Terri Harper secures legacy after defeating Rhiannon Dixon to become a triple champion
Terri Harper (15-2-2, 6KO) reignited her career by outpointing unbeaten Briton Rhiannon Dixon (10-1, 1KO) in Sheffield to become a three-weight world champion.
The 27-year-old from Denaby instantly controlled the distance and landed accurate counter-punches to rip the WBO World lightweight crown away from the champion at the Canon Medical Arena.
Defending Dixon, 29, momentarily hurt the challenger in the sixth stanza, but it was an otherwise dominant display from Doncaster’s Harper.
In a must-win fight, Harper claimed the unanimous decision with scores of 97-93, 97-93 and 96-94. A loss could have closed the curtain on her career.
After a tentative start, with neither fighter willing to overcommit, the challenger began to control the distance and land smart counter rights.
Dixon cut a frustrated figure as her jab continuously fell short. “We’ve got to let your hands go,” trainer and former world champion Anthony Crolla told her repeatedly in the corner.
The message finally got through when Dixon came out with real intent in the sixth, throwing caution to the wind and hurting Harper with an uppercut and a thudding right. It was her best round of the night, but she couldn;t sustain it.
Harper – who had been in with the likes of Natasha Jonas, Alycia Baumgardner and Cecilia Braekhus – used all her experience to outmanoeuvre her opponent.
She rocked Dixon’s head back with some heavy shots in the closing rounds as blood poured from the champion’s nose.
“That’s the best one of my career. I’ve become a new fighter, mentally and physically,” Harper said.
“There was one point in that fight where I was clocked and I really had to dig deep, but I managed to recover quite quick.”
Terri Harper spoke to BBC Radio 5 Live after winning the WBO lightweight world title: “I felt comfortable out there tonight. I came in feeling confident, took in the atmosphere and enjoyed myself.
“There was some tough points in the fight and I had to dig down, it’s part of boxing. Luckily I’m fit and healthy and managed to recover quickly.
“We had four different game plans tonight. It was a great fight, she pushed me.
“I’ve got the world title now and people will be wanting their shot now. That’s what it’s about, fighting the best in this division.
“I’m happy for whatever fight comes my way, but I want some time off first!”
History Maker
Terri Harper has written herself into the history books. The 27-year-old joins an elite list of British boxers to be three-weight world champions.
Scottish legend Ricky Burns did it in 2016, Cornwall’s Bob Fitzsimmons did it way back in the late 1800s-early 1900s, and Harper becomes the first British woman in the current era to achieve this feat.
Terri Harper vs Beatriz Ferreira
Matchroom chief Eddie Hearn speaking to DAZN after watching Terri Harper win the WBO lightweight world title: “To become a three-weight world champion is a massive, massive achievement.
“I thought it was a brilliant fight, I’m so glad we kept this show on. She makes history tonight.
“It’s so good to see Harper back at lightweight. It’s a massive achievement in the sport of boxing.
“It was such a good fight, maybe we see that again down the line.”
He added that Argentina’s IBF champion Beatriz Ferreira could be next in a unification fight for Harper.
Dixon’s reign may have been short-lived, but for a fighter who competed a handful of times on the white-collar scene before turning professional, and just a few years ago was juggling boxing with her day job as a pharmacist, she can hold her head high.
Undercard
In the co-main event, Peter McGrail brilliantly stopped Brad Foster with a vicious body punch.
Olympic gold medalist Galal Yafai was given a runabout before his mouth-watering all-British flyweight contest with Sunny Edwards in November.
Yafai made short work of Mexican Sergio Orozco Oliva to record an eighth pro win.
The Birmingham boxer called the shots, dictating the pace of the contest before stepping it on the gas and stopping his opponent one minute and 49 seconds into round number three.
After Yafai’s impressive victory, George Liddard’s TKO win over George Davey took him to 8-0.