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Natasha Jonas ready to ‘step up’ and fight the ‘Canelo’ of female boxing

Natasha Jonas [9(7)-1(1)-1]wants an Olympic re run and is ready to ‘step up’ to the Katie Taylor [16(6)-0] plate.

The Liverpool fighter’s famous London 2012 clash with Taylor, a fight that broke Olympic crowd noise records, has always meant she was on the ‘big name’ wish list of the Olympic champion.

They have been linked since Jonas elected to join her old rival in the pro ranks, until a surprise defeat to Viviane Obenauf in late 2018 put serious distance between pair and any potential meeting.

However, having shown her world class capabilities when drawing with Terri Harper in a WBC super featherweight Fight Camp hosted world title fight, the 36-year-old seems a legitimate option again.

Taylor has options and having ‘done it all’ her promoter Eddie Hearn wants to push her in the direction of a cross over fight with MMA star Cris Cyborg.

Still Jonas is ready willing and able according to her Coach Joe Gallagher, who has Sligo heritage.

“We should have got the decision and now they don’t want anything to do with her,” Gallagher told Sky Sports.

“Tasha is like, ‘Right, okay then, I’ll step up, I’ll fight Katie Taylor, I’ll fight Jessica McCaskill.’

“Tasha wants to fight any of them.

“I think Tasha against Katie Taylor is a great fight. Both unbelievable ambassadors for boxing.

“Natasha being the first one [women’s boxer] to represent Britain at the Olympics and qualify.

“Katie Taylor, like I keep saying, she’s the ‘Canelo’ of female boxing. Who wouldn’t want to see that rematch eight years on, with the atmosphere it generated at the London Olympics?”

Most had called for Jonas Harper II to be made post the somewhat controversial August draw, but Harper has been ordered to fulfill her mandatory obligations by the WBC.

That leaves Norway’s Katharina Thanderz next for Harper and Gallagher believes Team Harper are relieved to have other obligations.

“Terri Harper is not available, she doesn’t want to fight Tasha,” said Gallagher.

“They should have done the right thing and given Tasha the straight rematch.

“I think Terri Harper is [relieved]. I don’t think they want anything to do with it. I’ve not seen one person saying Terri Harper won the fight.”

It has been eluded to more than once, that Team Taylor are adverse to her competing against Chantelle Cameron, because she is an MTK Fighter.

If that rumour is true it then has to be noted that Jonas is also advised by MTK.

Jonny Stapleton

Irish-boxing.com contributor for 15 years and editor for the past decade. Have been covering boxing for over 16 years and writing about sports for a living for over 20 years. Former Assistant Sports editor for the Gazette News Paper Group and former Tallaght Voice Sports Editor. Have had work published in publications around the world when working as a freelance journalist. Also co-founder of Junior Sports Media and Leinster Rugby PRO of the Year winner. email: editoririshboxing@gmail.com

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