Price rises to occasion with glory in historic night for women's boxing

The Guardian

08-03-2025

On a night steeped in history, Natasha Jonas could not roll back the years as she was outfought and outclassed by Lauren Price who dominated their world welterweight title unification fight to add the IBF and WBC belts to the WBA bauble she already owns. Price, in her fighting prime at the age of 30, is 10 years younger than Jonas and she was just too quick, fluid and powerful as all three judges awarded her the decision by comprehensive margins of 98-93, 100-90 and 98-92.
Jonas has had an admirable career and she was the first woman to be named as British boxing's fighter of the year in 2022. But, in the end, time ravages every fighter and Jonas could not match the fire of Price whose poise as an Olympic champion was also evident.
The ring walks for both Price and Jonas were electrifying. Price, the passionate Welsh fighter, was accompanied by the rousing defiance of Dafydd Iwan's Yma o Hyd. Jonas soon followed as Beyoncé's Run the World (Girls) boomed around her and the noise intensified. Price wore black while Jonas was more colourful in blue and gold trunks and a pristine white top.
The most notable punches of a busy opening two rounds, for both fighters, came from Price whose hand speed was far more impressive. In the second, off-balance and under intense fire, Jonas was clipped by a hard right hook which left her stumbling across the ring. She already had the look of an old champion who knew she faced a punishing ordeal.
The black gloves of Price were a constant blur and Jonas looked bullied and tentative as the heavy punches hurt her round after round. As slick as she was aggressive, Price dominated with remorseless zeal. The age difference seemed painfully acute, even when Jonas tried to wrest back the initiative, Price caught her with blistering counters to win almost every round.
The two women fought in an atmospheric setting for boxing as the Royal Albert Hall first opened its doors 154 years ago this month. It provides intimacy and grandeur, as well as a deep sense of history, with the circular tiers of seating creating an imposing boxing theatre in the round. Dubious and great fighters have boxed here – including Primo Carnera, the Kray brothers, Muhammad Ali, Frank Bruno, Lennox Lewis and Marco Antonio Barrera.
At the outset of a soft spring evening in London, near the back entrance of the Albert Hall on the aptly named Kensington Gore, the familiar sight of two ambulances waiting to take any stricken fighter to hospital offered a sobering reminder. Boxing, even on a supposedly historic night for women fighters, is freighted with danger. But the beautiful venue added a cultural sheen to the stark logistics. In the basement, the fighters were told that if they needed wifi then the password was 'Elgar' – the English composer of Pomp and Circumstance.
A different kind of fight crowd greeted the first boxers, the heavily tattooed Gemma Ruegg and the richly promising Fran Hennessy. It was notable, in a venue with seating for 5,200 boxing fans, that there were as many women as men shouting their support – especially for the fluid footwork and crisp punching of Hennessy who cruised to a shutout victory.
Raucous booing is never far from traditional boxing and it made an early appearance when Chloe Watson, trained by Ricky Hatton, lost her European flyweight title on a split-decision to Jasmina Zapotoczna.
There are rarely many knockdowns in women's boxing but Karriss Artingstall dropped Raven Chapman heavily in round two of their contest for the vacant British featherweight title. Artingstall, Price's former partner, won a wide and unanimous verdict on all three cards to become the new champion.
The extremely shallow pool of premium talent is hard to ignore but such nights can only help attract prospective new fighters. As the Albert Hall filled to around 80% of its capacity it felt important to remember that women's boxing was still banned in Britain in 1998. So progress is being made but this bill lost some lustre after Cindy Ngamba's enforced withdrawal owing to medical concerns.
Ngamba, the Olympic medallist from the Refugee Team, spoke this week of her worry that Saudi Arabia's stranglehold on the fight business seriously undermines female fighters. The Riyadh Season logo was printed on the ring's grey canvas yet, so far, there has been no meaningful interest in women's boxing from the Saudis.
Sign up to The Recap
The best of our sports journalism from the past seven days and a heads-up on the weekend's action
after newsletter promotion
But British boxing has a clear future star. Caroline Dubois is the most gifted young female fighter in this country and she showed flashes of her vast potential against Bo Mi Re Shin, the tough and resilient South Korean. Both women wore black but Dubois' top and trunk glittered with silvery tassels which suited her extra class and panache as she switched from head to body.
In her 24th bout, double the amount of fights which have featured Dubois, Shin ploughed forward determinedly but with little effect. Dubois' fast hands and sharp power rocked her repeatedly. Then, in the 10th and last round, the champion allowed herself to be dragged inexplicably into a dogfight. Looking suddenly drained Dubois was forced to retreat as Shin tore into her. The Korean landed some telling shots and, as Dubois fought back, a thrilling series of exchanges lit up the venerable old arena.
Most of the roaring crowd were on the feet as Shin strived but failed to find the knockout she needed.
Dubois, who learned a valuable lesson in those bruising final two minutes, retained her WBC world lightweight title on a majority decision – with two judges being accurate in their 98-93 and 98-92 scoring. The third official somehow saw a 95-95 draw in another little nudge to Dubois that, for all her feisty skills, she still has plenty to learn in the ring.
The night belonged to Price – who is now in a strong position to make her own history as the leading women's boxer in Britain. 'Stepping up here tonight, what a venue, made history,' Price said soon after the last bell. 'But I've got to say a massive thank you to Tasha. We need perfect dance partners. I respect her for what she's done, not just for women's boxing, but boxing. True legend. It's been an honour to share the ring with her.'
Price then added: 'I honestly believe I can become undisputed [welterweight champion]. I want to go on. I want to create a lasting legacy.'
As Jonas took her leave of this famous old building she, too, could look ahead. Her best days in the ring are over but, as the first woman to obtain a licence as a manager in British boxing, Jonas is already building a growing stable of young fighters. She can find some consolation in this new life as she recovers from a hard and hurtful night in the ring.