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

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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.

Jonas vs Mayer LIVE

• Natasha Jonas retains welterweight title with split decision against Mikaela Mayer
• Jonas comes out on top with scorecards of 96-94, 93-97, 96-95 in her favour
• Liverpudlian was fighting in her hometown as she took on the American
• ‘We have to hustle harder than men’: Mayer and Jonas talk to The Independent
• Is it okay to keep saying ‘women’s boxing’? Here’s what Mayer thinks...
• Meet tonight’s ring announcer: ‘Big Mo’ Kody Mommaerts

[20 January 2024 17:59 · Alex Pattle]

Jonas vs Mayer LIVE

Natasha Jonas and Mikaela Mayer will go head to head in Liverpool tonight, as hometown fighter Jonas defends the IBF welterweight title.

Jonas, an Olympic veteran, finally achieved her world-title dream in 2022, before dropping down to welterweight to become a two-division champion. The 39-year-old will make her first defence of the IBF belt this evening, as Mayer looks to follow Jonas in becoming a two-weight champion.

The American made her UK debut in 2022, losing her unified super-featherweight titles to Alycia Baumgardner, and her two subsequent fights have also come on these shores – and produced better results. Mayer moved up to lightweight to win the WBC interim title last year, before moving up again and securing a victory at super-lightweight.

Now, the 33-year-old returns to the UK and moves up in weight once more to challenge Jonas, in Saturday’s main event at the M&S Bank Arena.