Lauren Price criticises Natasha Jonas’ coach after ‘uncalibrated’ scales claim

Joe Gallagher demanded to see a certificate before the Welsh fighter stepped onto the platform

Lauren Price criticised the coach of Natasha Jonas after the pair successfully weighed in ahead of their unified welterweight clash at the Royal Albert Hall on Friday.

Joe Gallagher, who publicly called Price disrespectful for missing a media obligation this week, demanded to see a certificate for the scales before Wales’s Price stepped onto the platform. This came after the majority of fighters on the undercard weighed a pound under their fight limit.

WBC and IBF champion Jonas weighed in at 10st 6lb, with WBA holder Price 10st 5lb.

When asked if Gallagher had got into her head, Price told Sky Sports: “Definitely not, I’m cool, calm and collected. I’m looking forward to getting out there tomorrow night and showing everyone how good I am.

“There’s been drama all week, Gallagher’s trying to make it about himself, but it’s Jonas vs Price. I’m in my prime, it’s my time, I’m ready and I’m taking them belts back to Wales.”

Gallagher interrupted Price’s announcement to the podium by demanding to be shown a certificate of when the scales had been calibrated. Jonas, 40, was able to weigh in wearing clothes – something Gallagher said was because of the light scales.

“We’re at a prestigious event, one thing you expect on fight night is to have a set of calibrated scales to make the weight, and they’re not calibrated scales,” he added on Sky Sports.

Natasha Jonas (left) and Lauren Price face off for the final time before Friday’s fight (PA Wire)

“I’ve seen the certificate, they were calibrated on 9 January, we’re here in March. I’m only protecting Natasha. When I hear Price is struggling with weight, I think that [the scales] are light in order to make the weight.

“You have this huge prestigious event, and yet you can’t get a set of calibrated scales. They’ve made the weight but they’re not calibrated. Natasha weighed in with all her clothes on because we knew the scales were light, if we stripped them down she would have been 10st 5lb.”

The PA news agency and The Independent contacted the British Boxing Board of Control for comment.

“Boxing’s full of dramas, I was light and I was good,” Jonas added on the matter. “She looks ready, I’m ready, let’s do it. I don’t need to prove to anyone why I’m the champion, why I’ll stay champion, I just am.”