“If I beat Lauren she’s still not the best name on my card”, Natasha Jonas says ahead of upcoming match against Lauren Price

Liverpool’s Natasha Jonas, 40, discussed her upcoming fight with Lauren Price, 30, in ‘The Gloves are Off’.

Natasha Jonas and Lauren Price are to contest in a world-title unification bout on Friday 7^th March at the Royal Albert Hall.

Bragging rights and world ranking are at stake as both boxers are the top in the welterweight division under different boxing organisations.

In November 2024 Jonas retained her IBF welterweight title after a split-decision victory over Mikaela Mayer in Liverpool.

Best name on the card

The scouser lead the segment by claiming that the fight against Price wouldn’t equal the difficulty she faced against Mayer.

Jonas said: “If I beat Lauren she’s still not the best name on my card.

“The other way around I think I’m the best name on her card.

“That’s why she wants the fight and has pushed for the fight.”

Price rebutted: “I back her on she’s my toughest test so far but I think she’s underestimating me and she’ll find out on March 7^th.”

Price is Wales’ first female boxing world champion after defeating Jessica McCaskill.

Is she on your level?

Both fighters made history at different Olympics games, representing team GB.

Jonas was the first ever British female boxer to compete at the Olympic games after competing in the London 2012 Olympics.

Price won gold at the Tokyo 2021 Olympics- becoming the first Welsh boxer of any gender to win gold.

Jonas said: “She’s definitely my level, I think she’s a great fighter, I just think I’m better.”

Price said: “It’s fair enough saying outside that Mayer is her toughest opponent but when I’m in front of them, I start to faint, I start to move, I use my speed, then it’s a different ball game.”

Jonas stated that there are bigger fights that she would rather be competing in.

She said: “I believe there’s bigger fights out there for me like Mikaela Mayer and Katie Taylor.”

Toughest test yet

It was argued between the two whether Price has truly faced tough competitors leading up to the fight.

Price is yet to lose a round as a professional boxer coming into this match.

Jonas said: “She hasn’t lost a round, she hasn’t been uncomfortable, she hasn’t fought anyone of any of that level.

“I think to say that she could beat me or Mayer or Sandy is a bit far fetched.”

Jonas commented on the difference in experience between the two boxers, who are 10 years apart in age.

She said: “It doesn’t matter we’ve still got the likes of Katie Taylor, only a year or two behind me still performing at the highest level”.

“There’s other male fighters that are still performing at the highest level and still pulling out good wins.”

The benefits of losing:

Unlike Price, Jonas has lost twice in her career with a current record of 16-2-1.

She lost to Viviane Obenauf in 2018 after she was knocked-out, and by unanimous decision to Katie Taylor in 2021.

Jonas said: “I actually took out the positives and I had to rebuild myself from the ground up and I think that’s made me a better fighter now”

“Because I was winning I didn’t correct them.

“When you lose you have to back away and work on it and work on all the things you were doing from the beginning.

“I did that and here I am now with 4 or 5 world titles.”

Jonas to retire?

Natasha Jonas was to retire in 2024 as she felt she was going strength to strength.

“There’s no performance issues or injuries or anything like that.

“The big nights and the big fights, we think ‘can we get any bigger?’ and every time we do.

“Every fight you learn you improve and you get better.

“I still do feel my performances are getting better and as soon as I think they’re declining that’s when I’ll see myself but I make the decision no one else.”

What are you boxing for?

Jonas said: “to prove myself right, that’s it.

“It’s not Liverpool, it’s not pride, its to prove myself right.”

Price said: “I’m excited to show how good I am, I believe another level of me is going to come out.

“I believe I’ll win this fight, its big, I’m proud to be apart of it and I’ll be walking away the winner.”

Jonas concluded: “I win. I 100% believe that.”

The two shook hands at the end of ‘The Gloves are Off’ to end the programme.

The fight will take place the night before International Women’s day in the Royal Albert hall.

Image used under agreed Alamy license