Lauren Price expects to fight Claressa Shields, but wants to win an undisputed world championship against Mikaela Mayer first.
Price, the unified WBO, WBC and IBF world welterweight champion, is currently far apart in weight from America’s Shields, who added to her list of accomplishments by winning the undisputed heavyweight title in her last fight.
But Price wasn’t surprised to see Shields call her out. “The way I look at it, she’s always been in the back of my mind that I’ll box her one day,” Price told Sky Sports.
“She’s a double Olympic gold medallist. I’m an Olympic gold medallist. Both at middleweight as well. With her accolades, my accolades, I think it’s the biggest fight.
“I’d love that fight. I want to become undisputed first and then obviously think about that.”
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Heavyweight world champion Shields discusses a potential future bout with welterweight world champion Price and what weights either of them would have to jump to
Both Shields and Price were Olympic gold medallists in the same division, and the Welsh star believes they can fight in future at middleweight.
“She’s not naturally a heavyweight, she’s put weight on and I’m never going to be a heavyweight,” Price said.
“I’ve always thought I’ll be a multi-weight world champion. Obviously there’s talks to happen in regard to weight and what I go up to.
“When you’re driven and you’re motivated, you want to be involved in the biggest fights as well.”
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Highlights of the WBC, IBF and WBA welterweight world title fight between Natasha Jonas and Price
Price is confident that not only can she get the fight with Shields but that she can beat her too.
“She’s a great fighter. I think it’s the best fight out there. It’ll be a tough fight but it’s a fight I believe I can win as well,” Price said.
“I think I outbox her with my speed, if I’m honest. I’m just too quick. She’s fast. She has got very fast hands, but I’m quicker.
“Before she said she would do me and [Natasha] Jonas on the same night,” Price added. “Then I boxed Jonas and she said she was impressed, this, that and the other. And now she wants the fight. I must have done something right!”
But Price’s immediate business lies with another American, Mikaela Mayer, who defended the WBO welterweight world title with her repeat victory over Sandy Ryan last month.
Price and Mayer both want to fight to unify all four of the major world titles at 147lbs, but agreeing on a location for the contest will be a key part of those negotiations.
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Mikaela Mayer told Sky Sports she wants to face Price to become undisputed champion, but will it be in Wales or the United States?
“I’d love for it to be in Wales,” Price said. “For myself I’m seeing my fan base getting bigger and bigger.
“It’s exciting times, I’d love to go back home. That’s a massive fight and an exciting fight to be involved in.
“I think the fight sells better in the UK than it does in the States. That’s for talks to happen, money to be involved.”
Price would be open to a two-bout deal, to box Mayer in the UK and the USA, to get the fight made.
It could well be a good enough contest to justify doing it twice.
Price is a highly skilled southpaw with excellent movement and wickedly quick counter-punches. But Mayer has grown into the welterweight division. She’s a fighter who is busy from first bell to last with a tremendous punch output. The American would appear to have the style to pressure Price.
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World champion Mikaela Mayer outpointed Sandy Ryan to retain her WBO welterweight title.
“We might have two or three, like [Amanda] Serrano and [Katie] Taylor. I think it’s that type of fight where it’s going to be great fight,” Price reflected.
“I think even there’s more for me to show. If I’m honest with the Jonas fight I thought I would have got involved a little bit more but it didn’t happen because she didn’t come to me. I just outboxed her. Whereas if I’ve got to fight I can fight, if I’ve got to box I can box.
“There’s times where you’ve got to be clever, you’ve got be smart, go on your backfoot, go on your frontfoot, fight, box regardless. I’m experienced, I’m learning all the time and let’s hope we can make that fight and it’s going to be a great fight.”
Watch the Ben Whittaker vs Liam Cameron rematch on Sunday April 20 live on Sky Sports.
