Katharina Thanderz: “I have had Rhiannon Dixon on my mind for a long time now, but that’s good, I’ve had a lot of time to prepare.”

Katharina Thanderz: “I have had Rhiannon Dixon on my mind for a long time now, but that’s good, I’ve had a lot of time to prepare.”

By Lewie Laing

“I will have a lot going against me and Dixon is technical which I like but I have trained hard, I have the experience and I can’t wait for fight night now” Katharina Thanderz tells FightPost as she counts down to her European title clash with the unbeaten and current Commonwealth lightweight champion Rhiannon Dixon.

Thanderz (16-1) has been preparing for her up-and-coming bout against the highly rated Dixon (8-0) for what feels like forever. Due to boxing’s business dealings, the proposed bout for the vacant European title at lightweight has had many rumoured dates and venues, each a false dawn until September 30th at Wembley Arena was finally signed, sealed and delivered by Eddie Hearn and Matchroom. 

Fighters usually have anywhere from 8 to 12 weeks to prepare for an opponent, Thanderz and Dixon have had 4 to 5 months, and for the travelling Thanderz, she is eager to get into the ring and let her boxing do the talking with the fight a little under 4 weeks away.

“It was going to be June, then July, then 2nd September, but finally, we have the date locked in on 30th September. I have had Rhiannon Dixon on my mind for a long time now, but that’s good, I’ve had a lot of time to prepare. I was tired of the waiting around for the fight to get confirmed but I’m really looking forward to being in the ring again, I’m very motivated for this fight, Dixon is a southpaw so it is a good test.”

Thanderz likes to be active, fighting 3 or 4 times per year. She was last in the ring back in March, winning on points against the then-unbeaten Ioana Fecioru. This was Thanderz third straight win on UK soil since her devastating stoppage loss to Teri Harper back in November 2020 for the WBC super-featherweight world title. It was hard to take and it took Thanderz over a year before she fought again. It has been frustrating for the Norwegian, who admits, wondering if she could keep going at times during that period of inactivity. Thankfully, she did and now has another title shot in front of her. 

“I’ve had to wait a long time since November 2020, a loss to Teri Harper, to fight for a title again. It took me a year and a half to get back in the ring following that loss. I’ve had three fights since, and now I’m fighting for a European title in Dixon’s backyard in the UK. I will have a lot going against me, and Dixon is technical, which I like, but I have trained hard, I have the experience, and I can’t wait for fight night now. 

“It was devastating losing to Harper. I honestly thought I was going to win. I was doing a good job in the fight, then the head clash happened, and I didn’t get the time to recover myself, and Harper then caught me with a shot to the liver. Although I came back fighting, the ref stopped the fight, which shocked me. I don’t understand the stoppage. A lot of people feel the same. It was a hard time, but I was back training quickly after that loss. 

Following a win over Danila Ramos, Thanderz won the interim WBC super-featherweight world title, which forced the fight with Teri Harper. Fighting for titles is what Thanderz wants and has set her goal of becoming a world champion. She is aware that a win in the UK over Dixon to capture the European title will push her closer to another world title shot but knows a win is anything but a foregone conclusion. 

The fight will take place at Wembley Arena in the UK, on a show where Dixon, a technical and tricky southpaw, is the home fighter. Thanderz knows she will have to be on top of her game to get the win but feels far from the away fighter here in the UK. The bout with Dixon is scheduled to be the fifth fight on the bounce in the UK for Thanderz, with that sole defeat of her career to Harper the only blemish, and Thanderz enjoys the British fight nights.

“World titles are the goal. They have always been the goal. I won the interim world title and got the chance to fight Harper, which I lost, but my goal is to get that opportunity again and to win world titles. In order to win this fight, I need to do more than her. You don’t always get to fight your fight or to fight your specific style and be comfortable. Sometimes, you have to fight however you need to in certain situations. I am getting ready to do whatever is needed to get my hand raised.

“I have been to the UK many times, I have fought here already numerous times. When I fight at home there is pressure but when I fight in the UK it is a different kind of pressure because UK boxing fans love this sport, the atmospheres and the events are just different, I really like fighting in the UK and being part of the big events.”

