Keys to Victory: Where will Lauren Price and Stephanie Pineiro break each other down?

So, it is all the more important for the unified welterweight world champion to have a splashy showing against mandatory challenger Stephanie Pineiro tonight at the Utilita Arena in Cardiff, Wales. Price’s WBC, IBF, WBA and Ring Magazine titles will all be on the line.

Price, who is reportedly in talks to fight Shields, according to the BBC, is coming off a statement win over Natasha Jonas last March via lopsided unanimous decision to improve to 9-0 (2 KOs). She faces a gritty Pineiro (10-0, 3 KOs) who defeated Anahi Ester Sanchez via a unanimous decision of her own in November.

Will Price dominate her way to a titles defense, making a showdown with the ‘GWOAT’ even more of a reality? Or will Pineiro pull off the mammoth upset? DAZN News analyzes the Keys to Victory for Price and Pineiro.

Lauren Price’s Keys to Victory

Assert hand speed on the jab early

Watch Lauren Price in action and her speed with the jab is evident. The southpaw unified champion throws the jab like a dart with rapid delivery and accuracy.

Price also frequently doubles up on the jab. If she can find an early home with the stick, Price will have the onus on her to double up with the jab and pepper Stephanie Pineiro into dictating the pace of the fight.

Piece together combinations

Once Price has her jab going, the quick-handed combinations follow. The champ landing these combos flush could be demoralizing for Pineiro in showing the mandatory challenger that the champion is levels above.

Stand ground with lead right hand

Price does an excellent job of standing her ground and thwarting attacks with her lead right hand. The southpaw uses this hand to pot-shot in traffic and catch and shoot when neccessary in attempt to break down any mounting offense. Against a heavy-handed puncher like Pineiro, Price's lead right hand could be a pesky, prodding weapon to deal with.

Stephanie Pineiro’s Keys to Victory

Get inside of Price’s jab

All of Lauren Price's success starts with her jab. Once she has that stick working, the unified welterweight champ starts to manage the distance and pick her opponents apart. Knowing that, Stephanie Pineiro must get inside of Price's jab. 

The Puerto Rican fighter could do this by using feints and changing levels or simply biting down on her mouthpiece and taking one jab to ensure phone booth action where she could have success on the inside.

Punch in traffic

Getting inside of Price's jab and punching in traffic are complementary must-haves for Pineiro in this fight. Punching in traffic could empower Pineiro's heavy hands to disrupt Price's fighting flow and land the kind of counterpunches that earn the mandatory challenger respect and even hurt the champ. Pineiro, like Price, is a southpaw and touts blunt power in both hands.

Pressure Price with volume

During the press conference, Pineiro vowed that she is prepared for Price's hand speed. Well, cranking up her output against the unified champ will help.

Pineiro does not want to be in the most important fight of her career and lose for a lack of punching volume.

She must really let her hands go, especially when it comes to sitting on some hooks, in order to have a chance for the grand upset.

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