RADCLIFFE has its very own world champion after Jussy Lowe's tremendous victory in an IKKC flyweight Thai boxing bout in California.

The Warth Fold Road girl travelled to the States to take on Japanese and world champion Sachiyo Shibata and triumphed in style, winning all five rounds and taking the title on a unanimous verdict.

While Jussy romped to the title once she got in the ring, it hadn't all been plain sailing. For the two-day trip to Victorville had taken its toll on Jussy, leaving her three and a half pounds over the weight.

It took a couple of strenuous sessions on the exercise bike in the gym and three visits to the scales before Jussy made the weight.

But far from sapping her strength, Jussy went on to turn in a great display to take the title from Shibata, who had beaten the US champion the previous year on a third round technical knockout to become world champion.

Jussy's victory was a first for her gym back in Bolton, for while they had been able to boast Area, English, British, Commonwealth and European Thai boxing champions, they have never before had a world champion.

There was more success for the Bolton club on the trip to the States as another member, Vicky Roberts, took the ladies intercontinental featherweight title after defeating her Japanese opponent, Kaori Koizumi, over five rounds, again winning a unanimous verdict from the judges.