A former kickboxer, Thanderz, was late to the combat sports, starting at 18 against her parent’s wishes. While she enjoyed kickboxing, there was a slight problem on occasion, focusing too much on punching and neglecting her kicking, leading to warnings during kickboxing bouts. 

In 2012, Thanderz started to train with a boxing trainer after realising boxing was what she preferred and is still trained by him today. In boxing, Thanderz has found a way to channel her emotions and gain confidence while pushing herself daily in the process. 

“I actually started with kickboxing. My parents didn’t think it was a good idea, but I was 18 and enjoyed combat sports. I had many fights as a kickboxer and was warned numerous times for not kicking enough, I always preferred punching. I met my boxing coach, we had a good understanding, and I started training with him. I have always been an introvert, with a lot of emotion inside of me, and boxing gave me the opportunity to express myself. I like the adrenaline, the hard training, I enjoy all of that.”

The lightweight and super-lightweight divisions are tied up by two undisputed champions, Katie Taylor and Chantelle Cameron respectively, who happen to be tied up with each other with a rematch scheduled for November following Cameron’s win over Taylor earlier this year. Because of this, it is a waiting game for all contenders as to when title opportunities will become available at either weight division.

Thanderz, who recently moved up to lightweight from super-featherweight recognises that belts may or may not become available once the pair conclude their eagerly anticipated rematch but is happy to go between the two weights if opportunities present themselves. While world titles are the goal, Thanderz is more interested in the biggest fights against the biggest names possible, a refreshing change in this sport where the best fighting the best is a rarity.

“Super-featherweight was getting more difficult to make. It is not good for the body. Now I’m not focused on making the weight fighting at lightweight. Lightweight is easier to make. I am curious as to what Katie Taylor’s plans are as she holds all the belts at this weight. She is fighting Chantelle Cameron again, I think Cameron is just too big and too strong for Taylor. They are both great fighters, but there are weight classes for a reason. If an opportunity came at super-lightweight, I could move up. welterweight would be too much for me, I think, but lightweight and super-lightweight are natural for me. 

“The day I say goodbye to boxing, the best thing I want to say is I fought the best. Yes, winning word titles is the goal, but they are just belts. The experience to me is more important. I do not want politics stopping the best and biggest fights. If I get the chance to be a part of the biggest events and fighting the biggest names, that’s so important. The boxing fans want to see the biggest fights, the best fighting the best. Not fighters avoiding each other or fights where we already know the winner. If I get the chance to meet the best, even without a belt, I’ll be taking the fights. Matchmaking needs to get better in boxing, I hope it does.”

The sport of boxing seems to be under the spotlight for the wrong reasons more than the right ones lately with failed drugs tests on top of the agenda. Undisputed super-featherweight world champion, Alycia Baumgardner is the latest fighter and first female of any significance to return what the sport calls an ‘adverse analytical finding’ from a drugs test. This test was taken before her fight with Christina Linardatou, but the results were only confirmed after Baumgardner was victorious, a floored system in its entirety. Baumgardner pleads her innocence, as they all do.

Thanderz feels as though there are many boxers involved in performance-enhancing drugs and that testing needs to become more frequent and more robust if the sport she loves is to be clean of cheats and fair for all. Lives in boxing are already on the line the moment the fighters climb through the ropes, and the first bell rings. Entering the ring with the advantage of performing at and advanced level and the consequences could be catastrophic, but sadly, it seems that is what it may take before something is done by those with the power to do so.

“I think many people are doing it, it’s normalised in the sport and it is very sad. I think we all should be tested more often, and by blood too, not just urine. I know the cost would be a lot more, but this is what needs to happen to get a clean sport when lives are at risk. Taking certain substances in a running race, you are going to beat other runners, in boxing, you are going to really hurt someone, and the consequences could be damaging. It took my body 15 years to change, years of consistent training. Some fighter’s bodies have changed in 3 or 4 months. It’s sad that money runs the sports. It stops being a sport and starts to fully be a business.”