Natasha Jonas vs Mikaela Mayer LIVE: Result tonight as Briton retains title in enthralling bout
Re-live updates after Natasha Jonas defended the IBF welterweight title in her hometown of Liverpool, against America’s Mikaela Mayer
Natasha Jonas retained the IBF welterweight title in a thrilling clash with Mikaela Mayer on Saturday, beating her challenger via split decision in Liverpool.
Fighting in front of a hometown crowd, Jonas was forced to dig deep against Mayer, who was making her debut in the division. In the early rounds, Mayer – a former super-featherweight champion – was chasing Jonas, whose wise shot selection and naturally greater power was proving the difference.
However, the American challenger began to find her rhythm as the bout progressed, varying her offence and backing up Jonas, 39. Mayer, 33, seemed to be pulling ahead, leaving Jonas arguably needing to win the final few rounds to emerge from the fight with her championship status intact.
What followed was an enthralling series of rounds, which could have gone either way, as each boxer brutalised the other to the body. Ultimately, Jonas emerged a split-decision winner, as the scorecards read 96-94, 93-97, 96-95 in favour of the two-weight champion.
Re-live updates and results below.
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Natasha Jonas vs Mikaela Mayer LIVE
Natasha Jonas def. Mikaela Mayer via split decision (96-94, 93-97, 96-95).
AND STILL!
The Liverpool crowd erupts!
Natasha Jonas vs Mikaela Mayer LIVE
Which way is this one going to go...? I think both fighters have a claim here.
We’ll have the judges’ scorecards imminently.
Natasha Jonas vs Mikaela Mayer LIVE
Round 10
Final round of this electric contest. Beautiful left hook by Mayer, who then buries uppercuts into the body of Jonas, as the champion holds her.
Mayer barely blocks a right hook. One minute to go! Jonas’s left eye is closing up badly! She manages to land a right hook.
The crowd sings in support of Jonas. The final bell sounds.
A real, real treat of a fight.
Natasha Jonas vs Mikaela Mayer LIVE
Round nine
Beautiful combination by Mayer, including a pair of thudding hooks to the body and an uppercut to split Jonas’s guard.
Slick southpaw jab from Jonas, who then skips away to evade a cross. The welterweights briefly grapple.
Now they separate, and a wild exchange ensues. Jonas with a mean left hook, now a right.
Mayer with a number of body hooks, but Jonas’s own shots to the body seem to trouble the challenger!
One round to go. This bout could go either way.
Natasha Jonas vs Mikaela Mayer LIVE
Round eight
Just three rounds to go! Mayer looks the fresher fighter.
Jab upstairs, cross downstairs by the American.
Jonas’s guard just about saves her from a cross, but Mayer’s next attempt is on point!
Lovely shot selection from Jonas, who varies her offence in an attempt to gain some momentum. The crowd roars her on.
Both women are landing almost at will! Incredible action. Hard counter left overhand by Jonas, but AGAIN Mayer seems unbothered!
That might have been an important round for the champion, in any case.
Natasha Jonas vs Mikaela Mayer LIVE
Round seven
Jonas lures Mayer onto a left hand, but Mayer’s next entry is smarter and she lands a short cross.
Nice body shots from Mayer! And Jonas! Both fighters are letting their hands go! The crowd is very much up for this.
More heavy body shots from Jonas, now a brutal left upstairs. Mayer still doesn’t seem to care, however!
This is enthralling, frenzied stuff. Jonas with a harsh uppercut, but Mayer marches forward like a Terminator anyway!
Great round.
Natasha Jonas vs Mikaela Mayer LIVE
Round six
We’re already into the second half of this fight!
Mayer closes the distance with a flurry of short, straight lefts and rights. She corners Jonas again, but the champion skips into space.
Jonas looks to halt her challenger’s momentum with some spiteful hooks to the body! Mayer is unperturbed, though, and replicates the Liverpudlian’s attack.
Stiff left hook by Mayer, and Jonas holds. The fighters separate, and Mayer wanders onto a buzzing jab.
Jonas with a left hook to the mid-section. She now wings a left hand upstairs, but Mayer slips it.
Hard left hook by Jonas on the bell.
Natasha Jonas vs Mikaela Mayer LIVE
Round five
Good left hook by Jonas! She misses with her follow-up shots, but the crowd is buoyed.
Mayer marches forward and burrows a right hook into the body of the champion. Jonas responds in kind, but with two hooks to the body!
Jonas with more encouraging work: a left hook upstairs and a right hook downstairs. Jonas jabs to the body. Both fighters miss with left hooks.
A cross is just out of range for Mayer, but she backs it up with a right hook to the body, while Jonas is cornered.
Natasha Jonas vs Mikaela Mayer LIVE
Round four
The pattern so far is that Mayer is looking to impose herself at this new, heavier weight, but she’s chasing Jonas a little too much. And Jonas naturally has more power, with which she’s picking her shots wisely. The champion is also moving very nicely.
That said, she walks onto a right early in round four! “Tasha” is the chant in Liverpool. Now it’s the hometown fighter pressing forward.
Mayer reverses the pressure and unloads a series of straights, improving her accuracy as her output increases.
Nice left hook to the body by Mayer, now one to the head. Not the first time tonight she’s used that combination.
A good round for the American, who ends it with a couple of clean right crosses while Jonas is backed up against the ropes!
Natasha Jonas vs Mikaela Mayer LIVE
Round three
Mayer comes forward again. Jonas looks to deter her with hooks to the body. And some more.
Mayer looks to get behind the jab, and she follows up with a decent, long cross.
Again Jonas steps off to her right after throwing a hook.
Mayer corners Jonas but lets her escape with relative ease.
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