Bilston's Katie Healy so grateful to people who helped her reach top
A Black Country boxer has praised the gym which helped her to become world champion.
Katie Healy from Bilston became the new WBF Super Bantamweight champion after being Matshidiso Mokebisi in South Africa on July 8.
The 24-year-old, who went to school at Moseley Park school, said it was the strength and conditioning work she had done with Santino and Carlo Sellick at Ironmasters Gym in Bilston that had been the difference in her successful title fight.
She said: “I’ve said to Santino so many times that without this place and without the training they put me through, I wouldn’t have the title today and wouldn’t have got this far in my boxing career.
“A lot of people don’t realise that the gym work is just as important as the boxing and technical aspect and without the endurance and strength work, you won’t be getting to your full potential.”
Katie said the gym was a welcoming and friendly place and said she had know the Sellick family for years, even wearing purple as her ring gear in honour of Santino’s late daughter Maria.
She said: “I’ve never been to a gym which is so welcoming from day one and everyone you speak to is there to help and support and you just see smiles on their faces and that they enjoy being here.
“I would definitely recommend anyone who wants to train better to come here as when we do sessions here, Santino doesn’t just give me the exercises, he’ll tell me why I’m doing it and give me a proper training plan. I’ve never met two brothers who are as clued up about what they are talking about and everything they say makes sense, so I would recommend this place to anyone.”
Santino Sellick said he had watched the fight with his family and spoke of how proud he was about Katie’s success. He said: “When she lifted that belt, I felt so proud for her, first and foremost, but also for the gym and for Bilston having a world champion.
“When Katie started training here, I saw after the first session that she shared our family ethos at the gym and also was determined and disciplined to do what she needed to make it to the top.
“I said on Instagram on May 21 last year that she would be a world champion and here she is a year later with the belt and she has brought back a ray of light to the gym.”
