Lauren Price Aims For Women’s Boxing Greatness As She Prepares For First World Title Shot
Lauren Price has set her sights on “greatness” and wants to be remembered amongst the legends of both women’s boxing and Welsh sport as she prepares to contest her first world title fight.
Price (6-0-0 1 KO) will take on WBA and IBO welterweight world champion Jessica McCaskill (12-3-1 5 KO) at the Cardiff International Arena in her native Wales on May 11.
The Welshwoman shot to prominence in the UK after securing gold at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, and is now aiming to join an exclusive club of British fighters to win both the Olympics and world titles.
“I had two things on my list when I turned pro: I wanted to box in Wales and be a world champion,” Price, 29, told the BBC. “And I truly believe I can go all the way and create greatness, become a Welsh legend and bring big nights back to Cardiff.”
The last great Welsh fighter who was able to sell out sports stadiums was Joe Calzaghe, who held the WBO super-middleweight title for more than 10 years and retired undefeated.
Price Wants To Follow In Calzaghe’s Footsteps
“A complete legend,” she said of Calzaghe. “But that’s what I want to do, to follow in his footsteps. I haven’t fought at home for about 10 years so it’s going to mean the world to me.”
Price is only six fights into her professional career, so the prospect of fighting for a world title so quickly would seem like a major challenge, especially in front of her home crowd. But she insists she has dealt with similar pressure as a high-profile amateur and is ready to deliver.
“I know there’s added pressure coming out in front of my own fans, but I’ve had pressure throughout my career,” Price said. “Going into an Olympic final with the whole nation on my shoulders and you’re expected to win gold – but I dealt with it.
“I’ve made history a few times in my career, but to fight for a world title in front of my own fans will be special. I know this is my toughest test and I’m sure I will come through it.”
Price is not the only one who believes she can make a massive impact on women’s boxing – her opponent thinks so, too. McCaskill shared a ring earlier in her career with the great Katie Taylor, losing a unanimous decision to the Irishwoman for the WBA world lightweight title in 2017, and the American believes Price can follow in Taylor’s footsteps.
Price A ‘British Boxing Legend In The Making’
“[Women’s boxing] needs people like Lauren, not being afraid to take on a challenge, not waiting around for someone to get old,” McCaskill said, before adding of her fight with Taylor: “It catapulted my career. This fight could do the same for Lauren. I have high expectations of her and I think she’s doing amazing things and will do really well – just not well enough to beat me.”
Promoter Ben Shalom, meanwhile, believes Price fighting for, and hopefully winning, a world title in front of her Welsh fans will help forge the foundations for her boxing legacy.
“After six fights where she’s not lost a round on the scorecards you’re thinking ‘she’s just levels above’ and that she needs a real test – and then this came up,” said Shalom. “That’s when you think ‘now we have the opportunity to go to Cardiff’.
“That’s what Lauren wanted; she wants to build her name, to build her legacy. Look at what Katie Taylor has done in Ireland and Natasha Jonas in Liverpool – to do that in Wales has been Lauren’s dream from the start.
“People say it’s too early, she hasn’t been at this level before, but when you’ve broken records throughout your career like Lauren has you take those risks. Her talent is unquestionable, so can this be the start of many famous nights? I think we have a Welsh and British boxing legend in the making.”
