Sammy Worthington: “There is literally no doubt in my mind that I will become a world champion.”

Sammy Worthington: “There is literally no doubt in my mind that I will become a world champion.”

A professional career that has so far impressed. Unbeaten in eight fights. The vast majority of those wins have come inside the distance. A world-ranked super-lightweight. But that career and her impressive resume have been in relative obscurity. But that will now undoubtedly change.

Sammy Worthington is the first fighter to be signed to T-Rex Promotions, the new promotional company formed by the multi-time world champion and former two-time Olympic Champion Claressa Shields.

“Number one, it brings me notoriety, Worthington told me over Zoom about what the hook-up with Shields will bring her. “I am 8-0, but I haven’t yet been able to fight on a stage where there have been a lot of eyes on me. So on paper, I look good, but I also look good in the ring, so to show the world that will be huge for my career. This will give me the stage to show the skills that I have. Claressa has given me the opportunity to show the world what I can do. I am really excited to show that.”

Worthington, a talented fighter with more than credible world title aspirations, has been a fighter on the outside looking in since she left her successful amateur days behind in 2019. But the boxing apprenticeship has now been well and truly served. The California resident is now looking for the next stage of her career.

“Claressa and I are in agreement with Salita Promotions and T-Rex Promotions that they are doing a form of co-promotion,” Worthington says of how the new partnership will work for her career going forward. “Technically, Claressa is my promoter. I am the first fighter signed to T-Rex Promotions. She will basically help me build my brand, getting me up the rankings and getting me the bigger fights.”

The first fight with Shields and T-Rex Promotions will be on July 27th, on the undercard of her promoter challenging for heavyweight glory in Detroit live on DAZN. Very quickly, Worthington has seen the benefits of aligning with her old friend from her amateur days.

“My last fight against Yazmin Rivas was probably the biggest test so far. But this is definitely the biggest stage so far in my career, which will bring different challenges as well.” Worthington relayed to FightPost.

The struggles of a fighter who tries to find their way away from the bright lights never get told enough. Worthington is one of many. Fighting with little financial reward in search of fulfilling a dream. Fights that fall by the wayside with the first bell only hours away. All the sweat and tears in a training camp all for nothing. A life that is beyond hard. Unseen by the majority.

“This is the lonely side of the sport,” Worthington told me. “This stage has been a little bit quieter because I have been putting in all this work. I have been performing well in the ring, but nobody is really seeing it. My last opponent was a former world champion and a veteran of the sport, but nobody got to see my performance against her. That was hard because that would have got me even more opportunities. So, a big thank you to Claressa for believing in me. She has always been one who has been fighting for me. So I am really excited to now fight for her. It’s been hard, but in those spaces, you have to hold onto your why. Why am I a professional boxer? Why do I love boxing? Ultimately, that is what keeps you going. This is what I was created to do. It is my purpose, and that is what has kept me going.”

That incredibly tough life was made even worse by turning professional at the worst possible time.

“I turned pro right before Covid, so it was definitely a lot harder than I thought it would be. I had my second fight scheduled in January 2020, but just because of things I couldn’t control in boxing, that fight and the entire show got cancelled. I just thought I would just schedule another fight, and then boom, the entire world shut down. But even removing that two-year hiatus I was forced into, I would still say it’s harder than I thought it would be. I came from a decent amateur background, but as a professional, you start at zero-zero. That was interesting to me because the connections I made as an amateur didn’t really transfer over. I didn’t expect to be a big card, but I did think I would be able to move up quicker. So it definitely has been more difficult in that aspect.”

“There have been those doubts,” Worthington says of thoughts of possibly walking away from the sport during those hard times. “It’s not that I didn’t love the sport, you think is it really worth it. It goes back to that why. What has boxing taken from me? Is it greater than what you are having to push through? It is a sport of give and take, but a lot of it is just give, give, and give some more, and not so much receive. But now I am on the cusp of starting to receive some things. I have played so many sports, but boxing can be the most rewarding of any sport. But it can also be the most devastating and defeating as well.”

But Worthington will hope those tough times are now firmly behind her. A fighter seemingly determined to make up for lost time. Within a year, Worthington wants to be fighting for world titles.

“I am ranked between 3rd and 6th for the world titles. That would definitely be the plan to fight for world titles within a year. It’s all dependent on what happens with the belts. Katie Taylor has them, and she is fighting Amanda Serrano in November, so we’ll see what happens. In my mind, I am in a good place for that kind of opportunity. I think those titles will be open at some point.”

The way ahead is complicated by her division currently on hold. Katie Taylor holds all the baubles, and a certain Puerto Rican might be the only fighter in her immediate fighting future. A long-awaited rematch that could very easily lead to a trilogy. The rest of the super-lightweight ranks might have to form a rather impatient queue.

But there is every chance that at some point within the next year, those titles are likely to splinter, allowing the top contenders like Worthington to fight for any of the vacant titles. An obvious possibility is the former undisputed champion, Chantelle Cameron.

“Chantelle would be the fight for me,” Worthington told me about a possible future fight with the British fighter. “But honestly, the confidence in my team and in myself I am ready for whoever. I know that I am created for greatness. That’s where I am meant to be. But I think style-wise Chantelle is made for me. But I am ready for whoever is on that stage. There is literally no doubt in my mind that I will become a world champion.”

Despite the slower-than-expected start to her professional journey, Worthington still has time. At 28, she is heading into her peak.

An extensive and decorated amateur career promised plenty in the paid ranks. Five National Championships and a bronze medal at Youth World Championships. Worthington narrowly also missed out on representing her country at the 2016 Olympics. The expectations are quite rightly high.

It’s a case of so far, so good. But for Sammy Worthington, it is not yet far enough. The link-up with Claressa Shields will surely bring her what she needs. And deserves.