Natasha Jonas: I won’t rest until I win a world title

Natasha Jonas admitted her career would be unfulfilled if she failed to win a world title as the Liverpool fighter bids to make it third time lucky after taking the plunge at a higher weight.

A debatable draw against Terri Harper 18 months ago denied Jonas in her effort to claim the WBC super-featherweight crown and the Merseysider lost narrowly on the cards against undisputed lightweight champion Katie Taylor last May.

With various other title holders in and around her natural fighting weight tied up, Jonas has elected to jump three divisions as she takes on Chris Namus for the women’s vacant WBO super-welterweight title at Manchester’s AO Arena.

Jonas came in at 10st 9lbs 5oz at Friday’s weigh-in, surprisingly two pounds heavier than an opponent who has been campaigning in this category for a few years although the Uruguayan boasts height and reach advantages.

But the 37-year-old Jonas is willing to take a step into the unknown in order to realise her world title dream.

She told the PA news agency: “I definitely need a world title – 100 per cent. I won’t rest until I do.

“I can’t be fussy when I’m asking for world titles; a lot of world champions are taken so it’s been pulled out the bag to even get me this opportunity. I’m going to take it with both hands.

“Instead of thinking ‘what if’ or ‘what could have happened’, I’d rather do it and suffer with the consequences rather than never do it and live with regret.

“I’m not scared to fight anyone – I’ve said that from the beginning.”

Namus, brought in as a late replacement after Jonas’ original opponent Ewa Piatkowska tested positive for Covid last week, is a former world titlist at 11 stones but has lost two of her most recent three contests.

She has not fought since October 2020 although her 25 wins from 31 fights shows she has more professional experience than Jonas, a former amateur standout and Olympian with just 13 bouts in the paid ranks.

However, Jonas is convinced she is ready for anything her opponent will bring, having tailored her preparation to deal with the step up in weight in a fight that serves as the chief support for Amir Khan-Kell Brook on Saturday.

She said: “It’s not just a simple case of eating more and dieting less, there’s a lot of science behind it. I’ve spent the last five or six weeks in camp, just being at the weight I think I’m going to get in the ring at.

“It’s alright being at 11 stone but you’ve got to be able to perform at it.

“There’s the opponent’s punch power to consider – getting hit by anyone’s not very nice – but in spars and everything else, I’ve had 11-stone-plus girls just to get that experience.

“I’ve put myself through hell in camp and it doesn’t matter who’s in there, I’ve just got to show off the best me.”

Frazer Clarke – a bronze medal winner at Tokyo 2020, where he was appointed Olympic boxing captain for Team GB ahead of the Games – will make his professional debut on the undercard.

The Burton heavyweight scaled 18st 4lbs ahead of his fight against Jake Darnell, also making his bow in the paid ranks.