Taking on a challenge. It is something Twins Academy have never shied away from.
And one of the gym’s stars, Jordan Barker-Porter takes that mantra to another level this week when she challenges for the vacant European welterweight title in France.
The 31-year-old faces undefeated number one French girl Emilie Sonvico in Uzes on Saturday evening.
Over the past couple of years, the Trimdon gym, headed up by Jordan Williams, have tackled every single test imaginable with Adam Hepple winning the Northern Area super-middleweight title in only his fourth fight before having championship fights with Reece Farnhill, Brad Rea and Zak Chelli, while Kai Richmond and Billy Wade have had cracks at the Northern Area belt.
Chuck in Ali Shah who lost a tilt at the Commonwealth Youth title to Arnie Dawson last month and you can see both ambition and bottle are not in short supply in the Co Durham village.
JBP has already been in the deep end when in her first fight for Twins Academy last June she went to Italy, where she was outpointed by unbeaten Italian Pamela Sawa for the European Silver belt in Bologna. Despite a unanimous decision going against her, it remains punch-lines’s favourite Barker-Porter bout.
Her desire and spirit were evident again last October, when she flew to Sweden to face veteran home favourite Mikaela Lauren and was probably unlucky to only get a draw. Two judges went 58-56 either way with the third scoring it 57-57
Since then, Jordan was made the mandatory challenger for Kirstie Bavington’s European welterweight title, providing she defeated Argentina’s Erica Alvarez at the Rainton Arena last month.
It wasn’t easy but the ninth win of her career, on the Jobes Boxing event at Houghton, set up a mouth-watering clash with ‘Bavvo’, only for the 32-year-old, from Wolverhampton, to relinquish her crown.
Saturday’s bout in southern France looks some test for JBP.
Sonvico is a little way behind Barker-Porter in professional terms – Jordan’s record stands at 9-3-1 while Emilie is at 5-0 with all her wins via points.
But she is a woman, seemingly, on an upward trajectory in the pro game after a fine amateur career in the French team.
She took the gold medal at the 2023 Silesian international competition in Poland and reached the 66 kilo final at the 2024 USA Boxing International Tournament in America, where she was outpointed by Imane Khelif, the Algerian who would go on to strike Olympic gold in Paris.
Sonvico gave it everything to qualify for her home Olympics, but after missing out opted to turn pro last year and has reeled off five straight wins.
But for all the 36-year-old has competed at the top as an amateur, she has not been in this level yet as a professional, unlike Jordan who performed with tremendous heart over 10 hard-paced rounds with Sawa right until the final bell in Bologna.
Barker-Porter is highly motivated too, telling punch-lines: “I lost the first European title challenge, but the second one is different gravy.”
Words: Roy Kelly Picture: Jason Corbett/ Mindenwood Photography
