It’s official, Natasha Jonas will fight for her first professional title in her home city on April 21.
Promoter Eddie Hearn has not ruled out a world super-featherweight shot, but says Jonas will be going for the European title on the undercard of Amir Khan-Phil Lo Greco at the Echo Arena in Liverpool.
Jonas tuned up for that in some style on Sunday when she convincingly outpointed world title challenger Karina Kopinska in Manchester on the JD NXTGEN show.
The 33-year-old, linked heavily to a major fight with her old amateur rival, Katie Taylor, took a six-round victory in the longest fight of her entire career.
And Hearn says Miss GB is ready for her first title.
Katie Taylor is a fight everyone is talking about but Natasha wants to win world titles of her own first.
“We’re already looking at the world champions at super-featherweight at the moment,” Hearn told Sky Sports. “If one becomes available and [coach] Joe [Gallagher] says the word we’ll make it on the Amir Khan bill.
“If not, it will be the European title in her home town on April 21.
“World titles are not far away and it was good to get the rounds in the bank [on Sunday night.]
“The natural progression after Karina Kopinska is European and World title fights.
“Fingers crossed, there will definitely be a title fight on April 21st, may be a world.”
That is great news for Jonas, who boxed superbly against a battle-hardened Pole.
Kopinska came for a fight, but the ex-Rotunda southpaw boxed superbly at range, landing rights to the body and some sharp lefts to the head, while in the later rounds she produced some forceful work in close en route to a 60-54 scoreline from Steve Gray.
The Morson-sponsored southpaw’s trainer was rightly delighted by the former Olympian’s night’s work on the Matchroom event.
“Karina has just fought for the European title and that’s where we’d like to go next,” Gallagher told Sky Sports. “Natasha is coming on leaps and bounds, I think everyone will have enjoyed watching another superstar of British boxing.
“It’s the European next, the world in the summer and Katie Taylor in December.”
Words: Roy Kelly Picture: Mark Robinson/ Matchroom
