Despite growing up in Sussex on the South Coast, Raven Chapman very much calls Buckinghamshire her home as the boxer prepares for the biggest fight of her career so far.
The former Chesham Park student will take on Jorgelina Guanini of Argentina for the WBC International Feather Title on the Joe Joyce vs Joseph Park card on Saturday, September 24.
Taking place at the Manchester Arena in what is expected to be a sell-out crowd, the fight will be streamed live on BT Sport and Chapman has one mission on her mind.
Speaking exclusively to the Bucks Free Press, she said: “Hopefully I’ll take that belt home with me.
“I am feeling excited about getting up to Manchester and getting the job done.
“I am feeling confident.
“Being able to box and fight in front of a big crowd is exciting and have a good amount supporters making their way up to Manchester is great too as it’s a long way.”
Chapman regularly trains for her fights at the High Wycombe Boxing Club on Abercromby Avenue under the stewardship of her mentor, Stuart Scott.
And with the fighter also being signed up to Frank Warren’s current stable of elite fighters, the future looks bright for sportsperson.
Her fight at the end of the month comes off the back of an incredible against Grabiella Mezei, where she knocked out the Romanian inside 60 seconds of the bout starting on her BT Sport debut.
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She has hailed this down to her positive mental state, which she has revealed is ‘important’ when stepping into the ring’.
She explained: “Having a good mindset when you’re going into a fight is so important.
“It’s not just about being physical and there is a saying that ‘boxing is 80 per cent mental’ and it’s true.
“It’s all about being in the correct headspace, being focused, and knowing that you’ve put all that work in so when it comes to fight night, you’re prepared.
“You can’t let no stone unturned and you’ve got to leave knowing that you have done everything and that you have given it your best on the night.”
Finally, Chapman, who lives near Great Missenden with her grandmother, hopes that her raise in the boxing world can inspire more people to get into the ring.
She concluded: “I’ve kind of been in the area all my life and it’s always been the place that I have myself coming back to.
“Brighton is my hometown and High Wycombe is where I made myself.
“And it’s nice to know that I can bring a focus to the area that we’re in and hopefully we can get more people around here into boxing.
“That’s really important to me as boxing teaches such valuable lessons in life.
“So to be able to be a good influence in the area is in a way, a part of why we do what we do.”
To purchase tickets for the fight, visit click here.
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