By: Sean Crose
“Every fight is special to me,” says Chiara “Speedy” Dituri, “but fighting in New York is extra special when my friends and family are there supporting me.” Indeed, the undefeated featherweight is going to be featured on Boxing Insider’s March 7th card, which will see the 7-0 Brooklynite square off against fellow New Yorker Jaica Pavilus in a scheduled six rounder. “I know that my opponent is experienced and has had an armature career, an aggressive fighter, more like a street fighter” Dituri says, “but I’m prepared for whatever comes at me.”
Indeed, Dituri is determined to maintain an undefeated record. “It’s important for me to stay undefeated,” she says, “because this is a stepping stone for me towards fighting for a world title and proving to the world that I can and will be one of the best female professional boxers.” It was the desire to excel that brought a young Dituri into boxing game to begin with. “I started martial arts at six years old and later transitioned to boxing ten years ago,” says Dituri. “After competing in karate nationally and internationally I switched to boxing because I wanted to challenge myself to a higher degree, turning pro in boxing and winning a world title is exactly that.”
Although she’s making her mark as a pro boxer, Dituri has an important career outside the ring too. “I am a high school teacher as well,” she says, “teaching physical education and health. Being a boxer and teacher has inspired many of my students specifically younger girls to pursue their goals.” Of course, being a boxer requires grit, something Dituri has shown plenty of over the past few years. “After coming off an injury over two years ago that sidelined my career for a year and a half,” says Dituri, “most fighters would not have continued boxing, but for me I feel it was a catalyst in my career. I made a decision that I would continue and I would be a better fighter than I was prior.”
The Chiara Dituri-Jaica Pavilus battle will go down at Sony Hall in midtown Manhattan (New York City) next Thursday night. The card also features Emmet Brennan-Devaun Lee, and Pryce Taylorr-Antonio Torres among other bouts. Tickets are on sale at TICKETWEB. The event will be broadcast live at Boxinginsider.com. The card will begin at 7:30 PM, eastern time. This will be the second Boxing Insider promoted card of 2024.
