Natasha Jonas and Lauren Price are on a collision course for a huge all-British world title fight, but firstly they defend their belts in Liverpool on Saturday, live on Sky Sports.
Why are the fights so important?
Rival world champions Jonas and Price are targeting a major unification showdown in 2025.
For that to happen, both must hold up their end of the bargain by defending their respective titles on the same bill at the Liverpool Exhibition Centre on Saturday December 14.
After defending her IBF welterweight belt earlier this year against America’s Mikaela Mayer, Jonas is looking to become a unified world champion in her second weight division against WBC champion Ivana Habazin.
Earlier this year Price beat former undisputed champion Jessica McCaskill to win the WBA crown. The 30-year-old Olympic gold medallist is yet to lose a round as a professional and is setting her sights on this first defence on the road to welterweight supremacy as she takes on Bexcy Mateus.
What happens next?
If Price and Jonas both emerge victorious, they could set themselves on course for an all-British world championship unification clash in 2025.
“One hundred per cent,” Price told Sky Sports News. “I’ve got respect for Tasha but it’s a great fight, it’s a great British fight, one of the best fights out there.
“I believe in myself. I believe I can become undisputed in that division. It’s a massive fight and I’m excited. I believe in myself, and I believe I get that win as well.”
Jonas replied: “The only thing I can say is we’ll see and that’s it. She’s got one of the belts I’ve never had which is the WBA, I want to take that home with me. So we’ll see.”
Who are the opponents?
Jonas takes on Habazin, the recently-crowned WBC welterweight world champion after she outpointed Kinga Magyar to capture the vacant green and gold belt in April of this year.
The 35-year-old from Zagreb, Croatia, who has shared the ring with some of the greatest female fighters of the modern era including Cecilia Braekhus and Claressa Shields, has previously held the IBF world welterweight title.
Price’s opponent Mateus is the WBA’s No 5-ranked contender at welterweight, and boasts an undefeated record in the professional ranks too, having won all but one of her seven fights inside the distance.
The 29-year-old from Bogota is fighting outside of her native Colombia for the first time as she aims to upset Price.
Who else is fighting on the bill?
On the undercard, Ireland’s undefeated Stephen McKenna will go toe-to-toe with English champion Lee Cutler in a super-welterweight bout.
McKenna wowed fans with a three-round war against Joe Laws last time out at Oakwell Stadium in Barnsley in August.
Both men hit the canvas in the first round before McKenna piled on the pressure, dropping Laws three more times to maintain his unbeaten record via stoppage.
English cruiserweight champion Viddal Riley returns to action having recovered from an injury that has kept him out of the ring since a career-best victory over Mikael Lawal in March.
Riley takes on Belgian Steve Ntere, aiming to shake off the ring rust as he targets big-name opponents in the new year, with a possible fight with Isaac Chamberlain mooted.
How can I watch?
Watch Jonas vs Habazin and Price vs Mateus on Saturday December 14 live on Sky Sports+ from 7pm and live on 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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