Lauren Price has suggested Natasha Jonas does not wish to fight her as the pair move closer towards a marquee all-British showdown in 2025. 

Price dispatched Bexcy Mateus with a devastating knockout finish in Liverpool on Saturday, before Jonas beat Ivana Habazin via unanimous decision on a card billed as ‘Collision Course’ ahead of a prospective meeting between the winners.

Former Olympic champion Price, celebrating her maiden world title defence, joined unified champion Jonas in the ring after the latter’s main event fight to seemingly confirm that the rivals will meet next.

“If it was down to me tonight, I wanted Jonas tonight, I wanted that fight tonight and to be fighting for another belt,” said Price.

“I know she doesn’t want to fight me, but she doesn’t have another choice in the next one.

“Each fight I’ve stepped up – went in with Jessica McCaskill, she was supposed to be the best in the division and I didn’t drop a round.

“Full respect for Tash but I’m in my prime, too quick, too fit and I believe I win. She probably will be my toughest test, I just think I’m better.”

Boxxer promoter and CEO Ben Shalom teased an official announcement over the coming days ahead of what will represent one of the most notable matchups in female boxing history.

“Jonas deserved a unification tonight, but they both agreed to fight next and it will be announced in the next few days,” he said.

“I don’t think Lauren has lost a round in professional boxing, and Natasha, what she’s done with us, it sets up an enormous British all-female fight. May the best woman win.”

While both Price and Jonas have acknowledged the possibility of a fight in recent months, there has been little animosity between two flag-bearers for women’s boxing.

The build-up adopted a slightly new flavour on Saturday as Jonas warned Price to be “careful what you wish for”, prompting a quickfire exchange of insults as the Welsh woman insisted she was “too young, too quick” for the 40-year-old, before Jonas suggested Price was “not much better” than former opponent Terri Harper.

“She said be careful what you wish for, I had to come back with something,” said Price.

“No disrespect to Terri Harper but I’m levels above that and she’ll find that out next year.

“I just want to win, I don’t have anything personal against anybody, I want to create a legacy and win world titles. I want to create greatness, you see what Katie Taylor has done for Ireland, I want to do that for Wales, I want to sell out stadiums and I have the whole of Wales behind me.

“I’m young, motivated, driven, in my prime, that’s the biggest motivating factor.”

Jonas was back in action for the first time since January’s win over Mikaela Mayer, her inactivity in 2024 evidently a source of frustration for both her and trainer Joe Gallagher.

While welcoming a clash with Price, she also underlined the belief that there were greater options for her.

“I thought there were bigger fights out there for me, Ben (Shalom) and Lauren (Price) seem to think differently,” said Jonas.

Gallagher has made no secret of his preference for Jonas to walk away from the sport on a high, such is her glistening legacy in the sport.

He too has been honest about his wishes to have seen Jonas back out in the ring sooner following a tight victory over Mayer, but was able to see the humour in a competitive fire within his fighter that simply refuses to fade.

“I want Natasha to retire, she’s phenomenal, I have to call her George Foreman now because of her age, it’s fantastic when things are going well but being experienced and being in fights, Father Time catches up,” said Gallagher.

“It’s hard for me sometimes as a coach being involved with somebody like Tasha in a brutal sport, she’s a mother, a woman, a huge ambassador. It doesn’t sit well with me at times, but she’s stubborn.

“Nobody knew how she would perform tonight, she’s been in the stables for the last 11 months and everybody else is running out.

“If Lauren Price is the fight we’ve gotta do we’ll do it. I always say go out on a high. Mikaela Mayer – please finish, go out on a high, I don’t want to see it go out in the way it shouldn’t, Tasha will say it wouldn’t.

“She’s won five world titles for the city, brilliant ambassador the boxing, I’m glad she stuck it on Lauren a bit because there’s a lot of hype and it will get exposed very soon.”

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