KELLY Morgan says that she is not overawed by the fact she is making her professional debut against an opponent ranked fourth in the world.

The Swindon-based boxer will face Hungarian Szilvia Szabados at the Grange Drive Community Centre next Saturday.

While many fighters making their bow in the paid ranks are handed a durable journeyman, Morgan, who was a bronze medallist at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in javelin, tackles a fighter who fought for a world title at the end of October.

“Talk about not doing things by halves,” the 35-year-old former Senior Sergeant in the Elite Royal Army Physical Training Corps.

“The plan, originally, was to get somebody at the latter end of the rankings, like the lads do, to get experience.

“But last week I heard some rumours that it might be somebody high up in the world and then on Monday it was confirmed that it was the number four in the world.

“It is a massive undertaking and a lot to get my head around. It is a huge opportunity and I’m hungry for it.”

Both Morgan’s trainer Richard Farnan and manager Keith Mayo have tipped her to fight for a world title before she has even made her professional debut, but she is hopeful that she can live up to their expectations.

“There isn’t far to go from (figghting) fourth in the world so they certainly putting their money where their mouths are,” she said.

“I have just go to do what I do and hopefully fulfil their confidence – that is my goal.”

Morgan, who before serving in Iraq and Afghanistan boxed as an amateur and was an ABA runner-up, has been sparring male boxers in the build up to this fight - including heavyweight white-collar fighter Rich Loveday.

“They give me a hard time,” she said. “It is exactly what I need and want - I hope that I give them a hard time back.

“I’m hoping that by sparring with the heavyweight guys, that if I can take shots and give shots then when facing a 71-72kg female is going to be more comfortable.”