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Nick Parkinson
Natasha Jonas set up a clash against Lauren Price in 2025 after a unanimous points win over Ivana Habazin in a world welterweight title unification fight on Saturday.
Jonas dominated Habazin to defend her IBF belt and win the WBC title in front of her home city fans at the Exhibition Centre, Liverpool, England. Price also won earlier in the night, crushing Bexcy Mateus in three rounds in a stunning first defense of her WBA title. The British rivals will meet for three world titles in their next fight, early 2025.
Jonas earned wide scores of 99-92, 99-91 and 100-90 in her IBF-WBC world welterweight title unification victory, which may well be the 40-year-old’s last fight in her home city.
Southpaw Jonas (16-2-1, 9 KOs) produced a career-best split-points win over Mikaela Mayer in January and this was another sharp performance.
“The story doesn’t end here, and it won’t end with Lauren either,” said Jonas, who made a second title defense.
“Be careful what you [Price] wish for, be careful what you [Price] ask for and I’ll be there.”
Habazin (23-7, 7 KOs), 35, from Zagreb, Croatia, was making a first defense in her second reign as world champion and her experience ensured Jonas had a longer fight than Price did.
Habazin made a bright start but Jonas soon established her authority in Round 2.
Jonas, who turned professional in 2017 after competing as an amateur at the 2012 Olympics and giving birth to a daughter in 2015, focused on body shots in Rounds 2 and 3, before a furious onslaught in Round 4.
Jonas was too quick for Habazin and she landed some great right hooks in Rounds 9 and 10 as the English boxer cruised to a wide points win.
Jonas capitalised when Habazin’s guard opened up and landed a right hand to the jaw that staggered the Croatian. Jonas followed up with combinations, but Habazin avoided further punishment.
Price (8-0, 2 KO), 30, from Ystrad Mynach in Wales, produced a vicious third-round stoppage of Mateus (7-1, 6 KOs), of Colombia, in a first defense of her WBA world title.
The Welshwoman’s left fist did the damage as she floored Mateus in rounds one, two and three. Price stunned Mateus with a left cross in Round 3, and with the Mexican statuesque, she slammed another left hand to the jaw to send her challenger down and out.
“I wanted to make a statement because I want big fights next year,” said Price, who won the WBA title against former undisputed world champion Jessica McCaskill in May.
“Fight by fight I keep learning, development, and you have seen tonight I’m not all about speed but I can bang as well. We have got a main event tonight and I want the winner of that fight. I want to bring big time boxing back to Cardiff. I respect Tash, and it would be one hell of a fight for British boxing and I believe I win that fight.
“I have got a great amateur pedigree and I believe I’m the best at 147 pounds.”
Harder tests await Price to achieve No. 1 spot at welterweight against rival champions Mayer (WBO) and Jonas (WBC and IBF), but the power she showed to swiftly deal with Mateus makes her dangerous to anyone at welterweight and junior middleweight.