FLINT, Mich. – Kentucky native Samantha Worthington has taken the boxing world by storm. She began her career with nine wins, seven of which were by knockout, and she attributes her early success to three things; Jesus, her husband and her longtime friend Claressa Shields.

Worthington had great success early in her career, but boxing wasn’t always on her agenda.

“I had an extensive amateur career and throughout my entire amateur career if you asked me I would never have said I would turn pro, but then I accepted Christ on February 8, 2015 and He just gave me a new fire for life. “and purpose,” Worthington said.

After confirming that she belonged in boxing, Worthington headed to the 2016 Olympic Trials, where she met another top boxer in the game in Claressa Shields.

During their time together during the Olympic Games, a friendship developed between the two. Their friendship grew so much that Worthington became the first athlete signed to T-rex Promotions, a company Shields founded to help female alcoholics, and she has since become a rising star in the sport.

Worthington will be one of the many talented boxers stepping into the ring on Thursday, December 12th at the Dort Financial Center. For more information on their fights or the other fights on the card, click this link.