Terri Harper Becomes Three-Weight World Champion After Unanimous Decision

Harper Ousts Rhiannon Dixon

Terri Harper in a three weight world champion at Sheffield /

By Jeniffer Achieng

The long awaited match between Rhiannon Dixon and Terri Harper unfolded at Park Community Arena, Sheffield. The fight had been rescheduled several times due to changes within the fight cards it got booked with but now they were ready to put on a spectacular show. Dixon (10-0) from Warrington, a Cheshire born fighter became commonwealth and European lightweight champion when she defeated Karen Elizabeth Carabajal in April. Dixon had won all 10 pro bouts.

In 2020, Harper (14-2-2) won the WBC super featherweight title then later on lost the belt a year later after Alycia Baumgardner knocked her out while standing. She is now competing for super welterweight and welterweight gold. Terri Harper transitioned from the Welter division where she had a mixed record of 14 wins, 2 losses and 2 draws since starting in 2017.She also has a good memory of good and bad moments in boxing, one of the low points was when WBO welterweight boss Sandy Ryan stopped her in the fourth round at Welterweight in March.

Rhiannon Dixon dropped to 10-1,1 Kos and suffered her first career defeat as a pro. She did not succeed in her first championship defense and lost the title. In a must win fight, Harper claimed a unanimous decision with scores of 97-93,97-93 and 96-94. Harper is the first female boxer from the United Kingdom to win world titles in three weight classes (lightweight, junior middleweight and junior lightweight)

Dixon outmaneuvered her opponent in the second round but Harper managed to score with some right hand punches through round three and round four. Dixon gave her best shot of the fight in round 6 when a right hook floored Harper.

Dixon continued to land more right hooks towards her opponent but in the seventh round Harper boxed at range in order for her to dominate. The final round was Terri’s best in the fight as she took control and unloaded some heavy punches on Dixon.

“That’s the best one of my career. I have become a new fighter mentally and physically,” Harper the light middleweight and former super feather weight champion told BBC news.

 Some possible future fights predicted by Promoter Eddie Hearn for Harper included IBF Lightweight champion Beatriz Ferreira, undisputed super lightweight champion Katie Taylor, undisputed junior lightweight champion Alycia Baumgardner and WBA-WBO feather weight champion Amanda Serrano.