Francesca Hennessy says she wants to become the youngest-ever undisputed world champion within the next 12 months, and the 21-year-old believes the road there runs through Cherneka Johnson. The WBC mandatory challenger at 118lbs said she expects to be in line for a title shot soon, with her team working on a run that could put her in position by the end of this year or early next year.
Hennessy is searching for that opportunity while staying busy on Saturday, when she faces Aurora De Persio at Wembley Arena on the undercard of Adam Azim against Steve Claggett. She described De Persio as the perfect opponent to keep her active, but the bigger prize is clear: a chance to dethrone Johnson and move toward a four-belt title fight before the calendar turns again.
The target is ambitious because of the record already on the books. Gabriela Fundora became the youngest fighter, male or female, to hold all four major titles at once in November 2024, doing it at 22. Hennessy is still only 21 and has had eight professional outings, so a title run in the next year would put her in position to reset that mark rather than simply chase it.
Her confidence has been built in public. In January, Hennessy came through a majority decision over Ellie Bouttell after being thrown into the main event when Adam Azim’s fight fell apart, and she said the night was a dogfight that taught her something about herself. It was also the first time she headlined a Boxxer show, a step that left her nervous before she handled the noise in the ring.
That last detail matters because Hennessy did not just hear cheers. She said the mix of support and boos made the evening more intense, and by her own account it has already changed how she carries herself. Back then, she said, she put too much pressure on herself. Now she describes herself as a happier fighter.
The fight she wants most may not be easy to pin down. Hennessy said Johnson appears to have another bout lined up already, even as she and her team push for the matchup and wait for the WBC mandate to bring the belts into reach. Her view is simple: if Johnson keeps hold of the titles, then the order should eventually force the bout.
For now, Hennessy is staying in motion and keeping the pressure on from the outside. A win over De Persio would preserve her rhythm, but the real deadline is the one she has set for herself: become undisputed within 12 months, and do it before anyone younger has ever managed it.
