HER professional boxing career has been somewhat stop-start, but Arlene Blencowe hopes a world title bout at Newcastle Panthers on July 18 will turn that around.
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Blencowe won two world titles in June last year when outpointing New Zealander Daniella Smith over 10 tough rounds to take out the WBA and WIBA light welterweight belts.
She was later crowned the Manning River Times Sportstar of the Year.
Blencowe expected the offers of fights in all parts of the world would follow.
However, she concedes it has been a bit underwhelming since. In fact she's had more Mixed Martial Arts fights, where her record is 4/4. She also hopes to organise more MMA fights for this year.
She's only had one boxing fight since last June and that was a loss in her bid to win the Austrailan lightweight crown in February. She's since been stripped of her WIBA title but hopes to rectify that before the year is through.
Her professional record stands at a somewhat modest two wins and two losses from four fights.
However she'll seek another world title when she take on Latana Mundine on July 18 on at Newcastle Panthers for the vacant world welterweight belt.
Mundine's record is also modest, with a win and a loss from two fights.
Blencowe admits she doesn't know a lot about Mundine.
"But I'm just happy to be getting a fight,'' she said.
Old Bar boxer Adam Fitzsimmons will be fighting on the same program.
While she hasn't been that busy as far as boxing has been concerned in the last year, she certainly has been out of the ring.
She's now trained and managed by Mark Gretch in Sydney, who lined up the bout in Newcastle. She's known Gretch since her amateur boxing days. Working with him involves regular trips to the city.
While Blencowe now lives in the Camden Haven area she also runs fitness classes three times a week in Taree, while she spars at Forster. Yesterday she headed to Canberra to train at the AIS.
"I'm a bit of a gypsy at the moment,'' she said.
However she has no intention of moving her base to Sydney to be closer to her trainer.
"My kids go to school here and they also have family here,'' she said.
"They're my priority.
Regardless of what happens in Newcastle Blencowe will attempt to get her WIBA belt back on August 8.
Her opponent here has yet to be confirmed, but this is a fight she is determined to win.
"I want back what's mine,'' she smiles.
Success here could lead to fights in America.
This would be a boost to Blencowe's boxing career and her bank balance.
"The US is where the money is,'' she said.
