THE boom in women’s boxing is set to continue with Natasha Jonas making a surprise return to the sport after three years out. The London 2012 Olympian will turn professional under the guidance of trainer Joe Gallagher, and manager Steve Goodwin.
“I’m coming back,” Jonas tells Boxing News. “I’ve actually missed it.”
The Liverpudlian had a long, gruelling amateur career representing GB in tournaments across the world, winning a bronze medal at the World championships to become the first British female boxer ever to qualify for an Olympic Games.
“I’ve got a long way to go,” Jonas said of her comeback. “It was tough. The runs I’m doing now I wouldn’t have dreamed of doing at the start. I’m still struggling a little bit with the hills but we’re getting there.
“As a coach [Joe Gallagher] is after new challenges as well and I think it’s brand new for both of us and I think it’s a good journey for us.”
In the quarter-finals of London 2012 she came up against Katie Taylor. Although the Irish star was performing at her best, Jonas gave her all she could handle, engaging in four-round thriller to make one of the best bouts of the Games, which Taylor won on points before going on to win the gold medal.
Now, with Taylor four fights into a professional career, Jonas wants revenge.
Natasha knows she needs to recover her fight fitness and isn’t ready for Taylor yet. “Give me six months, a year, it might be a different story. I know that’s the thing everybody wants to see but I’m on my own path, on my own journey, trying to do my own thing. If we meet at the end then that’s fine but for me right now it’s not all about Katie Taylor. It’s about what I can do in the women’s professional game. Can we make this big women’s boxing super-fight? I’m sure we can. But starting this journey is about me and what I can do. She’s set the standard and I’ve got to roll with it,” Jonas said.
“But at the same time, when the time comes, there will be revenge.”
