Wigan's Rhiannon Dixon took up boxing to get fit - and has now turned professional!

Dixon, who is the latest prospect fighting out of the famed Blundell’s Boxing Gym, signed a professional contract with VIP Boxing after impressing at multiple shows in Aspull over the last 18-months.

She announced the pending news to her friends and family at the Blundell’s Boxing home show last weekend after she won her farewell bout against Nichola Scott in emphatic fashion.

The 24-year-old will now join close friend and 11-0 professional boxer James Moorcroft under the management of Steve Wood who is widely regarded as one of the best boxing promoters in the country.

Dixon couldn’t hide her pride after she became the first ever female boxer to sign with VIP Boxing.

“I honestly can’t believe that I’m the first professional female boxer to sign with VIP Boxing Promotions," she said. "I only originally started boxing as a hobby to get fit but now I’ve turned pro. I’m so proud to have earned this moment, and I’m really hoping I can make my friends and family proud.

"I feel so honoured to be given this opportunity by Steve Wood and VIP Boxing and I’m really excited to see what’s to come and for my first fight-date to be announced soon. We’re hoping that it should be around September or October.

"I did only want to be involved in the fitness and personal training element to boxing but Lee Blundell saw that I can pack a punch and asked me if I wanted to have a fight and I haven’t looked back since.

"I’m so excited to make this step-up now, I cannot wait to show everyone what I can do, and I cannot thank Lee and Luke Blundell, and James Moorcroft enough for the amazing coaching over the last four-years. We’re all now looking to help put Blundell’s Boxing and Wigan on the map over the next couple of years! I’d also like to thank everyone at Blundell’s because it’s a massive team effort, and I love everyone who is apart of my boxing family.”

Meanwhile, coach Lee Blundell has high hopes that the pre-reg pharmacist will become a huge success in boxing.

“She’s very good," he said. "She’s as talented as James before he turned over so we’ve ticked all the boxes, and did what we said we was going to do. The future is certainly bright as she’s an outstanding talent.

"She initially wanted to do the fitness side but we did a bit of sparring and a bit of technical work and it was good. I knew when we was padding that it was weird for a southpaw girl to start punching and punching hard and being fit already. We kept on adding and adding on to her boxing and she sky-rocketed on from there.

"She’s won all 10 fights that she’s had, and her dedication has never been in question. She’s been living the professional lifestyle for years because she’s been coming in at 6am to train before working full-time and university, and coming to the evening sessions as well. She’s been doing all the hard-work without the fights so it was just the case of making the next step and signing the paperwork.

"We’re really excited, I think she can go far. She’s in the best possible hands with Steve Wood and VIP so it’s very promising.”