ALL the pre-fight activity is finished.

The public workout, press conference and weigh-in have been ticked off and so the next time Warrington's Rhiannon Dixon comes face-to-face with Vicky Wilkinson will be in the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool on Saturday night for the Commonwealth lightweight title.

Both women made the weight at today's weigh-in and were looking ready to go to war at around 7pm tomorrow.

Warrington Guardian: Rhiannon Dixon, left, with Vicky Wilkinson and Matchroom's Eddie Hearn. See more pictures in the gallery aboveRhiannon Dixon, left, with Vicky Wilkinson and Matchroom's Eddie Hearn. See more pictures in the gallery above (Image: Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing)

Something will have to give, as both go into the contest undefeated.

For Whiston Hospital pharmacist Dixon, 27, who is trained by former world champion Anthony Crolla, it will be her first title shot – coming just eight fights into her term in the paid ranks.

And it is a huge launchpad contest for the former St Gregory's High School student in that a win would seem set to secure even bigger fights for her as an expected busy year in the ring progresses.

 

Dixon said in yesterday's press conference that she is confident of rising to the challenge in front of her.

"When I was given the opportunity to fight for this title, we said 'yes, let's take it'. We didn't know if we'd get another opportunity like this," she said.

"We've prepared throughout this camp and we're ready now to start pushing on to big fights like this so I'm really excited for the weekend.

"I always say with boxing it's like having a good dance partner. Sometimes you can be dragged down to people's levels, but I believe Vicky's a really good fighter and I think she'll bring the best out of me on the weekend."

Dixon, who hails from Great Sankey and is the sister of Salford Red Devils back-row forward Andrew Dixon and sister-in-law to Leigh Leopards half-back Joe Mellor, has seven wins on points under her belt so far.

The last of those came impressively against the tough Kristine Shergold in Leeds in December.

Saturday's opponent Wilkinson, 39, from Wombourne in Staffordshire, also has history with Shergold having fought her for the vacant Commonwealth super featherweight title in Torquay last September – a fight that finished as a draw.

The two-times national champion as an amateur only moved into the paid ranks 16 months ago but since then has achieved five wins on points.

Wilkinson, who works for the British Army as a recruiter in Wolverhampton, is a former kickboxer who fights out of the Darlaston Boxing Club where she is also a coach.

She is known to like to take the fight to her opponent, in the same way that southpaw Dixon also serves up her best work.

"I think it's a 50/50 fight. I have got amateur background, I know Dixon hasn't but she's got a great team behind her who have given her the experience I haven't had," said Wilkinson.

"I think it'll be a really interesting fight because we've both got different styles. But definitely a 50/50 fight."

Dixon proved to be a constant threat for the experienced 41-year-old Devonian Shergold last time out in her first eight-rounder.

Her footwork, accuracy and variation of punches were impressive, as was her ring craft and the discipline she showed in keeping to structure, shape and general fight plan.

She showed patience in working behind her right jab and picking her moments to unleash with some big left punches.

Although Dixon has no amateur background in the sport, she had seven fights on the white-collar scene.

She has grown with each fight since turning pro in 2019, with the coronavirus pandemic initially stalling her early progress.

Dixon worked on the Covid wards as a pharmacist during some dark days in 2020 and 2021.

While she has been doing some hospital shifts to maintain her pharmacist registration, Dixon has also recently been training full-time.

There is a huge difference in her last couple of performances compared to when she first turned

She first started boxing for fitness and to lose weight and has come a long way from her days in ballet, tap and modern dancing that she participated in for much of her childhood, though skills learned then feature now in her brilliant footwork and ring management.

Other jobs she had before becoming a pharmacist include serving refreshments to fans from the food kiosks at Warrington Wolves when she was 16 and then a stint with McDonald's while at college.