EARLY on Tuesday morning last week, BOXXER produced a press release declaring an all-British world title unification bout would headline a historic all-women’s boxing event on March 7 at Royal Albert Hall.
It would be the perfect precursor to International Women’s Day the following day, championing female athletes who otherwise seldom get the shine their efforts deserve in an ever-growing discipline as far as popularity and recognition are concerned at the championship level across multiple divisions.
This development wasn’t a secret, IBF titleholder Natasha Jonas and WBA, IBO champion Lauren Price set to face one another provided both were successful in stay-busy bouts the weekend prior on BOXXER’s nine-fight Liverpool show.
Jonas’ 10-round decision win over Ivana Habazin saw her unify the welterweight division by becoming WBC champion alongside the IBF strap, while 2020 Olympic gold medallist Price made the first defence of world titles she’d won in May against long-reigning titleholder Jessica McCaskill against previously-unbeaten Bexcy Mateus with a round three TKO.
Yet having delayed her retirement for at least another year, the announcement would’ve felt a tad underwhelming given Jonas’ long-held desire to rematch either undisputed light-welterweight champion Katie Taylor or Mikaela Mayer, who edged past Sandy Ryan in September to become a two-weight world titlist.
Mayer and Price were on the same bill, albeit then competing in different weight divisions, the last time BOXXER created an all-women’s card headlined by Claressa Shields vs. Savannah Marshall in October 2022.
Jonas hoped to stay active after notching a career-best SD10 win over Mayer in January, though factors out of her control shelved those ambitious plans.
Having turned 40 over the summer, an inability to build off that split decision nod on home soil has naturally irked both her and the rest of her team, headed by coach Joe Gallagher. When asked by BN to preview Jonas-Price, his answer was rather cold but made more sense the deeper he delved into the matter.
“Erm, don’t know yet because we don’t know if it’s going to happen. They might have announced it but there are things we still need to be agreed to, doesn’t mean it’s happening just because they’ve said so.
“I still need to sit down with Natasha first, discuss her performance and what happens moving forward – I’ll do that this week – we need to talk.”
In a since-deleted interview, Gallagher and Matchroom chief Eddie Hearn are having a conversation in which the latter admits surprise Jonas will box Price next, given the options at her disposal. Gallagher tells him it’s not a done deal, says BOXXER have been over eager and cites VADA drug testing as one of the conditions they’re looking to have inserted as part of contract negotiations.
Critical of the announcement timing, right at the start of Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury fight week, it’s hard to imagine they’ll get much buzz for the event heading into the new year unless world champion boxers also feature on the undercard – notable names in the UK at that.
Mayer-Ryan 2 in March is a possibility, though as the champion, the 34-year-old American has been adamant it will not be on away soil this time around.
“They [BOXXER] are quick to jump the gun there, especially during Usyk-Fury 2 fight week, why? It’s got lost everywhere now but yeah, it’ll be a good fight if it happens.”
Upon hearing Price’s achievements being listed since she turned pro, gradually building up her seasoning against operators worldwide culminating in an anticlimactic win over Jessica McCaskill in Cardiff, Gallagher was unimpressed.
“She’s fought no-one. I told everyone she should box Mayer, jumping around saying no-one wants to fight her… go fight Mikaela. They’re all trying to get an old horse [beating an older Jonas] and do it that way, they’ll be in for a shock.”
