BOXER Cassandra Axon is punching her way to international recognition.
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The Beaufort 22-year-old is in the frame for next year's world boxing championships, having won the 57-kilogram division in the Australian boxing championships up at the Gold Coast.
Axon won three straight fights in three days to claim the title, meaning she is now Australia's best in her division.
She will now have the opportunity to box-off in April in order to qualify for the prestigious overseas event.
Axon said it was a huge relief after years of hard work.
"It was just amazing," she said.
"I've gone from being a nobody to having won the championships. To do that after all those hours of training hard, watching what I eat, giving it everything - it was the best feeling.
"You can't help but think 'I can't believe I've done this, this is awesome.'"
Axon, who lives in Lara, has had a busy second half of the year.
She won the Victorian elite title in August and was runner-up in October's Golden Gloves championships in Perth.
She revealed that her love for boxing makes all the hard work worth it.
"It's an amazing sport," Axon said.
"You have to be completely dedicated to it or you won't get anywhere. And it's challenging - it makes you think and you have to be intelligent.
"It's like chess, but punching people."
Axon, who has fought 17 times in her three-and-a-half year career, first started boxing when she wanted to work on her fitness in between netball seasons.
She trained with her older brother Billy during school holidays and quickly took to the sport.
Her first major award was the Victorian novice title in 2012 – at the same time, she was undergoing a double degree at Geelong's Deakin University, studying professional creative writing and literature.
Axon is no stranger to hard work, however, training six days a week and generally twice each day.
Under the guidance of trainer Kevin Murray, her regime encompasses a range of strength, agility, speed and endurance work-outs.
She said that her training - and the self-belief that comes from it - were keys to her success.
"All boxers have to be confident in their ability," Axon said.
"It can still be a shock to win, of course, but when you step into that ring you have to have confidence in yourself."
Axon also said she hopes the 2018 Commonwealth Games will add more weight divisions, so that she will be able to participate.