Boxer Kelsey, 14, is 'animal in ring' and hungers to be champ

Kelsey Martin-Davies, 14, of Warndon, Worcester, has already seen success in the ring and believes boxing is 'the best feeling in the world'.

Inside the ring, the baby-faced assassin is known as the 'Little Animal' or the 'Tasmanian Devil' and certainly lives up to her nicknames.

Softly spoken and even a little shy, when she slips on her gloves and enters the ring it all changes and she becomes a bewildering blur of lightning-fast jabs, brutal hooks and crushing combinations which never seem to miss their mark as she bobs and weaves.

SKILL: Kelsey Martin-Davies hopes to one day be a professional and even a champion

Kelsey has already made a name for herself after training for two years at DP Boxing in Sherriff Street in Worcester. 

Her coach, Jon 'DP' Shaw, certainly believes she has what it takes to go all the way to the top.

Despite her tender years she has had two competitive bouts and is undefeated, winning one fight by knockout. Gaining in confidence with each bout, her ring walk has been to the hit song Lean & Bop.

She has also had three skills bouts to aid her progression and, as an assistant children’s boxing coach at the club, is already helping take younger fighters under her wing. 

The Bishop Perowne pupil was 'stick thin' when she started training but her mum and dad have noticed that she's put on 'timber' with her rigorous training regime under the eye of boxing coach and heavyweight fighter Mr Shaw of Malvern who is himself in training for some big back-to-back fights.

Kelsey said she hoped one day to turn professional and become a champion.

She said: "It's a good feeling - knowing that the work that has gone into it is finally paying off in the ring. It's one of the best feelings ever, being in the ring. I want to go as far as I can go."

She said she feels a rush of adrenalin before a fight but that the feeling 'almost goes' when she gets into the ring because then her focus becomes the fight itself.

Mr Shaw said, though right-handed, Kelsey liked to box southpaw with a strong defence and counter-punching aggression.

MENTOR: Kelsey Martin-Davies has been learning her trade from boxer Jon 'DP' Shaw

He said: "She is like a little animal. Have you ever seen the Tasmanian Devil? She has fast, hard hands. She punches like a boy and, for any 14 to 15-year-old person, boy or girl, she punches hard.

"She has won all of her fights so far and we have been struggling to get her competitive matches."

In particular, he praised her lead hook which he says is probably her strongest punch. She is, he says, not afraid to take a punch in pursuit of victory.

However, her mum and dad have noticed that - outside the ring at least - she has become more 'chilled' since committing to the sport.

Both say they are 'very proud' of her and the dedication she has shown.

Her next challenge is at Leicester Arena for the ICB title fight in the junior female (46kg category) on July 2, the first ever junior female title under this organisation.

Mr Shaw believes she has the talent and dedication to win belts. 

He said the club already has a reputation for producing strong female fighters - with 15 to 20 women and girls attending the club.