Lauren Price dominates Natasha Jonas, becomes unified welterweight champion

New York Times

08-03-2025

Lauren Price scored a unanimous points victory over Natasha Jonas inside a raucous Royal Albert Hall on Friday night to become the unified welterweight champion and hold the WBC, IBF and WBA welterweight world titles.
Before the fight, the 30-year-old Welshwoman said she would be 'too good, too quick, too young' for Jonas, 10 years her senior, and so it proved on a night that could be Jonas' final outing as a professional boxer.
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From the first bell, Price's electric speed and strength showed as she caught Jonas with a backhand at the end of their first exchange. By the end of the second round, Price had her opponent staggering backward across the ring after landing a flurry of punches, and Jonas went back to her corner looking as though she knew it was going to be a long night.
In front of a huge Welsh contingent who could be heard throughout the 10 rounds chanting, 'Pricey, Pricey,' it took until the fifth round for Jonas to unleash her backhand, and when she did, Price barely seemed to notice. Anything Jonas did appeared to bounce off Price, and anything Price landed seemed liable to end the night early for Jonas.
Was this a case of Price simply being too good or Jonas reaching that point that eventually comes to all fighters, where they can see the shots but their body can't execute them? Perhaps a bit of both.
In the ninth round, Price had Jonas on the canvas, but it was ruled no knockdown by the referee. Not that it mattered. Price knew she dominated from start to finish, and Jonas seemed incapable of changing the outcome. The scorecards after the final bell reflected Price's dominance, reading 98-93, 100-90, 98-92 in her favor.
Lauren Price becomes the unified WBC, IBF and WBA welterweight world champion! 💥
Just listen to that reaction 🔉 pic.twitter.com/MZY0vO5c6D
— Sky Sports Boxing (@SkySportsBoxing) March 7, 2025
Next for the Welshwoman could be a fight against the winner of the rematch between Mikaela Mayer and Chantelle Cameron for the title of undisputed champion. After this showing, there is likely more to come for her, too.
For Jonas, a winner of multiple world titles at multiple weights, there will be much to discuss with her team about what's next. Her trainer, Joe Gallagher, has made it no secret that he is keen for her to retire after a career that firmly places her as one of Britain's greatest boxers and someone who has undoubtedly helped take women's boxing on a rapid ascent to where it is now: filling the Royal Albert Hall and drawing television audiences.
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The night was billed as a historic one for the sport — the first time women's boxing has headlined in the Royal Albert Hall on a card of five women's fights. At least four of those promised to be competitive (the late pullout of Fran Hennessy's opponent left her facing Gemma Ruegg on just two days' notice, an incredibly tall order). But in reality, it took until the penultimate fight of the night for the evening to catch fire. That was Caroline Dubois against South Korean challenger Bo Mi Re Shin for the WBC world lightweight title.
Shin spent eight rounds soaking up everything Dubois had to offer before launching attacks of her own and eventually enticing the champion into an all-out war. The 10th round was nonstop action, sending the crowd into raptures and bringing the fans to their feet to applaud at the final bell. Dubois survived, and Shin taught the 24-year-old some valuable lessons in her 12th professional fight.
Before that, there was a closely fought contest between Chloe Watson and Jasmina Zapotoczna for the European flyweight title, with Zapotoczna taking the win on a split decision, while Karriss Artingstall made relatively easy work of Raven Chapman to become the inaugural British featherweight champion.
Friday night will go down as a historic occasion for women's boxing, no matter the result of the main event. But for Jonas and Price, the result is likely to play a crucial role in where their careers go next.