight, with a move up to featherweight for "massive fights" now on the horizon.
In a charming postscript to the evening, Jake Paul confirmed he would fulfil a pre-fight promise to buy Scotney a car after learning she commutes to training by public transport. Scotney joked about wanting a G-Wagon, though MVP boss Nakisa Bidarian noted she would need to obtain her driver's licence first.
Why It Matters
Scotney is only the fourth British boxer to achieve undisputed status in the modern four-belt era, following Josh Taylor, Chantelle Cameron, and Savannah Marshall. Her achievement is all the more remarkable given that she attended church on Easter Sunday morning before heading to the arena to make history that evening.
The same card also saw Caroline Dubois unify the WBC and WBO lightweight titles with a dominant points victory over Terri Harper — including a sixth-round knockdown — while Chantelle Cameron became a two-weight world champion by defeating Michaela Kotaskova for the WBO super-welterweight title. It was a landmark night for British women's boxing.
What's Next
Scotney is expected to move up to featherweight in her next fight, where she will target the major title holders in that division. Her promoters at Most Valuable Promotions are expected to announce her next bout in the coming weeks. For full results and analysis, visit BBC Sport.
