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Natasha Jonas
Natasha Jonas (born 18 June 1984) is a British professional boxer is a two weight world champion who has held the unified WBC, and WBO female light-middleweight titles since 2022. As an amateur, she won a bronze medal in the light-welterweight division at the 2011 European Championships; bronze in the lightweight division at the 2012 AIBA World Championships; and silver in the light-welterweight division at the 2014 European Championships. Amateur careerJonas took up boxing in 2005 and by 2010 she had won five ABA Championships in the 64 kg Division for Liverpool club Rotunda ABC.[2] In 2009 she became the first female boxer to compete for GB Boxing.[3] In the same year she claimed gold in the 64 kg division at the 2009 Women's European Union Amateur Boxing Championships in Pazardzhik, Bulgaria, after she overcame Csilla Csejtei of Hungary in the final. Jonas another gold medal in the inaugural GB Amateur Boxing Championships in 2010, when she pipped rival Amanda Coulson by one point in an exciting bout in front of her home fans at Liverpool's Echo Arena. 2012 AIBA Women's World Amateur Boxing ChampionshipsJonas made history in Qinhuangdao, China in May 2012, when she reached the semi-finals of the 2012 AIBA Women's World Boxing Championships to become the first ever female British boxer to qualify for an Olympic Games, she then went on to take the bronze medal and a place in the 2012 London Olympics back to Liverpool with her. 2012 Olympic GamesJonas became the first ever British female boxer to compete at an Olympic Games. Jonas faced Quanitta Underwood of the United States in the round of 16, Jonas emphatically beat Underwood, 21:13 winning three of the four rounds boxed.[4] Her wins set up a quarter-final bout with four-time World Champion, and Ireland's flag-bearer at the Opening Ceremony, Katie Taylor.[4] Jonas lost heavily to Taylor 26:15.[5] Professional careerJonas made her professional boxing debut against Monika Antonik at the Walker Activity Dome in Newcastle, England, on 23 June 2017, winning by stoppage just 92 seconds into the first round.[6][7] In her 11th pro-fight, she challenged WBC and IBO female super-featherweight champion Terri Harper at Matchroom Headquarters in Brentwood, England, on 7 August 2020, with the bout ending in a split draw. One ringside judge scored the contest 96-94 for Harper, one had it 96-95 for Jonas and the third gave it as a 95-95 tie.[8][9] Switching weights, Jonas took on unified female lightweight champion Katie Taylor in her next outing at the AO Arena in Manchester, England, on 1 May 2021, losing by unanimous decision with two of the ringside judges giving the fight to her opponent 96-95 and the third seeing the contest as 96-94.[10][11] Again changing weight divisions, she won her first professional world title at her third attempt by stopping Chris Namús in round two of their fight for the vacant WBO female super-welterweight championship at Echo Arena in Liverpool, England, on 19 February 2022.[12][13] In her next bout, and at the same venue, Jonas became a unified world champion by defeating WBC female super-welterweight title holder Patricia Berghult via unanimous decision on 3 September 2022.[14][15] She added the IBF and The Ring female super-welterweight titles to her collection with a unanimous decision win over Marie-Eve Dicaire at the AO Arena in Manchester on 12 November 2022.[16][17] Jonas was named the British Boxing Board of Control's British Boxer of the Year for 2022, becoming the first woman to win the accolade.[18] She became a two-weight world champion on 1 July 2023, when she stopped Kandi Wyatt in round eight of their fight at the AO Arena in Manchester, England, to claim the vacant IBF female welterweight belt.[19][20] Back at Liverpool's Echo Arena, Jonas retained her title with a split decision win over Mikaela Mayer on 20 January 2024. Two of the ringside judges gave her the bout 96-94, 96-95 respectively, with the other scoring it 97-93 to her opponent.[21][22] She became a unified world champion for a second time by defeating WBC female welterweight title holder Ivana Habazin via unanimous decision at the Exhibition Centre, Liverpool, England, on 14 December 2024.[23][24][25] Jonas is scheduled to face WBA, IBO and The Ring female welterweight champion Lauren Price at the Royal Albert Hall in London, England, on 7 March 2025.[26][27] Professional boxing record
ManagerIn 2023, Jonas became the first black woman to receive a manager's license from the British Boxing Board of Control.[28][29] Personal lifeInitially intending to be a footballer, Jonas spent eighteen months at St. Peter's College in the United States on a football scholarship.[30] After suffering an injury that ended her football career,[31] she returned to the United Kingdom and studied media studies at Edge Hill University, Lancashire.[32] She was employed for five years by Liverpool City Council and was a mentor for the Youth Sport Trust for four years, helping to promote sport and healthy lifestyles to school-age children.[33] Jonas is an older sister of footballer Nikita Parris.[34] In the mediaIn July 2012, Jonas appeared alongside Tom Stalker and James Dickens in Channel 4 documentary, Knockout Scousers, which followed her to Czech Republic and China on her pursuit for Olympic qualification, a production which she also narrated. In August 2023, Jonas during her tour in Tanzania she appeared in Azam TV, where she shared her experience and motivated female local amateur boxers to encounter challenges they face in their careers towards substantial achievements in the sport.[35][36] A mural of her is in Liverpool, on Elwy Street off High Park Street, near the home she lived in as a child.[37] See alsoReferences
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