BOXXER promote at the AO Arena this Saturday evening, and Natasha Jonas attempts to further unify the super welterweight division, as the WBC and WBO champion looks to add Marie Eve Dicaire’s IBF title to her collection.
Sky Sports televise in the UK Jonas vs Dicaire as well as Ricky Hatton’s return against Marco Antonio Barrera in an exhibition later on in the evening in the venue he used to call home.
Jonas (12-2-1, 8 KOs) has hit the form of her life in recent times, after failing in bids for world super featherweight and world lightweight titles in 2020 and 2021 respectively.
The Liverpudlian finally became world champion in February, stopping Chris Namus in two rounds to take the vacant WBO title, and she defended successfully in her last fight in September, taking a lopsided points win against Patricia Berghult, securing the Swede’s WBC belt in the process.
The 38-year-old now faces Canada-based Dicaire (18-1, 1 KOs), who is in her second spell as IBF champion.
The 36-year-old has only tasted defeat once, losing every round to Claressa Shields in March last year, and she regained her old belt in December 2021, stopping Cynthia Lozano in seven rounds.
A victory here could lead to a rematch for all the belts at 154lbs with recently-crowned WBA titlist, Terri Harper.
Prediction: Jonas looks mature and in fine form, and she should be able to set a tempo too high for Dicaire to match. ‘Miss GB’ should take a wide enough points win to become a three belt champion.
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Smith defends British title against Benjamin
The co-main event looks a good one, and Dalton Smith defends his British super lightweight title for the first time against Kaisee Benjamin.
Smith (12-0, 10 KOs) is heavy-handed, and won the vacant belt with a dominant sixth round stoppage of Sam O’Maison in August.
Benjamin (16-1-1, 6 KOs) has only lost in an Ultimate BOXXER tournament, and is durable.
Prediction: Smith is a special talent, and ’Thunder’ can score a stoppage in in the middle rounds.
Denny defends English crown against Rea
Brad Rea (14-0, 5 KOs) goes for his first professional title, and the Lancashire man should be able to take the English middleweight title from Tyler Denny (14-2-3), who defends for the first time after seeing off River Wilson-Bent on points, in what was a cracker of a rematch in June.
Prediction: Rea can take a points win.
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Remaining Undercard
Frazer Clarke (3-0, 3 KOs) is back in action, and the 2020 Olympic bronze medallist may need the distance for the first time in his career to see off Kamil Sokolowski (11-26-3, 4 KOs) at heavyweight.
Dylan Cheema (7-0, 2 KOs) will also likely need the distance to take the win against Jordan Ellison (13-44-3, 1 KO) at lightweight, and at cruiserweight, Viddal Riley (6-0, KO3) can win early against Ross McGuigan (3-0).
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Unbeaten welterweight prospect, Clark Smith (2-0) and super middleweight, Jack Kilgannon (11-1, 3 KOs) both feature against opponents to be confirmed.
