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IBF welterweight champion Natasha Jonas has embraced the possibility of defending her title against former beltholder Mikaela Mayer.
Mayer was a unified champion at super featherweight but lost her titles in a unification clash with Alycia Baumgardner in 2022.
Afterwards, she moved up to the lightweight division. And now on Saturday night in Manchester, Mayer will face Silvia Bortot in a junior welterweight fight in Manchester.
Mayer has already indicated her plans to head up to welterweight – with Jonas as her top target.
Jonas, who moved up by several weight classes to become a unified champion at junior middleweight, would love to make a defense against Mayer.
“I understand why she’s going for me. The same reason why I jumped up the weights. I actually do think she’s a great fighter. She was unfortunate in my opinion not to get the decision against Baumgardner. I had her winning,” Jonas told Sky Sports.
“I think she will be a better fighter at 147lbs. I know because I moved up and it benefited me not to be so drained. It’s a great fight, she’s a good name, she’s internationally well known, well respected.”
Another boxer gunning for Jonas is Olympic gold medalist Lauren Price.
Price, with a handful of fights under her belt, feels ready for a clash with Jonas.
However, Jonas prefers the scenario of facing Mayer.
“I think she [Mayer] is a better name than Lauren,” Jonas said. “I don’t mean that disrespectfully, I just think Lauren’s still in the infancy of her journey and I think a fight with me is just too soon.
“I will be speaking with BOXXER [her promoter] and the Top Rank team pretty soon. I wouldn’t be surprised if the talks happened this weekend and we’ll try and get something sorted out. I think it’s a fight that I win. So let’s see what we can do. Let’s see what we can make happen. The fight with Mayer’s a great fight and if that’s what she wants, she has to be careful what she wishes for. Because she just might get it.”