Lauren Price claims she is too young, too quick and too good for Natasha Jonas, while Jonas claims she is too smart, too experienced and too accurate for Price.
Neither plan to let it reach an impasse when they meet at the Royal Albert Hall.
The British rivals will face off in a world title unification as the headline act to a historic all-women’s event on Friday March 7, Price deeming it her next step towards domination and Jonas confident of adding to her belt collection while blunting her younger opponent’s progress.
Jonas arrives as the WBC and IBF welterweight world champion after her win over Ivana Habazin in December, while Price is the WBA, IBO and Ring Magazine champion after her knockout win over Bexcy Mateus.
The former believes she has faced tougher tests than Price, who is 8-0 since turning professional as Olympic champion.
“I think Mikaela Mayer is an all-round better fighter and that’s the best name on my card,” said Jonas on The Gloves Are Off.
“She’s won every round [as a professional], it’s been comfortable, there’s been nobody to bring a fight to her. The best she fought was a very, very poor Jessica McCaskill.
“She’s definitely on my level, I think she’s a great fighter, I just think I’m better.
“There’s very little difference between myself, Lauren, Mayer, Sandy Ryan, Chantelle Cameron, Katie Taylor. I don’t believe it’s my hardest fight.”
Jonas and Price shared a frosty face-off at the press conference for their world title unification at the Royal Albert Hall on Friday March 7
Price and Jonas traded insults in the ring in the aftermath of December’s show in Liverpool, teeing up a fascinating collision of two fighters competing at the top from seemingly opposite ends of their respective careers.
Price has questioned Jonas’ desire to fight her while downplaying the Liverpudlian’s suggestion there are bigger contests out there to pursue, among those being Irish icon Taylor.
“Definitely not, it’s not a fight she wanted,” said Price. “Katie Taylor isn’t our weight and you’ve already boxed her twice.
“There’s nothing personal, I want to create a legacy and win world titles, I wanted to move fast and I’ve proven I’m up there with the past.
“I believe I’m the best at 147. Tasha has two belts, I want to go on and become unified and undisputed.
“She’s my toughest test to date. She’s got a good ring IQ but I believe I’m better in all areas. I back myself.
“If it was up to me, me and you would have been boxing in December. I understand why you don’t want to box me, I get it.”
Price sent a message to Jonas ahead of their fight, while the WBC and WBO light-middleweight world champion believes her experience will prove to be the difference
At 40, age serving as a chief talking point is nothing new to Jonas as she continues to defy doubts over the second half of her career.
She enters the fight 10 years older than opponent Price, but insists there are no signs of her slowing down.
“We’ve still got Katie Taylor performing at the highest level, she’s a couple years behind me, and there are male fighters performing at the highest level,” said Jonas.
“It’s more for other people than the athlete themselves.
“Every fight you’re learning, improving, getting better. You’ll never be complete, but I do still think my performances are getting better.
“As soon as I think they’re declining, that’s when I’ll see myself [about retirement]. I’ll make that decision.”
Price admits she does not envision boxing at the age of 40 like Jonas, but declined to comment on whether she believed her counterpart should retire.
She did, however, hit back at Jonas’ comments in December when she suggested her Olympic gold medal only arrived ‘when all the good people had left’.
After their world title unification fight at the Royal Albert Hall was announced, Jonas said it was a stepping stone for where she wants to be
“The Chinese girl who I boxed in the final is now Olympic champion,” said Price. “The Panamanian girl who I boxed in the quarters is Olympic silver medallist.
“If you’re saying that, you know what it takes to get to the Olympics, you’re being a bit disrespectful towards them because they are great athletes.
“I don’t know how you can throw that comment out there. I’m the most decorated amateur to come out of GB.
“I think it was a silly comment to make.”
Price has made no secret of her desire to move swiftly through the professional ranks as one of Britain’s most decorated amateur boxers, but knows she faces the toughest obstacle of her career yet in Jonas.
“I’m 10/11 years younger, like I said, too quick, too good, too young and I believe that,” said Price.
“I think with this fight I earn a lot of respect and it puts me up where not only I believe in how good I am but everybody else does.
“I respect Tasha, but I believe this fight opens up other doors for me. I believe I win in style.”
Watch Natasha Jonas against Lauren Price in an all-British unification at the Royal Albert Hall, live on Sky Sports on Friday March 7.
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