Lauren Price faces Silvia Bortot on the Chris Billam-Smith vs Mateusz Masternak bill on Sunday December 10, live on Sky Sports, with Ben Whittaker, Francesca Hennessy and Lee Cutler also appearing on the undercard in Bournemouth
Tuesday 21 November 2023 18:23, UK
Lauren Price continues her fast-track to world title level with a step up in class against Silvia Bortot on the Chris Billam-Smith vs Mateusz Masternak bill.
Price became the first woman to win a professional British title in May and the Tokyo Olympic gold medallist will be aiming to end 2023 with a statement win against Italy’s Bortot at the Bournemouth International Centre on Sunday December 10, live on Sky Sports.
Bortot, previously a European titlist, went the distance with former unified world champion Mikaela Mayer in Manchester in September, the same night Price secured her fifth pro-victory against Lolita Muzeya.
“I’m looking forward to December 10 and continuing my progression by finishing the year with a good win to take me into 2024,” said Price.
“Bortot is a good opponent, she’s game and tough like them all but I believe I’m the bigger, stronger and better boxer. She boxed Mayer in her last fight and gave her a good 10 rounds so she will be a good step up. There are some great female fights coming up and I believe next year I will be involved in the big fights.”
“Lauren is an exceptional talent and one of the future stars of this sport,” said BOXXER founder and CEO Ben Shalom.
“She is already closing in on world titles and in just her sixth fight is taking another step up on December 10. 2024 can be a massive year for her but first she must overcome a tough test against Silvia Bortot.”
As previously confirmed, fellow Tokyo Olympic medallist Ben Whittaker is back in action on the same bill as he returns to the scene of his spectacular first professional fight.
Fresh from her impressive debut, 18-year-old bantamweight Francesca Hennessy, the daughter of renowned boxing manager and promoter Mick Hennessy, can continue the perfect start to her professional career when she gets back under the bright lights in Bournemouth.
Following his victory over Stanley Stannard in an official eliminator bout during BOXXER’s visit to the Vitality Stadium in May, Bournemouth’s Lee Cutler will face Kingsley Egbunike for the vacant English super-welterweight title.
In the main event, hometown hero Billam-Smith puts his WBO cruiserweight world championship on the line against dangerous challenger Masternak.
Lauren Price will have a close eye on the Natasha Jonas vs Mikaela Mayer IBF welterweight world title fight on January 20.
Boxing Bortot, Mayer's last opponent, on December 10 will also inevitably draw comparisons with the American.
"Mikaela Mayer won every round on the scorecards but she was there in front of her, I thought [Bortot] gave her a good fight, so for me it's a step up again to where I want to be in 2024, knocking on the door for them world titles," Price told Sky Sports News.
"[Bortot] won the European title at super-lightweight, so I'm going to be the bigger, stronger girl in there as well. If the stoppage comes the stoppage comes but I'm not going to force it."
Price though added: "I don't look too much at other people's performances, I just concentrate on what I'm good at. Me and Mayer are two completely different fighters.
"Obviously I'm not looking past December 10 but I know what I'm capable of and I believe with a good performance I'll move on then in 2024."
Price is targeting the Jonas-Mayer victor. "I want whoever wins out of them two. I think [Jonas-Mayer] is a 50-50 fight, Mayer moving up as well, into another weight class, so that's going to be interesting. I'd love Tasha to do it, and have an all-British fight then with me and her.
"But I do believe it's a 50-50 fight and I'm looking forward to it."
This fight on December 10 should set Price up for a big year.
"I want to go on and achieve greatness in this sport. Having that Olympic gold medal and what I've done in my amateur career, I believe I can go all the way in the pros," she said.
"2024 I believe will be my year, where I'll be banging on the door and bring a world title back to Wales."
