‘The Tornado’ Tori-Ellis Willetts has hit the groaned running in the professional ranks winning her first two contests with one coming by a third-round stoppage. Both the Birmingham Bantamweights contests have been scheduled for six two-minute rounds as trainer Max McCracken looks to fast-track the former Team GB fighter up the rankings. The twenty-seven-year-old had a Steller amateur career having twenty-nine fights in all and winning two Elite national championships being a GB Tri Nations Champ and winning multiple medals at international tournaments.
Willetts who is a former Kickboxer took up boxing at the age of eighteen and was part of the Great British Olympic Boxing Squad and British Army Elite sportswomen when severing in the British army as a Gunner. Willetts faced heartbreak before turning over to the professional ranks when Willetts had been training hard to compete in the 2022 Commonwealth Games in her hometown of Birmingham. The heartbreak came when her weight class was pulled from the games and the powers that be went with someone else in the weight class below. Willetts was so devastated by the news she spent the three weeks the Games were on in Spain.
Tori then made the decision to leave Team GB and the army and turned over to the pro ranks and started a new career as a teacher.
When I asked her who her favorite boxer was and why she informed me “it would have to be Floyd Mayweather, he is just the next level”. I then asked what has been the best fight you have seen she told me “It would have to be Frankie Gavin against Sam Eggington, great fight”.
My next question to Tori was, what inspired you to take up the noble art? Tori you’d me “I saw Chantelle Cameron transfer from kickboxing to boxing and get on to team GB, I had aspirations to go to the Olympics and follow a similar route so I took the transition”.
My final question to the five foot four pocket rocket was, what has been your hardest fight to date? Walletts told me, “It was in Russia, at the time I had just got onto team GB and been selected for the Europeans even though I performed great she was highly experienced in comparison to me at the time”.
Dexter’s Thoughts
I had the pressure of seeing Tori-Ellis last fight at the Eastside Rooms Birmingham and have to say Wallets impressed in a cracking contest against a very game opponent. Her punch output and shot-picking were very impressive and you could see the Team GB quality in her. It was sad to hear that she never got to shine at the Commonwealth Games as I’m sure she could have won a medal in her hometown. I can see Willetts moving up the ranks very quickly and leaving the small hall shows behind soon. Willetts is a very talented boxer and you have to say there are multiple titles in her future. Willetts has already got her next fight pencilled in for September in Sheffield where I’m sure she will get another win. I look forward to reporting on her again very soon.