Lauren Price eases past Natasha Jonas to become unified welterweight champion

Lauren Price beat Natasha Jonas by unanimous decision to become WBC, IBF and WBA unified welterweight champion at Royal Albert Hall.

The 30-year-old Price dominated her 40-year-old opponent with a 98-93 100-90 98-92 score to set up an undisputed clash with the winner of the fight between Mikaela Mayer and Sandy Ryan later this month.

The pair made history by joining the likes of Muhammad Ali to fight at the historic venue on the eve of International Women’s Day.

Price found her range in the opening exchanges as she demonstrated her speed with two counter left hooks which wobbled Jonas and set the tone for a dominant remainder of the first round, which went in her favour.

A promising opener turned one sided in the following rounds as Price barraged a gun-shy Jonas with a series of shots.

Price – the ‘Lucky One’ – often said in the build-up that age would be a factor and it seemed that she was right with the younger fighter looking the more powerful with experienced Jonas almost losing her footing off a straight shot in the second.

If Jonas were to have any success, it would be to drag the fight late where Price’s pace had diminished. But the match was already creeping away from the Liverpudlian by the end of the third with complaints to referee Marcus McDonald about shots to the back of the head that showed signs of frustration.

Olympic gold medallist Price demonstrated her pedigree from close range as her arsenal of quick punches proved too fast for Jonas, whose ability to withstand shots was her biggest compliment by the sixth round.

But her chin showed signs of cracking as Price’s snappy one-two combinations trumped anything from her opponent, who looked a shadow of herself from December’s victory over Ivana Habazin.

The writing was on the wall for Jonas in the ninth as a shove from Price saw her on the deck with her legs beginning to betray her.

Despite being well beaten, her heart could not be questioned as she continued to exchange in the pocket but it was ultimately Price’s night as she went on to claim a deserved victory in the capital.