Amateur star dubbed ‘next Katie Taylor' had text ignored by Eddie Hearn before one sparring sessions changed it all
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.
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Tia Ayton has signed with Eddie Hearn
Credit: Instagram @deanlewisproamboxing
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Ayton was signed by Hearn after sparring Skye Nicolson
Credit: Instagram @deanlewisproamboxing
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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.'
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"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.
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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.
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"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."
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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."
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Ayton makes her pro debut on June 21 in Birmingham on Galal Yafai's undercard at super-batamweight.
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