Natasha Jonas braced for potential Liverpool farewell whereas Lauren Value combat dangles within the distance | Boxing Information

Natasha Jonas. The Queen of Liverpool. Poised to take centre stage in entrance of her hometown followers for what might be the ultimate time. However her journey could not finish there. 

Town will bow to its personal boxing royalty on Saturday evening when Jonas headlines towards Ivana Habazin on the Liverpool Exhibition Centre understanding it probably represents one in all her last steps and last checks earlier than hanging up her title-glittered gloves.

A profession constructed on unwavering resilience by hardship and endurance by setbacks has culminated in a legacy as one in all Britain’s best 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 exhibiting 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 advised Sky Sports activities. “And yeah, when the fights get onerous, once they get robust, a bit of bit sore and also you’re a bit of bit drained, you get charged off the power from the group 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 might show a catalyst for additional success as she clinched three extra world titles over the following 12 months.

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.

“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 combat, sure Chantelle (Cameron) and Katie (Taylor) had their combat nevertheless it was in Eire, to have that right here within the UK could be enormous.

“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 probability of an eventual showdown whereas additionally insistent each face succesful hurdles in Habazin and Mateus, neither of whom have to be neglected. For probably the most half, it has been outsiders wanting in answerable for teeing up a blockbuster matchup for girls’s boxing.

The build-up took a captivating 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 combat as ‘disrespectful’ and vowed to tear up the script.

“I found myself agreeing with Ivana yesterday,” mentioned 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 will have three world champions all of them assume they need to be prioritised. Natasha is the queen, Lauren is the gold medallist and world champion, however Ivana is a longtime world champion and so they all need the most effective.

“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 through break up resolution to retain her IBF world title in Liverpool again in January. Habazin enters 23-5 on the again of April’s unanimous resolution victory towards 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 may be a tremendous ambiance, nevertheless it actually is 50/50.”

Ought to all go to plan on Saturday evening, Value seemingly awaits in 2025. The Welsh lady continues to ascend swiftly as some of the technically gifted fighters in feminine boxing, trending in 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 12 months, there may be the sensation this might 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 can even not be permitting it to cross by.

“I think every time that I box now, I soak up the atmosphere because you never know what’s gonna happen,” mentioned 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 dwell a bit of 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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