Boxer Patricia Berghult, 26, will compete for the heaviest World Cup title on June 18 this summer. She will then face 34-year-old veteran Marie-Eve Dicaire away in Canada - and the plan is to fill the NHL team Montreal's arena, which holds about 20,000 spectators. - It will be my toughest match in my career, says Berghult to SVT Sport.

The undefeated fighter from Rosengård (14-0, 3 KO) is now facing his biggest and most difficult challenge in his career.

The last time Berghult played a match was in November 2019 when she won the WBC's interim belt in super welterweight (69.9 kilos).

After that, the pandemic paralyzed an entire world and put the sports world on pause.

Now she gets the chance to box for the full-fledged WBC world champion belt as American star Claressa Shields changes weight class and leaves the title vacant.

Had world champion belt for three years

For the opposition is the experienced Canadian Marie-Eve Dicaire who has played 18 professional matches and only lost one.

It was last month when she lost to Claressa Shields on points.

Prior to that, Dicaire was the IBF Champion for three years, defending his title several times.

- We have signed the contract and are just waiting for WBC to approve it.

But we are in hard training now, says Berghult to SVT Sport.

- Dicaire has been in the ring with the best, but we train and believe in my strengths.

We know it's going to be a tough match, she's bigger than me and it's her home ground.

Even though I am the world champion, I go there as an underdog so I feel no pressure at all.

I'll just go there, have fun and get the most out of my boxing.

When the time comes, it will have passed 1.5 years without a match.

Are you nervous?

- It is clear that I wonder if I will be ring rusty, but many of my opponents and sparring partners have a tendency to underestimate me and I think Dicaire has done the same.

I'm not worried but trust our tactics and just intend to go in and drive.

"Boxing is bigger in Canada"

An extra challenge for the Swede is the fact that Dicaire is a left-handed boxer, so-called "southpaw", and boxers with the opposite attitude compared to the majority of all practitioners.

Of Berghult's 14 professional opponents so far, none have been southpaw.

- And it is probably maybe four or five that have been in my next 80 amateur matches.

They are rare, haha.

It will be difficult, but we are training to get that pattern in now and trying to find good sparring.

You're the world champion, not her.

Why will the match in Canada be at her home ground?

- It is too expensive to arrange matches at home, that is the truth.

Boxing is bigger in Canada and they are hoping for a full house in the NHL arena.

In addition to my title match, there is one more at the gala, a men's match.

It is believed that most people in Canada will be vaccinated on June 18 and Sweden is behind.

- Of course I would have preferred boxing at home, but it will still be cool to go there and hopefully there will be a lot of spectators.

I can make the best of the situation.

LONG REPORT: "Had she been a guy, she would have been financially independent now" (January 3, 2021)

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Boxer Patricia Berghult competes for the heaviest World Cup title - in the NHL arena

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