In the heart of Liverpool, hometown hero Natasha Jonas, the queen of the welterweight division, barely clung to her IBF crown in a nail-biter against the formidable Mikaela Mayer. It was a close call. The verdict? A split decision teetering on the edge – two judges tipping their hats to Jonas with scores of 96-94 and 96-95, while a third swung in Mayer’s favor, 97-93.
Jonas, lightning in gloves, danced around the ring in the opening acts, her fists scripting poetry in motion. Yet, Mayer, a titan in her own right, turned the tides with her sheer might, pinning Jonas to the ropes with thunderous rights.
The mid-fight was a gritty, no-holds-barred exchange – a symphony of body shots, each looking to outdo the other. As the finale loomed, Mayer turned up the heat, unleashing a barrage, but Jonas, ever so nimble, parried with swift ripostes.
Jonas, riding the high of victory yet humble in her words, acknowledged Mayer’s prowess, “I came out swinging, landed the heavier, cleaner punches. Sure, she may have had the upper hand in the middle, but I finished with a bang. She’s right up there, one of the toughest I’ve squared up against. For Mayer, this isn’t the end. It’s just a stepping stone to greater heights.”
Mayer, echoing the sentiment of a warrior denied, remarked, “I believed I did enough to tip the scales. Sure, hand her the early rounds, but after that, it was all me – cleaner, sharper. This fight screams for a sequel. No rematch clause for me, but fingers crossed, Jonas stands tall and grants me another shot. This isn’t just about the belt; it’s about proving a point.”
