Caroline Dubois, Ben Whittaker, Adam Azim and Viddal Riley are part of the UK’s next generation of boxing stars.
The quartet appear on a special edition of The Gloves Are Off: The Takeover.
Speaking for them all, Dubois insisted they are indeed coming “to take over”.
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Highlights as Ben Whittaker eases his way past Vladimir Belujsky, stopping him in the final round
“We’re the next-gen coming through. I’m inspired by people like [Jesse] ‘Bam’ Rodriguez, Teofimo Lopez, people like that who do it at a young age and say I’m not going to wait five, 10 years, I’m going to do it now,” she said.
“My motivation I think has changed throughout the years. When I was a kid it was going to the Olympics, turning pro it was winning a title.
“Now it’s to be undisputed. Now it’s to be the best. It’s to walk into a room and people know that’s the best fighter. I want that respect, and I’m constantly on that mission to get it.”
The four rising stars are ambitious. Host Johnny Nelson invited each of them to call out any active fighter in the world today.
Dubois at once picked Katie Taylor, still the undisputed lightweight world champion.
“She’s got all the belts in my weight division. That would be great, to be the one to step in the ring and fight her. Ireland, England, it doesn’t matter where, it would be a massive night, sell out anywhere and it would be a great night of boxing,” she said, “and I definitely would see myself walking away with the victory in that one.”
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Adam Azim picks up an important win by defeating Aram Fanyan via unanimous decision in Manchester
Azim didn’t hesitate to select Ryan Garcia or Gervonta Davis, two of the sport’s biggest stars stateside.
“One of them two. I’m a big fan of Gervonta but one day I’ve got to fight him,” Azim said.
Whittaker, an Olympic silver medallist, is at the start of his professional career. But he would take aim at Dmitry Bivol or Artur Beterbiev.
“Because for me they’re the two main guys. A lot of people are avoiding them, going one way or another. They’re the boys with the belts. One [Bivol] beat the face of boxing in Canelo, the other one’s the most feared, got a 100 per cent knockout ratio and they’re both beatable,” Whittaker said.
“It’s about going in there with the right mindset. I’d like to first fight with Beterbiev, then finish off with Bivol.”
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Viddal Riley dominates Nathan Quarless to become the new English cruiserweight champion at York Hall
Riley has just won the English title. He wants to progress in his next bout and fight for the British championship.
“Current fighter that I’d like to fight – Isaac Chamberlain. We know this anyway but I think it’s a big fight,” he said.
But he too ultimately wants to go all the way to the top of the sport. “I just want to be remembered as a true fighter. I want to be remembered as someone who took on challenges, took risks, gave the people their money’s worth, of course, a credible world champion,” Riley said.
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Watch Caroline Dubois knockdown Magali Rodriguez three times during their clash at York Hall
“As long as I fulfil my lifelong dream which is to be a world champion, fight who I’m supposed to fight, don’t miss any of the fights of my generation, I’d like just to be that guy.”
None are afraid to articulate their ambition or their intentions.
“People don’t like it nowadays but talk it, back it up, what can they say?” Whittaker shrugged.
Or as Dubois put it more bluntly: “If you know you’re going to beat someone up, there’s no problem saying it.”
Watch The Gloves Are Off: The Takeover on Sky Sports Arena from 5pm or on the Sky Sports Boxing Youtube channel