‘I’m serious’: Tayla Harris’ scary cross-code warning, shares ‘ambition to win world title’

Tayla Harris has put the Australian sporting landscape on notice, declaring she wants to win a boxing world title while playing in the AFLW.

No Limit Press Conference Weigh In’s at Hoops Capital East , Moore Park. Picture:No Limit/Gregg Porteous

Tayla Harris is taking this boxing thing seriously.

The cross code star returns to the boxing ring on Wednesday night in Sydney as she takes on Millicent Agboegbulen for the Australian super welterweight title in No Limit’s first ever all-female card.

Harris (8-0-1, KOs) is undefeated and is looking to back up an impressive TKO victory in April as she continues her rise up the boxing ranks and targets a world title.

The 26-year-old is in a serious sporting purple patch, winning her first AFLW premiership with the Melbourne Demons last year as she found her groove after a messy exit from Carlton.

LINEAR BOXING | WED JULY 26: Undefeated boxer and four-time AFL Women’s All-Australian Tayla Harris is headlining the first all-female card that also features tough up and comer Ella Boot LIVE on Kayo Sports. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >

Speaking to news.com.au ahead of the fight, Harris sounded like a woman on a mission as she detailed her hopes for her boxing career and said she was placing “equal” importance on both her footy and boxing.

“I’m serious. I’m as serious as any other fighter you will meet about boxing — men and women,” Harris said.

“It’s a sport I’m absolutely pursuing as much as possible and obviously having footy as well creates another layer.

“But it doesn’t make any difference to the application I put into boxing, which is all year round. It’s just that obviously fighting isn’t possible when the footy season is on but in saying that, it’s uncommon for a fighter to fight more than three times a year and that’s what I’m able to do anyway.

“I feel like I’m fulfilling both careers to their potential at this stage.”

Tayla Harris weighs in for her fight against Millicent Agboegbulen. Picture: No Limit/Gregg Porteous

She says she’s only scratching the surface of what she can achieve both in boxing and AFLW.

“Realistically, physically I feel like I’ve literally only just matured into my body as an athlete and understood the requirements to achieve that comfort in your physical capabilities,” Harris said.

“That takes time, you can’t just do that overnight. It’s taken years of consistent training and output.

“I’m really excited for this season on the footy field and in the boxing ring because I’m at a point where I’ve never been before physically. An incredibly healthy mind and body is going to allow me to hopefully produce some good moments in the ring and on the field.

“Obviously the premiership was awesome, it was the best day ever. I’m feeling great, feeling really good.”

Prior to April, Harris hadn’t fought in three years — a hiatus she says helped her to get back to basics and pack more power behind her punch.

“I’ve worked a lot on the fundamentals of boxing that I probably never had the time to really scale back and understand,” she said.

“I’m obviously still learning the sport and not being exposed to boxing since I was a tiny kid like some are fortunate to — Tim and Nikita (Tszyu) for example, with their dad fighting. “(I’m a) different story. I picked up the sport when I was a teenager and have just been learning along the way and enjoying that process for sure.

“To be able to scale it right back and not have a fight in the near future at the time when Covid was happening, it allowed us to go back to the basics.

“A lot of things like balance and weight distribution, turning into punches, rolling and all those sorts of things that I didn’t get the chance to really narrow in on until recently. Now I can translate that to a fight.”

Tayla Harris wants to win a boxing world title. Picture: Tim Carrafa

The next AFLW season gets underway in just over a month and Harris is juggling being a professional athlete in two sports just fine, with plenty of support from the Demons.

“They’re unbelievable about it, so supportive,” she said of her AFLW team.

“They’re curious as well to understand how the sport works. They often let me know how interested they are, encouraging, supportive and proud they are.

“A bunch of them are flying up Wednesday afternoon, watching the fight and flying back first thing Thursday morning because we’ve all got training on Thursday night. That shows how supportive they are.

“No one’s ever tried to tell me they don’t think I should do it because they see the value in doing another sport I love and obviously the physical benefits are clear.

“The other benefits are just that mental toughness and ability to overcome adversity. There’s no bench in the boxing ring.”

Tayla Harris is determined to juggle footy and boxing. (Photo by Kelly Defina/Getty Images)

You get the sense Harris has turned a corner after enduring disgusting trolling in recent years, but she insists she’s not motivated by the haters, just by getting the absolute best out of herself.

“I’ve never really taken notice of people’s opinion,” she said.

“I only care about my coaches, my teammates, my family’s opinion of what I’m executing on the field. If you worry about that, you’re going to find yourself in a bit of a hole.”

Asked what her end game for her boxing career is, Harris said: “Obviously I’ve got ambition to have the opportunity to fight for and win a world title.”

Harris is clearly taking her boxing career seriously, throwing herself into the nitty gritty of the sport with the goal of joining a list of Aussie world champions and contenders she rattles off with ease.

“There’s Tim Tszyu and some other really exciting Australian boxers are also making a name for themselves around the world — Moloney brothers, Michael Zerafa, Sam Goodman, George Kambosos,” she said.

“I just love that Australians are putting their name in the ring. It’s a good time to be an Australian boxer.’

Watch No Limit’s all-female boxing card on Kayo Sports and Fox Sports 503 on Wednesday from 7pm AEST. Harris is expected to fight from 8.30pm.

No Limit on Fox all-female card

Tayla Harris vs Millicent Agboegbulen - Australian super welterweight title

Ella Boot vs Annie Thatcher — Australian light welterweight title

Angel Rushton vs Jaala Tomat

Tywarna Campbell vs Natasha Kurene

Jess Messina vs Zoe Putorak

Originally published as ‘I’m serious’: Tayla Harris’ scary cross-code warning, shares ‘ambition to win world title’