Natasha Jonas Vs. Lauren Price Unification: Will It Happen?
Natasha Jonas could take a step closer to facing Lauren Price next year in a huge unification.
Jonas puts her IBF Welterweight Title on the line this weekend against Ivana Habazin, hoping to add the latter’s WBC belt. The fight takes place in Jonas’ hometown of Liverpool from the Exhibition Centre. Jones has already been a unified champion at junior middleweight. She now has the chance to do it in a second weight class. She enters the fight with a controversial split decision win against Mikaela Mayer. The fight resulted in mass controversy, with some feeling Jonas’ home advantage swayed the judges. Mayer was also vocal about the result, leaving Jonas with plenty to prove.
Jonas Vs. Habazin
Meanwhile, Habazin is coming off a win against Kinga Magyar, which earned her the vacant WBC belt. She has been in the ring with big names such as Cecilia Brækhus and Claressa Shields. But she lost both of those fights, showing she came out second best at the elite level. But she does have youth on her side, as Jonas is 40. While Habazin is not much younger at 35, she will feel she has more left in the tank. If Jonas wins, Price aims to face her next.
Price has worked her way through the pro ranks quickly. Price is currently 7-0, with only one win by knockout. She had a stellar amateur career, winning gold at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. She defeated Jessica McCaskill in her last fight to secure the WBA Welterweight Title. Price will box on the Jonas card as she defends her title against Bexcy Mateus. Bexcy is no pushover, as she is undefeated with a 7-0 record. Six of her wins are by way of knockout. She enters the fight with a win over Paulina Cardona, who ended up retiring hurt.
Price Reacts
At 30, Price is in the prime of her career to take over the welterweight division. But Price would still face some problems in getting the Jonas fight even if Natasha won. Mayer holds the WBO belt, setting the narrative for a Jonas rematch. But if Jonas faced Mayer again and won the WBO belt, it would set up an undisputed fight with Price. And Price is focused on the Jonas fight.
“I want the Jonas fight next. If it was down to me, there’d only be one female fight on this card, and it’d be me and her. But that’s not down to me. There’s politics and other reasons behind that. But I’m led to believe, whoever wins that fight between her and Ivana, I want next. I believe Jonas gets the win.
It’s a massive fight for the British fans, an old school British dust-up. I respect Tash, who she is as a person and what she’s done for boxing. Not just women’s boxing, boxing in general. But she’s got titles, I’ve got titles. When I turned (pro), I wanted to move fast. I’ve got dreams and ambitions, I want to become undisputed. I want the biggest fights and that’s it,” Price said
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