Boxing
Natasha Jonas ready to fight Katie Taylor as Terri Harper rematch hopes fade
Natasha Jonas is ready to face Katie Taylor after accepting it may be some time before she can fight Terri Harper again.
Harper and Jonas faced off during lockdown at the Fight Camp series at Matchroom’s makeshift venue, with a split decision draw meaning that Harper kept hold of her WBC super-featherweight title.
The 36-year-old is ready to switch her focus to Taylor, who may be looking for a fight before the end of the year. Meanwhile, Harper has to fight Norwegian Katharina Thanderz in a mandatory defence of her WBC title.
Harper’s trainer, Joe Gallager, told Sky Sports that his fighter is looking to face Taylor or Jessica McCaskill.
"We should have got the decision and now they don't want anything to do with her," Gallagher claimed.
"Tasha is like, 'Right, OK then, I'll step up, I'll fight Katie Taylor, I'll fight Jessica McCaskill.'
"Tasha wants to fight any of them.
"I think Tasha against Katie Taylor is a great fight. Both unbelievable ambassadors for boxing.”
Taylor and Jonas previously faced off in the 2012 Olympics, and Gallagher is keen to see a rematch.
"Katie Taylor, like I keep saying, she's the 'Canelo' of female boxing. Who wouldn't want to see that rematch eight years on, with the atmosphere it generated at the London Olympics?" he asked.
Gallagher thinks that Harper is keen to avoid a rematch with Jonas because of how close she came to an upset.
"Terri Harper is not available, she doesn't want to fight Tasha," he said.
"They should have done the right thing and given Tasha the straight rematch.
"I don't think they want anything to do with it. I've not seen one person saying Terri Harper won the fight."
