Lauren Price asserts that she is too youthful, fast, and skilled for Natasha Jonas. In response, Jonas argues that she possesses superior intelligence, experience, and precision.
Both fighters are determined to secure a decisive victory when they face each other at the Royal Albert Hall.
These British rivals will compete in a highly anticipated world title unification bout, headlining a historic all-women’s fight night on Friday, March 7th. Price views this match as a crucial step towards achieving dominance in the sport, while Jonas is confident in expanding her championship collection and halting the progression of her younger opponent.
Jonas enters as the WBC and IBF welterweight world champion, a title she earned after defeating Ivana Habazin in December. Price holds the WBA, IBO, and Ring Magazine titles, secured with a knockout victory over Bexcy Mateus.
Jonas suggests she has faced tougher opponents than Price, who has an undefeated record of 8-0 since transitioning to professional boxing after her Olympic success.
Jonas stated on The Gloves Are Off that Mikaela Mayer is a superior all-around fighter and the most significant name on her record. She believes Price has had an easy path, consistently winning rounds comfortably and never facing a truly challenging opponent, except for a weak performance from Jessica McCaskill.
Jonas acknowledges Price’s talent, recognizing her as a great fighter, but firmly believes in her own superiority.
Jonas considers herself, Price, Mayer, Sandy Ryan, Chantelle Cameron, and Katie Taylor to be closely matched in skill. She does not believe Price will be her most challenging fight to date.
Following their victories in Liverpool in December, Price and Jonas engaged in verbal exchanges, setting the stage for an intriguing contest between two top-level fighters at different stages of their careers.
Price has questioned Jonas’s eagerness for this fight, dismissing Jonas’s hints at bigger potential matchups, including a fight with Irish boxing legend Katie Taylor.
Price stated definitively that Jonas did not want this fight, pointing out that a Katie Taylor fight is irrelevant due to weight differences and Jonas having already fought Taylor twice.
Price clarified that her intentions are not personal; she aims to build a legacy and secure world titles, desiring rapid progress in her career, and believes she has proven her place among the elite.
Price declared her ambition to be the best at 147 pounds. With Jonas holding two belts, Price is focused on unifying and becoming undisputed champion.
She admits Jonas is her toughest opponent yet, acknowledging her ring IQ, but Price maintains her belief in being superior in all aspects of boxing and expresses strong self-confidence.
Price mentioned that she would have preferred to fight Jonas in December and understands why Jonas might have been hesitant to accept the fight, implying Jonas is avoiding her.
Jonas, at 40, is accustomed to discussions about her age, as she continues to defy expectations in the later phase of her career.
Entering the fight ten years older than Price, Jonas insists she is not showing any signs of decline.
Jonas points to other athletes like Katie Taylor, who is slightly younger, and male fighters still performing at peak levels, arguing that age is more of a concern for external observers than for the athletes themselves.
Jonas believes every fight is a learning opportunity for improvement. She feels she is still progressing and getting better. She believes she will know when it’s time to retire when she perceives her performance is declining, and that will be her personal decision.
Price admits she doesn’t foresee herself boxing at 40 like Jonas but refrained from commenting on whether Jonas should retire.
However, Price did respond to Jonas’s previous remark from December, where Jonas suggested Price’s Olympic gold medal was less significant because ‘all the good people had left’ the competition by the time Price won.
Price countered by noting that the Chinese boxer she defeated in the Olympic final is now also an Olympic champion, and the Panamanian boxer she beat in the quarterfinals is an Olympic silver medalist.
Price argued that Jonas’s comment was disrespectful to these athletes, who are undoubtedly talented. She emphasized her own distinguished amateur career, stating she is the most decorated amateur boxer from Great Britain.
Price concluded that Jonas’s comment was ill-considered.
Price has openly stated her ambition to quickly advance in professional boxing, leveraging her accomplished amateur background. She recognizes Jonas as the most significant challenge in her professional career to date.
Price reiterates her age advantage of 10-11 years, confidently stating she is too fast, too skilled, too young, and firmly believes in her superiority.
Price believes this fight will earn her widespread respect and solidify her position as a top boxer, aligning public perception with her own self-belief.
While respecting Jonas, Price views this fight as a gateway to bigger opportunities and anticipates a stylish victory.
Watch Natasha Jonas versus Lauren Price in a British title unification match at the Royal Albert Hall, live on Sky Sports on Friday, March 7th.
