Natasha Jonas has warned British rival Lauren Price to be careful what she wishes for ahead of their welterweight unification fight on March 7 in London.
The fight will top a card with all women at London’s iconic Royal Albert Hall on the eve of International Women’s Day.
Jonas (16-2-1, 9 KOs) had planned to retire in 2024, but a lack of activity prompted her to continue. The 40-year-old will put her IBF and WBC titles on the line against Price (8-0, 2 KOs), who will defend her WBA strap.
The bout pits together two fighters at the opposite ends of their careers. While Jonas is vastly experienced, Price won her title in just her seventh pro fight, beating Jessica McCaskill last year. While she has emerged as the underdog for the contest, Jonas warned her younger opponent not to make too much of their age difference.
“I decide when it’s time [to retire], be careful what you wish for,” Jonas told a news conference Tuesday. “The pressure is not on me. Lauren’s the champion whose never lost a round, the Olympic gold medalist. There’s a lot of pressure on her to come and do what she says she can do.
“The underdog suits me. I’ve been here before.”
Jonas also made a point of highlighting Price’s unbeaten record, and said she is eager to be the first professional to beat the Welsh fighter.
“100 percent. I love being the first and the first is something no one can take away,” Jonas said. “I’ve been here before, and you’ve got to be careful what you wish for.”
Despite her limited professional career relative to to her seasoned opponent, Price said she was more than confident of adding another belt to her collection.
“I know I’m better in all areas, I back myself,” Price said. “My accolades speak for themselves. I know I’m fresh in the pro game. … But each fight I’ve stepped up.
“I’ve always had pressure on me, going to the Olympics, expected to win gold, but going to do that and walking out to an Olympic final, it doesn’t get much bigger than that.
“With pressure comes diamonds and I will be coming out on March 7 as the winner and taking them belts back to Wales.
“I believe in myself like [Natasha] believes in herself. A lot of people wrote me off against Jessica McCaskill, I didn’t lose a round, and I felt quite comfortable in there.”
WBC lightweight champion Carline Dubois will also defend her title against a yet-to-be-named opponent on the night.
The card is set to make history at London’s Royal Albert Hall, which has staged boxing for more than a century and hosted the likes of Muhammad Ali, Henry Cooper, Frank Bruno, Lennox Lewis and Naseem Hamed.