Big Fight Preview & Prediction: Jessica McCaskill vs. Lauren Price

Big Fight Preview & Prediction: Jessica McCaskill vs. Lauren Price

By Dan D’Alessio

Winning a world title is the pinnacle of any boxer’s career. It is the moment every fighter dreams of when doing countless rounds of sparring in the gym, hours of running, endless amounts of pad work, landing numerous punches on the heavy bag, and shadowboxing in the mirror.

It is the achievement that leads to life-changing paydays, the creation of history, and the priceless recognition of someone who has ‘made it’ in the boxing world.

For many, the pursuit of this goal is a lonely one. Before the bright lights shine on fight night and thousands come to watch the violent science, a fighter knows they are the only person responsible for making their dream a reality.

In the case of Lauren Price, she is not a stranger to reaching the top. In 2020, she won a gold medal at the Summer Olympics in Tokyo, beating Qian Li in the final. And, now the challenge is for her to become a successful pro like other British gold medallists before her like Anthony Joshua.

Therefore, May 11th is set to be the most important day of her life. After just six professional contests, she will share the ring with someone who has already been a world champion multiple times.

The occasion is even more special because it is happening in her home city of Cardiff. It’s one thing having the opportunity to fight for the IBO and WBA welterweight world titles. But it’s another thing competing in front of all your loved ones and solidifying your legacy by becoming the first Welsh female world champion of all time.

There’s pressure too, though, as Wales is the home of several former world champions such as Joe Calzaghe, Enzo Maccarinelli, Barry Jones, Lee Selby, and Nathan Cleverly. Not to mention, current Welsh super featherweight world champion Joe Cordina. 

Jessica McCaskill has had a phenomenal career – becoming undisputed at welterweight and being a unified world champion at super lightweight. Despite receiving a controversial draw in her last bout against Sandy Ryan, McCaskill is Price’s toughest opponent to date. And by some distance.

McCaskill is nicknamed ‘CasKILLA’, yet on Saturday night, she will try to be the ‘dreamKILLA’ and capture her 13th win on away soil. The American has never won a fight outside of her native country, so she will have extra incentive to prove she is not a one-trick pony. After all, McCaskill lost to Katie Taylor in London and Chantelle Cameron in Abu Dhabi.

However, at the age of 39, McCaskill is in the twilight stages of her career. The event by Boxxer at Cardiff International Area is called ‘Forging Legacy’, though it could be seen as the passing of the torch. A chance for Price to stamp her authority on the 147-pound division and show that she is the next multi-time world champion. 

McCaskill has failed to win either of her last two fights, and another loss is not an option, especially if she doesn’t want to be relegated to gatekeeper status. Sometimes, a fighter needs to know when to hang up their gloves, and retirement is a possibility for McCaskill if she doesn’t produce a good performance.

As for Price, a victory will open so many doors for the Newport native. This includes potential unification fights against the likes of Sandy Ryan, Natasha Jonas, and Ivana Habazin. 

In terms of predictions, Price is rightfully the strong betting favourite over McCaskill. ‘The Lucky One’ is younger, fresher, and from the eye test alone looks to be a better boxer than McCaskill. Furthermore, it’s been several years since McCaskill has faced a southpaw which won’t bode well against a slick fighter like Price.

With just one knockout from her six fights, Price hasn’t given the impression of someone with devastating punching power. Meanwhile, McCaskill has never been knocked out. So the smart money is on Price to win on points. 

In a nutshell, McCaskill has to be aggressive, which should make for an all-action spectacle. In fairness, five out of her 12 wins have come via knockout, so she might have the power to hurt Price. It’s just a question of whether McCaskill can land cleanly on a more athletic opponent.

You can expect Price to have a lot of success with her straight left hand and shots to the body while she boxes on the back foot. McCaskill, on the other hand, is likely to come forward and try to land the big straight right hand.

McCaskill-Price will be broadcast live on Sky