The pressure’s on as Jess scores hat-trick

Jess Barry…now within touching distance of major title fight

COVENTRY “Banshee” Jess Barry made it a hat-trick of wins over Linzi Buczynskyj on Friday’s Sports Connexion bill in Coventry.

In fact, it was the second time Barry and the Bolton boxer had faced each other in three weeks.

And afterwards, the 31-year-old admitted she felt under more pressure for this one than the others. That’s a surprise – the pair’s meeting last year was for the English featherweight title.

Barry, who has now won 10 of 11, explained: “The pressure is higher because people expect you to win. Linzi’s a good fighter – she has faster hands than me. It only needs me to have a bad day and Linzi to have a good day…

“I felt the pressure the most this time because everyone expected a performance.”

She gave a performance, winning the six rounder 59-55.

The plan was for Barry, who has captured belts at feather and super-feather, to test the water at the lower super-bantam poundage on Scott Murray’s Sports Connexion show.

But after two opponents pulled out, Buczynskyj again stepped into the breach. As always, she proved ambitious and competitive.

Barry said: “I’m pleased. I came down with a cold last week, I wasn’t 100 per cent. Jon (manager Jon Pegg) told me to do what I needed to do. When I box, I’m never sure about the scorecards, I don’t feel that reassurance. This time, I was confident I was winning the rounds, I was confident when it came to the scores.”

Barry appears poised for a major step-up with major titles on the line.

“I want a big fight,” she added. “I don’t like the phrase, but I’m waiting for the call. I want a big title, I want TV. We’ll take it at feather or super-bantam, but I’d prefer super-bantam.”