A boxer who trains in Melksham has been crowned the new Bantamweight Commonwealth Champion.
Megan Redstall, who trains at The Contender Gym in Melksham, defeated Consolata Musanga to secure the title at a fight on Sunday 15th February in Essex.
“It is just a surreal feeling, it hasn’t really sunk in yet,” said Megan, who works full time as a paramedic outside of boxing.
“I fought on the Sunday, and I was back to work on the Wednesday. I was sat there thinking, ‘on the weekend I was fighting on national telly and here I am sat in an ambulance’. I just don’t feel it’s really sunk in.
“I’m so grateful and thankful for the opportunity and for the team around me, and all my friends and family that support me so I can keep pursuing the dream.
“Hopefully one day it will pay off, not just for me but for everyone around me as well.”
Megan had been set to compete for the title twice before, but both fights were cancelled when her opponents pulled out. For her fight on 15th February, her original opponent once again pulled out less than two weeks before the fight was set to take place.
Consolata was brought in as a replacement, and Megan won the fight with a 10-round points victory, extending her unbeaten record.
“It’s happened twice before, so you’ve just got to crack on with it. That’s boxing, it’s so up and down,” said Megan.
“I was probably feeling the best I’ve ever felt walking into fight week. It was a really positive lead-up.”
Megan is hoping that by the end of the year, she can do boxing full time while working one day a week. For now, she is back working full time as a paramedic.
“When you’ve got a belt or you become champion, you become valuable because people want what you’ve got.
“I can take a few months to relax, and then I’ll probably go back to camp in May. I’ve been in constant training camps these last two years with quite a few pull-outs, so I just need to not be training so intensely twice a day every day.
“Hopefully my next fight will be for a British title or a European title. There’s even talks of a world title.”
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