Amateur star dubbed ‘next Katie Taylor' had text ignored by Eddie Hearn before one sparring sessions changed it all
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
AMATEUR boxing sensation Tiah Ayton had her message to Eddie Hearn IGNORED - until one sparring session changed everything.
Ayton - still just 18 years old - was a standout amateur winning ALL of her bouts as a four-time national champion.
3
Tia Ayton has signed with Eddie Hearn
Credit: Instagram @deanlewisproamboxing
3
Ayton was signed by Hearn after sparring Skye Nicolson
Credit: Instagram @deanlewisproamboxing
3
She is a four-time amateur champion
Credit: @tiahayton
She had an outstanding 21-0 record in the unpaid ranks and over 300 bouts altogether in kickboxing and Muay Thai too.
But she had her heart set on the pros - even turning down a Team GB contract - to follow in the footsteps of boxing great Katie Taylor.
And like 2012 Olympic champion Taylor - Ayton reached out personally to get herself of Hearn's radar - but to no avail.
She told SunSport with a laugh: "I messaged him saying like, 'Hopefully one day you can sign me.'
READ MORE IN boxing
BACK ON THE NET Canelo vs Crawford CONFIRMED for September 13 in Vegas and back on Netflix
"But he never messaged me back! So hopefully he can message me back now."
Despite the aired message, soon Hearn would know who Ayton was.
The teenage talent was recruited as a sparring partner by former WBC featherweight champion Skye Nicolson earlier in the year.
Watching on at trainer Eddie Lam's iBox Gym in Bromley was Hearn - so impressed by Ayton he cut a deal to sign her there and then.
CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS
Ayton knew it was going to be no regular sparring session - sensing it was the opportunity of a lifetime.
She said: "I had to put my everything into it, like, it wasn't a normal spar. I looked at it as like it was a fight.
Terence Crawford starts training camp for huge Canelo Alvarez fight
"And it all paid off, so I'm happy with it. He said I was great, he said I looked good, interesting to watch and everything."
Ayton is also managed by Brian Peters, who has helped take Taylor to undisputed titles in TWO weight divisions.
And Ayton - dubbed "the next Katie Taylor" - has received words of wisdom from the Irish icon herself.
Ayton revealed: "I spoke to her on the phone and stuff. She was saying she's excited to watch my debut and everything, she's seen footage of me.
"So it's exciting. She's very inspirational for young women to look up to and want to go into boxing."
Ayton makes her pro debut on June 21 in Birmingham on Galal Yafai's undercard at super-batamweight.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
North Wales Chronicle
43 minutes ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Blue Bolt strike sees Keane waste no time in celebrating Juddmonte position
It was the first time the six-time Irish champion had donned the famous colours of the Abdullah family since his appointment was announced on Monday, as he took the reins aboard Andrew Balding's Windsor scorer Blue Bolt, who was sent off the 6-4 second-favourite for the Darley EBF Fillies' Novice Stakes. The Irishman left little to chance with a positive ride and having asked his mount to quicken and put the race to bed passing the two-furlong pole, Blue Bolt soon put distance between his rivals. Although seeing her advantage shortened by Roger Varian' Majaz in the closing stages, Blue Bolt was still a length and a quarter clear at the winning post to help rubber stamp Keane's position as first choice to one of the leading ownership operations in racing. His first ride and it's a first winner for Colin Keane in the @JuddmonteFarms silks since his appointment! Blue Bolt looks to be a filly going places as she doubles up with a taking performance at @NewburyRacing for @AndrewBalding2! — At The Races (@AtTheRaces) June 12, 2025 Keane said: 'It's the perfect start and she is a nice filly who was a good winner the last day and seems to have stepped forward again. 'She's very uncomplicated, she just gallops on and is a nice filly. It felt very easy for her in the first half of the race and I was trying to take her back a little bit and she just got a bit lonely once she had quickened away from them. But I would say she is a filly with a nice future. 'I'm very privileged to be asked to wear these colours and they are iconic in racing. I have grown up looking at them and their farm is only up the road so I'm in a very privileged position.' Although this was Keane's first ride on a member of the Juddmonte string in an official capacity, he has twice tasted Classic honours in their silks when winning the Irish 2,000 Guineas with both Siskin in 2020 and John and Thady Gosden's Field Of Gold only last month. It is the latter that could prove Keane's trump card at Royal Ascot next week and speaking to Sky Sports Racing he added: 'He was very good on the day (in the Irish Guineas) and he felt like a proper horse. I don't think I've ridden one as good as him to be honest. 'Only time will tell, but I think a fast pace would help him and bring him along further (in the St James's Palace) and hopefully he's then good enough to pick them off.' Earlier on the card George Boughey's 8-11 favourite Moonfall opened his account at the third attempt when a two-length winner of the first division of the Local IQ EBF Novice Stakes, while Charlie Appleby's heavy odds-on favourite Time To Turn was turned over in the second division by Clive Cox's 28-1 outsider A Bit Of Spirit.
