Price relishing prize of 'massive' Jonas fight
Lauren Price v Bexcy Mateus
Venue: Exhibition Centre, Liverpool Date: Saturday, 14 December First bell: After 20:00 GMT
Coverage: Listen live and follow live text on the BBC Sport website and app, followed by report and reaction
Wales' first female world champion boxer Lauren Price says a potential unification showdown with Natasha Jonas would be a "massive, massive fight".
Price, 30, makes the first defence of her world WBA welterweight title on Saturday night in Liverpool against challenger Bexcy Mateus.
On the eve of the bout, Price said: "I've just got to stick to my boxing, stick to my skill, stick to my speed and I believe I come out on top. I take every fight seriously. Turning over as Olympic champion, I've had pressure on me from day one.
"With pressure comes diamonds, right? Saturday night's no different. It's my first defence. I believe I'm going to shine under the lights, put on a show and get that win."
Should Price win, she is being lined up to face the winner of the headline bout of the evening as champion Natasha Jonas meets Ivana Habazin for the IBF and WBC welterweight titles.
A showdown fight between Price and Jonas has been discussed since Price turned professional in 2022 and the Welsh woman, who won Olympic gold in 2021, says she is expecting 2025 to be a seminal year in her career.
"I'm excited. It has been a long time coming, I would have liked to have been more active this year but the main thing is that I'm finishing the year on a high. I'm going to put a clean performance on and then the big fights come next year," she told BBC Sport.
"It's massive, it's a massive fight for the British public. If it was down to me I'd be fighting her now but the politics of boxing and other things [meant that was not possible].
"We both need to get the win and then we can look forward to that fight. It's a fight I've wanted for a long time and a fight that I believe I win."
Price says she feels she is the woman to beat at welterweight and is viewing Jonas as a stepping-stone to her plans of dominating the division.
"I've got a lot of respect for Tash and what she has done for boxing, but when I turned over as Olympic champion I wanted to move fast - and now I've got three belts," Price said.
"I want other belts and want to become undisputed. It's a business and if she's got titles I want then I want that fight.
"I believe in myself and that's the biggest thing you need in this game. I know how good I am and I've got a lot more to come. I've had seven fights and won every round.
"I live and breathe boxing, the way I train. I tick boxes and I get wins and results. I believe in myself and believe I have the skill to beat Tash."
Price knows her hopes of a unification fight will go up in smoke if she fails to beat Mateus, who is a heavy hitter and like her has a perfect 7-0 record.
"She has a very high knockout ratio record. She has had seven fights with six knockouts so she can bang a bit, she is quite raw and wild but I need to stick to what I'm good at," Price added.
"I've got experience of boxing all around the world as an amateur and I'm an Olympic gold medallist, I've come across bigger girls with different styles, I've faced every style there is. I'm confident as a long as I stick to my plan.
"I know the Tash fight is in the back of my head because I know what can be, but my focus is Saturday. I just have to listen to my team and do what I do best. I need to use my skill and boxing IQ and I believe I get the win."
