Natasha Jonas has turn out to be a two-division titleholder and established herself as one of many greatest stars in ladies’s boxing.
Now her purpose is to construct her legacy.
The 147-pounder is scheduled to defend her 147-pound belt in opposition to former unified 130-pound champ Mikaela Mayer on Saturday in Liverpool, England, Jonas’ hometown (ESPN+).
Mayer (19-1, 5 KOs) additionally is taken into account among the best within the enterprise.
“For me to class myself as among the best on this period, I’ve to battle the very best,” Jonas mentioned at a information convention Thursday, per Sky Sports activities. “I have a look at a few of the boxers on the checklist, the Katie Taylors, the Chantelle Camerons. They’ve overwhelmed individuals in that High 10 pound-for-pound checklist and for me to have the ability to solidify a legacy for myself, I’ve to do the identical.”
Jonas (14-2-1, 9 KOs) hit a roadblock in 2021, when she misplaced an in depth determination to light-weight champion and celebrity Katie Taylor.
Nevertheless, she has gained 5 consecutive fights for the reason that setback, together with world title fights at junior middleweight after which welterweight. She gained her 147-title by stopping Kandi Wyatt in eight rounds final July.
Jonas, 39, appears to be hitting her stride as a fighter when most of her friends have already retired.
“Natasha isn’t simply your regular fighter, she’s one thing particular,” mentioned her coach, Joe Gallagher. “The whole lot she touches, she turns to gold. She’s proper up there with the very best I’ve ever educated.”
Mayer’s longtime coach, At Mitchell, praised each boxers for agreeing to simply accept a troublesome task, which he believes will produce an epic battle.
“I believe that is the Tommy Hearns and Hagler battle, solely it’s two ladies,” Mitchell mentioned. … “We must always get extra boxers like this. They’re not throwing something at one another, they’re simply specializing in this battle.
“We’d like extra males like these two girls. They’re stepping up. They don’t care who they battle.”