Rhyl Journal
an hour ago
- Rhyl Journal
Blue Bolt strike sees Keane waste no time in celebrating Juddmonte position
It was the first time the six-time Irish champion had donned the famous colours of the Abdullah family since his appointment was announced on Monday, as he took the reins aboard Andrew Balding's Windsor scorer Blue Bolt, who was sent off the 6-4 second-favourite for the Darley EBF Fillies' Novice Stakes. The Irishman left little to chance with a positive ride and having asked his mount to quicken and put the race to bed passing the two-furlong pole, Blue Bolt soon put distance between his rivals. Although seeing her advantage shortened by Roger Varian' Majaz in the closing stages, Blue Bolt was still a length and a quarter clear at the winning post to help rubber stamp Keane's position as first choice to one of the leading ownership operations in racing. His first ride and it's a first winner for Colin Keane in the @JuddmonteFarms silks since his appointment! Blue Bolt looks to be a filly going places as she doubles up with a taking performance at @NewburyRacing for @AndrewBalding2! — At The Races (@AtTheRaces) June 12, 2025 Keane said: 'It's the perfect start and she is a nice filly who was a good winner the last day and seems to have stepped forward again. 'She's very uncomplicated, she just gallops on and is a nice filly. It felt very easy for her in the first half of the race and I was trying to take her back a little bit and she just got a bit lonely once she had quickened away from them. But I would say she is a filly with a nice future. 'I'm very privileged to be asked to wear these colours and they are iconic in racing. I have grown up looking at them and their farm is only up the road so I'm in a very privileged position.' Although this was Keane's first ride on a member of the Juddmonte string in an official capacity, he has twice tasted Classic honours in their silks when winning the Irish 2,000 Guineas with both Siskin in 2020 and John and Thady Gosden's Field Of Gold only last month. It is the latter that could prove Keane's trump card at Royal Ascot next week and speaking to Sky Sports Racing he added: 'He was very good on the day (in the Irish Guineas) and he felt like a proper horse. I don't think I've ridden one as good as him to be honest. 'Only time will tell, but I think a fast pace would help him and bring him along further (in the St James's Palace) and hopefully he's then good enough to pick them off.' Earlier on the card George Boughey's 8-11 favourite Moonfall opened his account at the third attempt when a two-length winner of the first division of the Local IQ EBF Novice Stakes, while Charlie Appleby's heavy odds-on favourite Time To Turn was turned over in the second division by Clive Cox's 28-1 outsider A Bit Of Spirit.
Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
Dele Alli heartbreak as footballer splits from model after making comeback
Former Everton midfielder Dele Alli has split up from his partner Cindy Kimberly after three years together, with the model having confirmed their break-up this week Footballer Dele Alli has split up from his partner Cindy Kimberly after three years together. The former Premier League player had been supported by the model earlier this year but it's now been revealed that they have separated. Dele, now 29, who currently plays for Serie A team Como 1907, and Cindy, now 26, went public with their romance in 2022. It's now been announced by the model that she's no longer in a relationship with the former Everton midfielder. There had been speculation that they had split up after it was noticed that she wasn't following Dele on Instagram. Cindy - who has modelled for magazines like Playboy - is also said to have removed photos of him from her page. Dele however continues to follow her on the platform. Cindy also still features in some posts on his account, including on celebrating his signing with his current football team in January, following his two year absence from the pitch. The outlet Glam Set & Match (GSM) speculated in a post yesterday that their relationship looked to be "headed for the rocks" after three years. Cindy reacted in the comments section, with her confirming that they have broken up. She announced that herself and Dele haven't been together "for a little while". Addressing rumours about their romance, she wrote in the comments section of the post this morning: "We've been broken up for a little while already." Although she appears to have removed photos of Dele from her own page, Cindy has kept up a post of herself seemingly sat in the stands at one of his games in Como, Italy, in March. She had been spotted there with him at the time. She's since been seen supporting Dele's team too. More recently, Cindy was seen in the crowd at a match between Como and Torino at Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium on April 13, just two months before the news of their break-up. Dele - who played for Tottenham Hotspur and England earlier in his career - signed with Como in January. It was announced at the time that he was on an 18-month contract, but with an option to extend that for an additional 12 months. Head Coach Cesc Fàbregas shared his thoughts on the signing: "The club believes in Dele's potential and is committed to helping him rediscover his best form. His experience and leadership qualities will undoubtedly benefit the squad." The signing came after two year absence from the pitch for Dele, which came following an injury in 2023. It was suggested in February that there was no rush to get the footballer back playing competitive games in the season. Dele, who's spoken about challenges he's faced in his life off the pitch, made his comeback in March but, as reported at the time, he was sent off after 10 minutes when he received a red card. He later posted on Instagram: "2 years! Not necessarily how I planned it, but we keep moving." It's been reported that he hasn't made another appearance for the club since then.
