THE minor belts sanctioning bodies issue can be a nuisance, confusing the world title picture for observers of the sport. But for a boxer trying to work their way up the rankings, they can be a lifeline. Kallia Kouroui is trying to fight her way up to a shot at WBC super-featherweight champion Terri Harper.

In Mexico last month Kourouni picked up a WBC International strap when she stopped Dayanna Gonzalez. She hopes winning another ranking belt will put her in the frame to challenge Harper. โ€œIf I win after I must challenge Terri Harper, if she still has the belt,โ€ Kourouni said. โ€œItโ€™s a very big opportunity for me. The WBC International was the first step, that opened the door for me for a bigger step after.โ€

โ€œYou can box many years, you can have a good record. But the green belt is the difference. When you start to fight for the Green belt, the WBC, it starts everything. Like Harper won a fight for the WBC International at super-featherweight. After Eddie Hearn opened his eyes,โ€ she continued. โ€œIt gives you something more prestigious.โ€

Boxing a local woman in Tijuana came with pressure. โ€œIโ€™m Greek, I fight in Mexico with a Mexican opponent, [whoโ€™s] very tough, never stopped and the truth is I was very stressed if it went to points,โ€ Kourouni said. โ€œI tried to control my stress and I gave everything and in the seventh round with 22 or 23, non-stop punches without answer. She was dizzy but she was very tough, she didnโ€™t go down at all, the referee went and stopped the fight.

โ€œOf course I worked very, very hard but in Mexico, with a  Mexican opponent whoโ€™s so tough, it was very good for me that. Of course a win is a win, by points or a knockout, but that was the best for me.โ€

It had been an unusual trip to Mexico. One opponent had been withdrawn after a pregnancy test revealed she was expecting, another also fell and struck her head, ruling herself out of fighting. Kourouni also got to train alongside a hero of hers, Mexican veteran Jackie Nava. โ€œEverything crazy only happens to me. But I trained with Jackie Nava, she has 45 fights, 37 wins, many titles, I trained with her,โ€ Kourouni said. โ€œWhen you train with someone very good it gives you motivation, you do better, you give everything.โ€

โ€œI go anywhere to fight,โ€ she added. โ€œIt was a risk but you cannot be safe all the time. Itโ€™s boxing and when you donโ€™t have a promoter in your country, you go everywhere as the underdog. [But] the point is when you go to the top, you stay there.โ€