Lauren Price is set to begin preparations for the toughest test of her professional career but whilst the WBA, IBO and Ring Magazine welterweight champion is confident of beating WBC & IBF title holder, Natasha Jonas, when they fight at the historic Royal Albert Hall on March 7th, she doesn’t expect victory over her British rival to provide her with the same kind of thrill she got from winning Olympic gold at the 2020 Tokyo Games.
On December 14th, Price, 8-0 (2 KOs), and Jonas, 16-2-1 (9 KOs), shared a bill entitled ‘Collision Course’ in Liverpool.
Price blitzed Colombia’s outgunned Bexcy Mateus, dropping her in every round and stopping her in the third whilst Jonas boxed her way to a wide decision victory over Croatia’s WBC champion, Ivana Habazin.
With both women winning, the path was finally cleared for a long awaited unification fight between the two.
Price has regularly said that standing on top of the podium in Tokyo is the proudest moment of her career and something that is unlikely to ever be beaten, no matter what she goes on to achieve.
Since beating Mateus and completing the deal to box Jonas, the 30 year-old has had some time to think about the fight and evaluate just what a victory in what will be the biggest British female clash of all time would mean.
Although beating the Liverpudlian would move her a step closer to achieving her ultimate goal of becoming the undisputed champion at 147lbs and take her to a different level professionally, she still doesn’t believe it will give her the same sense of accomplishment and pride that becoming an Olympic champion did.
“No, it won't equal it. It’s not gonna beat an Olympic gold medal,” Price told The Ring.
“People don't understand what it takes to get there and the level of opposition you come across worldwide from a technical point of view, from every point of view really. Pro boxing is a different game. It's a fight.
“Don't get me wrong, I believe that me beating Tasha in March will make me bigger and turn me probably into a superstar, I don't know, but in terms of accolades, nothing will beat that.
“When you look at it, it was a dream of mine since I was the age of eight and, for me, there's no bigger sporting platform. The Olympic Games is the pinnacle no matter what sport you're in and you listen to the likes of Usyk, listen to the likes of Lomachenko, they say the same thing.
“Unless you're actually in it and you go to an Olympics, I don't think people understand how hard it is to even qualify, let alone go on and be on top of the podium.”