Lauren Price believes she has the beating of any of the welterweight world champions.
The Welsh Olympic gold medallist is looking to fight the winner of the January 20 Natasha Jonas vs Mikaela Mayer fight, WBO titlist Sandy Ryan and any of the major belt-holders next year.
“Even though I’m respectful and I’m laidback I do want these big fights. That’s why I turned professional,” Price told Sky Sports.
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Lauren Price responded to rumours circulating she will face the winner of Natasha Jonas and Mikaela Mayer’s bout, insisting she is definitely ready for the fight in 2024
“I believe the girls who have got the world titles at welterweight at the minute – I beat them.”
A victory over Silvia Bortot on the undercard of Sunday’s Chris Billam-Smith vs Mateusz Masternak world title fight, live on Sky Sports, will put Price into championship contention.
Mikaela Mayer beat Bortot in her last fight and now the American is challenging Liverpool’s Jonas for the IBF welterweight world championship next.
Bortot did take the American the distance. “Even though Mayer won every round on the scorecards it was competitive. I thought Mayer got caught quite a lot,” Price said.
“Silvia, she’s game, she’s tough, she knows what she’s doing. The thing I take from it, she likes to stand in mid-range and throw her shots that way. She likes to be in close. That’s where she was getting most of her success. Mayer, she’s got quite flat feet.
“I can’t really take much from that fight because I’m a different fighter to Mayer.”
Price, an Olympic gold medallist, will want to show that difference between them. “I’ve got skills, I can box, I can move, I can also obviously dig, I’m the bigger in there as well,” she said.
“I’ve boxed against middleweights and I’ve come down, this is my natural weight, welterweight, I’m big, I’m strong.
“I’m going to box and when you box and let your hands go, things open up. That’s what I plan on doing.
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“She does swing one over the top. I’m going to have to be on my A game and whatever’s in front of me, I’ll deal with. But boxing-wise I believe I outbox and even beat her on the inside work as well.
“I just want a good performance, a solid performance. It takes me into 2024 where I want them big fights.”
Price, in an exciting weight class, intends to force her way into the title mix. “I want the winner of Jonas and Mayer. Whether they’re going to take it, I don’t know,” the Olympic champion said.
“The girl I fought last time [Lolita Muzeya], 18-1, I bet you any money they probably wouldn’t have took that fight. That’s just the way I see it.
“There comes a time where you’ve got to fight the best,” she continued. “I want them big fights.
“Out of them all Sandy (Ryan)’s probably my toughest fight but I still believe that I’ll win that fight.
“I believe it can be a legacy fight, built up like Cameron-Taylor, Taylor-Serrano, one of those big ones.”
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Lauren Price says her clash with Silvia Bortot on the Chris Billam-Smith vs Mateusz Masternak bill is another ‘step up’ in her career.
That drive, which saw her excel in other sports as well as become Wales’ first Olympic boxing champion, is clear.
“I want to be the best and that’s something I’ve carried throughout my whole career, no matter what sport I’ve done. Whether it was playing football internationally, being a kickboxer or my dream of going to the Olympics at eight years of age and achieving that Olympic gold medal,” Price said.
“As a professional now, I want to win world titles at multiple weights as well and create greatness and be a legend.”
Watch Lauren Price on the Billam-Smith vs Masternak bill live on Sky Sports Arena from 6pm on Sunday