Natasha Jonas overcame a tough test against Mikaela Mayer to retain her IBF welterweight title with a split-decision victory Saturday night at M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool, England. Two judges scored the fight for Jonas 96-94 and 96-95, and the third for Mayer 97-93.
Jonas (15-2-1, 9 KOs) is a two-division champion and in 2012 she became the first British woman to participate in boxing at the Olympic Games in London.
Every round between Jonas and Mayer was close, with Jonas starting faster and landing the more effective shots, including punishing body punches. Mayer (19-2, 5 KOs), a former junior lightweight champion making her welterweight debut, took over the fight in the last few rounds, busting Jonas’ left eye and backing her up with powerful right hands.
“I know she is going to be absolutely devastated with the result because I’ve been there,” Jonas, who had a controversial split draw against Terri Harper in 2020 and lost a close decision to Katie Taylor in 2021, said after the fight. “It feels like the world is over. She is on my top two people that I’ve fought. She is very skilled. Her time will come again. She beat a lot of the champions.”
Mayer believed she did enough to win and asked for a rematch, which, she said, is deserved.
“I landed the…
