LONDON, England — Lauren Price promised speed, power, and a clinical victory over Natasha Jonas and that’s exactly what she delivered.
She dominated from the first bell to the last, putting the crowd on the edge of their seats with quick feet, a brilliantly quick jab and the knowledge she can strike at any moment.
While the win will take Price’s stock to another level, the whole event at London’s Royal Albert Hall was a superb show of women’s boxing.
There was a sense of nostalgia as boxing returned to the famous venue, but it was a far cry from the days of Henry Cooper and Muhammad Ali when cigarette smoke hung thick in the air, soaking into the famous red seats.
It’s easy to forget that in Britain, women were banned from professional boxing until 1998.
On Friday, the eve of International Women’s Day, an all-female cast took centre stage and showed how far the sport has come.
“A very proud moment in my career. It’s something I’ll remember for the rest of my life,” Price told her post-fight news conference. “The likes of Muhammad Ali have boxed here.
“It’s just very special. Not just for myself, the whole undercard. It just shows, women’s boxers, when you have two great boxers you can put on one hell of a card.”
Price was the ultimate star of the show and a huge undisputed fight now beckons. The Welsh fighter believes she can follow in Katie Taylor’s footsteps in terms of leaving a mark on the sport.
“You’ve seen it with Katie Taylor, she’s got Ireland, I’ve got Wales [behind me]. She’s Olympic champion, I’m Olympic champion and I really fell I can be going [to] sell out stadiums. That’s the dream and that’s what I want to do.
Mikaela Mayer or Sandy Ryan — who fight a second time for the WBO title on March 29 — await. Either would be an intriguing opponent in and out of the ring.
The verbal sparring between Price and Mayer has already started, after Price claimed this week the American turned down the chance to fight her last year.
Ryan, meanwhile, would present an exciting all British clash for all the marbles.
Promoter Ben Shalom said he and Price will be ringside for Mayer — Ryan, ensuring no time is lost in building the hype for an undisputed bout.
“That’s the fight that women’s boxing needs,” Shalom said. “The big fights have to happen, that’s what brings people into the sport, that’s why people were interested tonight. Myself and Lauren will go over to Vegas in a couple of weeks, we’ll be at that fight.
“Mikaela has already said before tonight if she wins, she wants to become undisputed. I think that’s the fight that makes sense in boxing terms.
