New London — On the steps of City Hall Wednesday, in a ceremony that felt at times like a pre-fight hype event, Mayor Daryl Justin Finizio recognized Shelly “Shelito’s Way” Vincent, a city native who will fight for the Universal Boxing Federation super bantamweight world title next week.

Vincent, a female boxer who is 12-0 as a professional, will go toe-to-toe with Jackie Trivilino in a 10-round fight Nov. 7 to decide the champion of the super bantamweight class at the Twin River Event Center in Lincoln, R.I.

Not only will Vincent’s Nov. 7 fight be for a world championship belt, but it will also be the first time female boxers have been featured as the main event of a professional boxing event in New England, according to the mayor.

“This fight is extra special for me,” Vincent, 35, said. “I’m fighting for equality; I’m fighting for the little girls and boys at risk. I want to be that hope for kids because I understand the true meaning of the word hope.”

Though she didn’t begin training as a fighter until she was 18, Vincent said she has been battling her whole life.

She was expelled from school for fighting, and her childhood was marred by physical and sexual abuse, she said. When her mother died seven months after being diagnosed with leukemia, Vincent descended into depression and struggled with alcohol abuse. Various run-ins with the police, and assault charges, led Vincent to two brief stints in prison.

She credited her family and others in the New London community for helping her pursue boxing as a positive outlet, and for supporting her as she works towards a world title.

“If it wasn’t for New London, the great people here, my friends and my family, I wouldn’t be where I am today,” Vincent said. “Growing up in New London, especially through my amateur career, the people really supported me and took me under their wing. They tried to help me out, especially when my mother died.”

When she is not training for her next fight, Vincent visits middle and high schools to talk to students who have been affected by abuse, she said.

“For the at-risk kids who have been sexually abused, I go and talk to them and tell them that they should to talk to someone and get help and not be ashamed the way I was when I was younger,” she said. “I want to help them steer away from the depression and hurt I went through.”

It was because of her work in the community, as well as her mettle in and out of the ring, that Finizio presented Vincent with a green and gold lanyard with a key to the city on Wednesday.

“Shelito is a fighter and an inspiration both inside and outside of the ring,” Finizio said. “She works hard, she is a great talent and I look forward to seeing everything she is going to do in this sport.”

Finizio, himself an amateur pugilist, announced Wednesday that he will enter the ring next August at Ocean Beach Park and fight an opponent to be determined. Vincent also will fight an exhibition match on that card at Ocean Beach Park, her promoter, Jimmy Burchfield Sr., said.

Like Finizio, Vincent is openly gay and has a family member fighting breast cancer. Because of a shared commitment to those causes, the fights at Ocean Beach Park will benefit the LGBTQ rights group OutCT and breast cancer research.

For Vincent, it will be another opportunity to give back to the city that has always been in her corner.

“Being born here and growing up here, it means a lot for me to represent here and bring it all back here,” she said.

“My city was always there for me and I want to be there for my city.”

c.young@theday.com

Twitter: @ColinAYoung