Natasha Jonas and Mikaela Mayer square off on Saturday, January 20 at M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool, England. The contest features British two-division world champion up against former unified super featherweight champion of the United States.
Going through the ropes in front of her hometown crowd, Jonas makes the first defense of her IBF welterweight title. Mayer once again moves up a weight class and looks to conquer a new division.
Natasha Jonas (14-2-1, 9 KOs) claimed the vacant IBF welterweight title in July in Manchester, where she stopped Kandi Wyatt in the eighth round. Last November at the same venue, the 39-year-old native of Liverpool scored a unanimous decision against Marie-Eve Dicaire to win a 10-round super welterweight title unification, retaining her WBC and WBO belts and claiming the IBF strap.
“I’m so excited to be fighting back in Liverpool in my first headline show and in the biggest fight of my career so far,” said Jonas. “It’s my fifth world title fight with BOXXER, in my backyard, and I’m ready for it. It’s Mikaela Mayer, she stretches above and beyond the UK shores. ‘Miss GB’ versus ‘Miss USA’ and may the best woman win!”
Mikaela Mayer (19-1, 5 KOs) of Woodland Hills, California last fought in September in Manchester, where she defeated Silvia Bortot by points decision. In April in London, Colorado Springs-based 33-year-old scored a unanimous decision against Lucy Wildheart to secure the interim WBC lightweight belt. With the victory, former unified WBO and IBF super featherweight champion returned to winning ways after dropping her belts by split decision against Alycia Baumgardner last October.
“These are the types of matchups boxing needs,” said Mayer. “I am feeling better than ever at my new weight and confident that 2024 is when I take it all back.”
Jack Cullen meets old rival Zak Chelli in co-feature
The co-main event pits Jack Cullen against Zak Chelli. The pair meets for the second time. Their first fight in August 2022 ended in a split draw.
In his previous outing in September, Bolton-born 30-year-old Jack Cullen (22-4-1, 10 KOs) stopped Mark Heffron in the third round and landed British and Commonwealth super middleweight titles. 25-year-old Zak Chelli (14-2-1, 7 KOs) of London last fought also in September, when he stopped Jordan Grannum in the fourth round.
The bouts featured on Jonas vs Mayer undercard are expected to be announced shortly.
In Australia, the event airs live on Sunday, January 21. Broadcast information is to be confirmed.
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