Jessica Messina off to Perth for women's world championship boxing selection trials

The Port Macquarie boxer will face a new challenge as she attempts to qualify for a spot in the Australian team for the women’s world championships in India.

Messina competed at the 2016 women’s world championships and won a bronze medal for her country in Poland last year.

She will come down in weight division from welterweight (69 kilograms) to light welterweight (64 kilograms) for the selection trials in Perth starting on Thursday.

“I just want to dominate,” she said.

“I want to go out there and prove to everyone and myself that I’m the best in the country and after that I’ll be the best in the world hopefully.

“It’s a women’s world selection event, so the winner has the opportunity to be selected to then go to the world titles.”

Messina feels the different weight division was more her “natural weight.”

“69 kilos was pretty good and I was competitive anyway, but the only difference in the 64 kilo division is (opponents) will be a bit shorter,” she said.

“They’re also going to be a bit faster as well so it’s a different kettle of fish.”

There is no margin for error in Perth.

Messina will have a maximum of three bouts, consisting of three three-minute rounds.

The cut-throat nature of the selection trials mean she will be knocked out of selection if she loses any of them.

“If you win you go through to the next round and compete against the next competitor all the way to the end,” she said.

“Hopefully I’ll win it and then hopefully go to world’s and make some history and win that as well.”

In 2016, Messina was selected in Australia’s talented identification squad.

She admitted the biggest challenge wouldn’t be what happened in the ring, but rather what happened between her ears.

“The biggest challenge is believing in myself and as long as I know I can do it 100 per cent then I’ll have no dramas,” she said.

“I’ve learned that I can be quite disciplined when I put my mind to something and if I believe in myself I can do anything.

“I’m in a good head space, feeling really good and fresh.”

The 26-year-old has also had to balance her preparations for the world championship selections with work.

“I’ve been keeping to myself and working away,” she said.

“I just started doing physiotherapy so I’ve been keeping my head down.”

Messina has had around three months since her last bout and was looking forward to the challenge in the Western Australian capital.

“I fought in Papua New Guinea about three months ago and have had a couple of (exhibition bouts) so I have been in the ring,” she said.

“I’ve been sparring some good girls on the Central Coast so I’m feeling good.”

The world championships will be held in India in November.