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This was not quite a passing of the torch. Rather, Lauren Price snatched it from Natasha Jonas, along with the veteran’s world titles, ushering a new era in women’s boxing.
Price entered London’s Royal Albert Hall with plentiful accolades already: an unbeaten professional record, an Olympic gold medal to her name, and the WBA world title. Yet the Welsh fighter wanted more, and she took what she wanted with a classy win: 98-93, 100-90, 98-92 read the scorecards, as Price was crowned unified welterweight champion.
Her victory, as she collected Jonas’s WBC and IBF belts, capped off an all-women’s card at the Royal Albert Hall, a stirring showcase of how far this side of the sport has come.
There was a stirring reception for Jonas, too, as the Liverpudlian – Team GB’s first female boxer, still fighting at 40 years old – joined Price in the ring for the main event. Price, clad in black, had emerged to a mixed reaction; those with Welsh flags summoned their voices in a bid to drown out the boos, but by the end of the night, almost every fan in the iconic London venue showed appreciation for Price.
Still, that earlier, sustained noise could have drowned out the first bell, which signalled both southpaws to get their jabs going. It was Price who landed the first shot of note, though, catching Jonas’s attention with a clean lead hook. Another landed late in the round, too, capping off a fine start for Price.
The WBA champion, 30, aimed to assert herself further in the second round, and she bothered Jonas with one particular flurry. Price’s superior speed seemed to be causing problems for the multi-weight champion, but it was the heft of a body shot late in the round that sent Jonas stumbling off balance.
Jonas landed clean off both wings in the third frame, yet Price looked comfortable with the power coming her way. In the fourth, Price picked her moments to unload prolonged combinations, prioritising precision over power as she steered Jonas around the ring. In contrast, Jonas appeared more hesitant to throw, and when she did let go, she seemed to be seeking one big shot.
Those efforts often missed, with Price then pouncing with sharper offence and straighter punches. That work crafted a solid lead for Price as the second half of the fight arrived, and Jonas, despite stalking the younger boxer around the ring, was unable to land the necessary offence to cut down that lead.
And so the scorecards marked victory for Price, but also something much greater than any single win. Jonas refused to retire in the moment, but even so: Jonas now carries the torch for women’s boxing in Britain.
