Lauren Price: Pineiro & Beyond

Lauren Price: Pineiro & Beyond

Lauren Price has been in boxing hibernation for thirteen months. An impressive victory over Natasha Jonas last March should have seen the career of the former Olympic champion go to an even higher level. But Price had to sit and wait on the sidelines while her promoter secured a new broadcasting deal. But now Ben Shalom has locked in that BBC working relationship for his Boxxer stable, Price can get her career up and running again.

Price has a hometown gig in Cardiff tonight when she faces the Puerto Rican Stephanie Pineiro in defence of her WBC, WBA, and IBF world welterweight titles. Pineiro is unbeaten in ten fights and is probably the third-best welterweight on the planet. But Price is viewed as a sure thing to retain her 147-pound baubles. The 31-year-old is 1/33 to improve her resume to 10-0. Pineiro is 12-1 to spring the massive upset. Long odds. But they are reflective of reality. The challenger is a good fighter. But the champion is a genuine top ten pound-for-pound fighter. A good fighter won’t beat her. It will take an exceptional fighter to defeat Lauren Price. The evidence suggests that Pineiro isn’t that fighter.

If, as expected, Price retains her unified world 147 titles, probably by an extremely wide points decision, thoughts will turn to what’s next for the unbeaten fighter.

Mikaela Mayer, who holds the WBO version of the world welterweight championship, would seemingly be the logical next fight. A summer showdown with undisputed status on the line. The American told FightPost yesterday that she very much wants to fight Price. But the signs are that it won’t happen. At least, not next.

A deal was agreed for the pair to fight in Las Vegas last July. But the deal stalled, and that TV date went elsewhere. Mayer was offered the fight in Wales. But the money wasn’t right. The pair are now seemingly moving in another direction.

Mayer is likely to fight Chantelle Cameron in August, and Price is chasing a showdown with Claressa Shields. Mayer fighting Cameron looks a little more realistic than Price getting that mega fight with Shields later this year. Money talks, and Shields has plenty of options elsewhere. Shadasia Green and Kaye Scott are live options for the current undisputed heavyweight champion of the world. Price needs to be careful she doesn’t put all her eggs in the Claressa Shields basket. If Shields decides to fight someone else, I’m not sure what else is out there for Price. Certainly, on the level of a Mikaela Mayer or a Claressa Shields.

Lauren Price deserves a big fight. And the money that goes with it. But her options are somewhat limited. The price has to be right, but it might take a little bit of compromise to get Mayer and Price to share a ring together. A fight with Claressa Shields is a major fight that will do huge numbers. But the negotiations are likely to be complicated. What weight will they fight at? Is there enough money in the pot to tempt Shields to come to Wales? Talk is cheap. Money isn’t.

A fight with Mikaela Mayer is probably the easiest fight to make. Mayer wants the Price team to call MVP on Monday to get the negotiations back on. They should. An undisputed showdown between Mayer and Price is far too good a fight to be lost. But sadly, it might be.

Photo Credit: Chris Dean/Boxxer