First test passed, first title in the bag.
Natasha Jonas clinched the WBA International super-featherweight championship with a seventh-round stoppage of the difficult Taoussy L’Hadji in Liverpool.
It needed an excellent performance from the 33-year-old in her home city to see off a resilient French opponent.
The London 2012 Olympian is now, potentially, just one fight away from a shot at a world title after her sixth straight paid victory.
“I wanted to come out and get the win,” said Jonas.
“I wanted to improve on my performances, and my punch power showed in there.
“I’ve still got a lot to do. But every boxer is her own worst critic.
“I wanted the step-up, I got the step-up.”
She certainly did, though credit to L’Hadji she refused to buckle for so long.
Jonas set a good early pace at the Echo Arena, but her 41-year-old foe, who had never been stopped, responded well in round two.
While the Scouser established a good points lead, L’Hadji showed no signs of departing early and extended the home favourite with some good work of her own.
But Jonas pulled out a massive right hand which decked L’Hadji in round seven, the first time the former French champion had been down in 73 pro rounds.
It prompted referee Michael Alexander stepped in to stop it at one minute, 47 seconds of round seven.
Many will talk of a world title showdown between the Joe Gallagher-trained southpaw and Tasha’s old amateur rival, Katie Taylor.
However, the Matchroom star, known as ‘Miss GB’ looks set to rule the world at the division below, super-feather, and with finishing power like this, don’t bet against it happening very soon.
Jonas’s triumph formed part of an exciting undercard at a sold-out Echo Arena.
In the main event, Amir Khan made a rapid comeback, stopping Phil Lo Greco in just 39 seconds.
Khan, fighting for the first time in two years, felled the Canadian after just 13 seconds and soon followed up with greater power, referee Victor Loughlin calling it off with less than a minute on the clock.
Words: Roy Kelly Pictures: Mark Robinson/
Lawrence Lustig/ Matchroom
