Heather Barker takes on former champ in London

DE Box-Promotion are pleased to announce that Heather Barker will have her first fight in Europe when she faces Veronica Lillegard, from Norway, at the O2 Arena in London.

The bout scheduled for 8 rounds will be on the undercard of a men’s heavyweight championship.

Crossroads

Barker, 26, is a former Canadian Featherweight champion. She has 7 wins, 3 knockouts and one loss on record. The White Swan has returned to her winning ways by dispatching Sue Strong by knockout last year.

“This is an exciting opportunity to make a first appearance on European soil at a major event, says Barker. I know that Veronica is a respected veteran of the game and look forward to meeting her.”

Lillegard, 35, is a former European Lightweight champion. Her record stands at 12 wins (3 KO), 2 losses and one draw. She is looking to get back on track after losing her title belt in a controversial decision.

“This is an important match for my career and I believe that a win against a solid boxer such as Heather will open the pathway to more title fights, says the Norwegian. I can’t wait to put my hands on her.”

About Veronica

Veronica Lillegard

Veronica Lillegard’s life is one of contradictions. Born and raised in Bergen, she hails from an upper middle class family that has links with Norway’s former aristocracy and is deeply involved in the oil industry.

A trouble-free childhood became more troublesome as the teenage years approached. Veronica didn’t quite connect with aristocratic circles, and rather identified with working class friends who seemed much cooler than her old playdates.

Veronica’s parents forced her to take synchronised swimming classes as a hobby outside of school. She hated the sport, but mom and dad threatened to cut off the trust fund she was set to receive when reaching adulthood. The inheritance would be generous enough to allow her to live without working, so she took up the sport. Financial independence wasn’t something she would throw away despite her rebellious streak.

Lean, agile and quick, Veronica excelled in synchronised swimming. She won the junior European championship twice.

Life was under control until The Swimmer was 17. At the time, she went on vacation in Italy for two weeks. Her lavish lifestyle came to the attention of a group of cash-hungry gangster girls, who managed to isolate her on a night out.

Veronica got dragged into a quiet backstreet. She tried to resist, but three girls were too much to handle. Two of them held her up and the third one used her fists to beat the Norwegian to a pulp. She woke up wounded in hospital. Her money, ID and documents were gone. Mom and dad came to fetch and take her back home after treatment.

It was a matter of a few weeks before Veronica had access to her adulthood trust fund – and complete freedom from her parents’ decision-making. A Cecilia Braekhus fight on television was her lightbulb moment. She had to learn to defend herself, and Cecilia’s ringside excellence served as an inspiration.

The swimmer joined a gym and became a boxer. She found good coach and promised to pay him well in return for training. Veronica fell in love with the sport, had a few amateur fights and turned pro.

Being financially independent and being backed by a pro meant picking only the fights that would serve progression, with a very high sparring-to-contest rounds ratio. The recipe was extremely successful. Veronica used her quick hands and legs to outbox opponents and generally win by decision, on her way to a European title in 2018. She lost it in late 2019… in a controversial decision in Italy.

Now, the swimmer needs a win to show that she deserves at least one last shot at glory.

Heather Barker
Heather Barker
A religious, caring and ambitious woman from Canada, now based in Marseille. One of the most tenacious boxers in the sport.