Natasha Jonas. The Queen of Liverpool. Poised to take centre stage in entrance of her hometown followers for what may very well be the ultimate time. However her journey could not finish there.
The town will bow to its personal boxing royalty on Saturday night time when Jonas headlines in opposition to Ivana Habazin on the Liverpool Exhibition Centre understanding it probably represents one among her ultimate steps and ultimate exams earlier than hanging up her title-glittered gloves.
A profession constructed on unwavering resilience by hardship and persistence by setbacks has culminated in a legacy as one among Britain’s biggest feminine fighters and a chief flag bearer for the explosion of girls’s boxing.
Native undercard fighter Frankie Stringer insisted this week he wished to emulate the affect of Jonas in Liverpool, whereas Mikie Tallon hailed her as an inspiration. Hundreds of followers will accompany them this weekend in displaying their gratitude for Jonas’ position in bringing boxing silverware again to Merseyside.
“It’s great to be back here potentially for one last time, it’s special,” Jonas instructed Sky Sports activities. “And yeah, when the fights get onerous, once they get powerful, a little bit bit sore and also you’re a little bit bit drained, you get charged off the vitality from the gang and it spurs you on, it is actually particular.
“There’s no place like home.”
She needed to wait. How she needed to wait. Jonas, the primary British feminine Olympic boxer ever, shrugged off an early profession defeat to Viviane Obenauf in 2018 earlier than later overcoming a divisive draw with Terri Harper and a gut-wrenching defeat to Katie Taylor to proceed her hunt for a world title.
The wait was then lastly over in February 2022 when she knocked out Chris Namús within the second spherical on the age of 37, a victory that may show a catalyst for additional success as she clinched three extra world titles over the subsequent yr.
She’s going to search so as to add to her assortment within the type of Habazin’s WBC belt on Saturday, whereas it’s no secret by now {that a} win would additionally seemingly pencil in an all-British conflict with former Olympic champion Value.
Does that current added motivation? “Nobody wants to lose!” she says.
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Highlights from an enormous IBF welterweight title conflict between Natasha Jonas and Mikaela Mayer in Liverpool
“We have these fights like Fury vs AJ, Eubank vs Benn, Amir Khan and Kell Brook, and you have these moments where everybody has to pick a side.
“To be one of many first females to have that battle, sure Chantelle (Cameron) and Katie (Taylor) had their battle nevertheless it was in Eire, to have that right here within the UK could be large.
“It’s a big fight but if you don’t win on Saturday it doesn’t happen so you have to focus on the fight in front of you.”
Each Jonas and Value have been flawless of their psychological strategy to the weekend, keen to acknowledge the chance of an eventual showdown whereas additionally insistent each face succesful hurdles in Habazin and Mateus, neither of whom should be ignored. For essentially the most half, it has been outsiders wanting in liable for teeing up a blockbuster matchup for girls’s boxing.
The build-up took an interesting activate Thursday when a fired-up Habazin herself sought to remind onlookers of her credentials as something however a gimme for Jonas. She labelled constant discuss over a Jonas-Value battle as ‘disrespectful’ and vowed to tear up the script.
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Lauren Value says she has the boxing expertise to tame Bexcy Mateus, and if the Colombian has comparable techniques to Jessica McCaskill then she’s going to lose as effectively
“I found myself agreeing with Ivana yesterday,” stated Boxxer CEO and promoter Ben Shalom. “It’s Collision Course for a reason, they’ve both signed to fight the winner – if Mateus wins, if Habazin wins, they are the ones who will be fighting.
“When you’ve gotten three world champions all of them suppose they need to be prioritised. Natasha is the queen, Lauren is the gold medallist and world champion, however Ivana is a longtime world champion they usually all need one of the best.
“Okay, let’s stick everybody together, have a road to undisputed and it’s winner stays on.”
Jonas is 15-2-1 upon her return to the ring for the primary time since beating Mikaela Mayer by way of cut up determination to retain her IBF world title in Liverpool again in January. Habazin enters 23-5 on the again of April’s unanimous determination victory in opposition to Kinga Magyar, amongst her 5 losses being the likes of Terri Harper and Claressa Shields.
“This is a serious fight, the main event is a 50/50 fight,” Shalom added.
“Every time Natasha fights I wonder if we’ll see signs of her slowing down, so far no. It was a fantastic performance in a very close fight against Mayer.
“If we see a ten or 15 per cent drop off Ivana Habazin can be there to take benefit. It should be a tremendous environment, nevertheless it actually is 50/50.”
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Opponents Stephen McKenna and Lee Cutler exchanged some sharp phrases but once more as they confronted one another at their ultimate press convention forward of their super-welterweight conflict
Ought to all go to plan on Saturday night time, Value seemingly awaits in 2025. The Welsh girl continues to ascend swiftly as one of the technically gifted fighters in feminine boxing, trending in the direction of each dominance and greatness having already chalked up a maiden world title.
Jonas is aware of it presents one of many hardest challenges of her profession. Although in some methods, she deems the prospect of a historical past headline occasion as added impetus heading into her conflict with Habazin.
“When all odds are stacked against me, that’s when you get the best version of me and I think that (a fight with Price) will be one of them.”
However first, the damaging Habazin. No matter what awaits within the new yr, there may be the sensation this may very well be the ultimate time Jonas takes centre stage within the ring in her beloved Liverpool.
Whereas she will not let the event get to her, she will even not be permitting it to go by.
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Jonas has despatched out a warning to Lauren Value, saying ‘watch out what you would like for’
“I think every time that I box now, I soak up the atmosphere because you never know what’s gonna happen,” stated Jonas.
“One of the things that I really regret about the Olympics experience is that I didn’t savour the moment, I’m so focused on the result that I didn’t take in the experience and I wish I’d done that a little bit more.
“So now I reside a little bit bit extra within the second.”
Jonas vs Habazin live on Sky Sports
Watch Natasha Jonas vs Ivana Habazin and Lauren Price vs Bexcy Mateus on December 14, live on Sky Sports+ from 7pm and Sky Sports Main Event from 8.30pm, or follow updates via our dedicated live blog on the Sky Sports website and app.
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