Women’s bantamweight titleholder Shurretta Metcalf is harboring an underdog mentality going into her unification fight with Cherneka Johnson on Friday at Madison Square Garden in New York.
The approach should come easily to Metcalf, 14-4-1 (2 KOs), who has an uncommon boxing story. A Dallas native, Metcalf lost three of her first five professional fights. And after a 2018 draw to former titleholder Jamie Mitchell, she went on to win seven fights in a row, evolving into a contender.
More setbacks came In 2022, when Metcalf fell to Danielle Bennett and followed that with what was later ruled a no-contest against Alicia Acero. Even her recovery and path to title contention was bittersweet. Ironically, to become the No. 1 contender for the IBF belt, Metcalf beat Miyo Yoshida, who soon after took a call as a late replacement opponent for titleholder Ebanie Bridges – and beat her. Finally, Metcalf toppled Yoshida again in their rematch last October to earn her belt.
“I feel my journey in boxing has been harder than most,” Metcalf, 40, told BoxingScene. “The girl I am fighting lost and fought for a title right afterward. If I lost to Miyo, I probably never would have gotten a title shot again, because it was so hard for me to even get one in the first place.”
Johnson, 17-2 (7 KOs), is a 30-year-old who hails from Melbourne, Australia, and holds her own women’s bantamweight title. Originally, Metcalf was set to face WBO and WBC titleholder Dina Thorslund, but Thorslund was unable to compete because of her pregnancy. Metcalf is irked that, despite Johnson taking the fight on short notice, it is her name that appears first on the banner.
“I am still having to earn my respect,” Metcalf said. “I find motivation in being the underdog. I look at the situation and say, ‘I am just going to prove them wrong.’ I am who I think I am. I am really her.”
Johnson has had her own mini saga. While Metcalf faced Yoshida in back-to-back fights, Johnson took on Nina Hughes to win her title. The first bout is best remembered for Hughes initially being announced as the winner, before it was noted as a mistake and corrected in Johnson’s favor. The rematch was a decisive seventh-round stoppage win for Johnson in March.
Still, Metcalf believes Thorslund would have been the harder fight.
“I knew Dina was the harder champion because she is the stronger champion or more active than I am or Cherneka is,” Metcalf said. “I knew I would have to use power against Dina and make sure my legs were strong.”
Metcalf, who recently signed with Most Valuable Promotions, is using her extra funds from this fight for her camp. She shares a strength and conditioning coach with undisputed junior lightweight champion Alycia Baumgardner, who will also fight on Friday’s Netflix card in support of the Katie Taylor-Amanda Serrano III main event. Jessica Camara recently came down as well.
“It is rubbing off on me,” Metcalf said. “I am getting all these big opportunities and being around these types of girls.”
For a fighter who started at the club level, Metcalf is looking to make the most of this moment and her opportunity to perform on a historic card.
“I am going to take advantage of the situation I am in right now,” Metcalf said. “My journey has been tough, and I am going to make this count."
Lucas Ketelle is the author of “Inside the Ropes of Boxing,” a guide for young fighters, a writer for BoxingScene and a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. Find him on X at .
