Tyson Fury, Josh Taylor, Natasha Jonas, Terri Harper. The list of Britain’s boxing world champions goes on, and has actually got even longer this weekend.

Nina Hughes became the new WBA bantamweight world champion after defeating Jamie Mitchell by unanimous decision in Dubai.

The judges scored it 97-93, 96-94, 96-94 for Hughes, ending Mitchell’s unbeaten record. "She was tougher than I thought,” confessed the American boxer.

GiveMeSport Women takes a look at Hughes’s remarkable journey to the top of women’s boxing.

Who is Nina Hughes?

The 40-year-old Hughes was fighting in just her fifth professional fight, having switched from an amateur career in December 2021.

Her first victory was against Claudia Ferenczi, before wins against Bec Connolly, Tysie Gallagher and Flora Machela.

Hughes told the Essex Echo that she first started boxing when she was 26, having taken a boxercise class to improve her fitness.

“My trainer at the time said I should try sparring so I gave it a try,” she said. “I won the match and that was it, I loved it!”

LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 03: Nina Hughes in action during the Bantamweight fight between Nina Hughes and Claudia Ferenczi as part of the MTK fight night at York Hall on December 03, 2021 in London, England. (Photo by James Chance/Getty Images)

Within 18 months of stepping into a boxing ring, Hughes had started to win national titles and was selected for Britain’s first ever female Olympic boxing squad.

Nicola Adams was chosen ahead of Hughes for the London 2012 Games, however, and the star decided to step back from boxing for three years. During this period, she got married and had a child.

Hughes returned to boxing to regain fitness after her pregnancy, and kept up the sport after giving birth to her second child.

“I have had a lot of people doubt me, but I have never doubted myself,” she said. “It has been a struggle to get people to promote me because of my age, but I am proud of what I have achieved.”

What did Nina Hughes say after becoming world champion?

Hughes posted about her victory on Twitter, writing: “40 years old and world champion on my 5th fight in just under a year since my pro debut. What a feeling 👌😄”

She later thanked Matchroom Boxing’s Eddie Hearn, who promotes Mitchell.

"Massive thanks to @EddieHearn for giving me the opportunity to fight a world title,” Hughes wrote. “No way I was letting that opportunity go to waste 👊”

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