For Natasha Jonas, the point has been proven. She has been an important part of the generation that paved the way for women’s boxing to break through at the highest level of international sport.
Jonas’ own role in the exponential growth of the sport is not done yet. On Saturday, live on air sportsshe enters her second consecutive battle for the world unification title.
The Liverpudlian was the first female British boxer to qualify for the Olympics and in London 2012 she was the first woman to box for Team GB.
Now she is the unified WBO and WBC World Champion, battling IBF superwelter titlist Marie-Eve Dicaire on Saturday to headline BOXXER: Manchester.
Ten years after her Olympics, Jonas and other London 2012 participants have led the way in women’s professional boxing.
“We set a standard, I think in 2012,” said Jonas. “A bit of a chip on our shoulder, the first time we got shot and we wanted to set the standard and every time the Olympics have been since it’s improved, the last time [GB] team is the best of the bunch.”
Jonas’ reunion this weekend follows the record-breaking Claressa Shields vs Savannah Marshall event last month. 2022 was a breakthrough year for professional women’s boxing. It’s the kind of progress that won’t be reversed.
“We always knew how good it was [women’s boxing] used to be. We just needed the world to see it. Now we have the platform to do it and once the depth gets more and people keep flipping and turning they’re getting athletes over [it’ll continue to grow]’ said Jonah.
“I will be out of the mix by then. It will be good to see them go on and on. We are slowly breaking down all those barriers and they are helping with that. We just needed the athletes to do that and we have that .”
The next generation in women’s boxing looks up to Jonas. For example, the united champion is an inspiration to Charley Davison. Davison, a UK boxer, made a remarkable comeback from boxing after a seven-year hiatus to qualify for the final Olympics. Davison, a mother of three, has in Jonas the example of a mother who excels at the highest boxing level.
“These Women Who Are Professional Boxers And They Do It” [it shows] there’s no reason why, as long as there’s childcare, or there’s support for the kids, there’s no reason why women couldn’t do the same as the men,” Davison said.
Davison had to seriously consider whether she wanted to continue boxing after the last Olympics.
“She [her children] are a little more understanding. They know I do it as part of my livelihood. That’s what I do they understand and they are really supportive but I have to explain to them it won’t be forever this will be my last chance [the next Olympics]Paris, up to two years,” Davison told air sports.
“The dream is still alive, I still have the chance to box for GB,” she continued.
“There are so many people who love to box for GB. I thought I couldn’t just throw it away and I would regret it in the future if I didn’t give it my last chance. That’s what I hope to do – get a medal with this one.”
Jonas has also played a direct role in the development of the young boxers she has talked to. When Caroline Dubois, now an emerging force in professional sports, was just a teenager, she dabbled with Jonas.
“I must have been 15. I think she just came back from retirement after the Olympics,” recalls Dubois. “I just remember” [thinking] wow so happy to go in the ring with Natasha Jonas. It was her fighting Katie Taylor that really surprised me and made me think I wanted to go to the Olympics. So it was good for me to get in touch with one of them. I was so happy to be in the ring with her.”
Not that her admiration stopped Dubois from going for Jonas even at that young age. “I have no respect for anyone I step into the ring with,” she laughed.
Hannah Robinson is an amateur who has been sparring with Jonas lately. That kind of experience helped Robinson improve and win a place on GB’s elite Podium team.
“I went out, worked on stuff, went to a lot of gyms to spar world champions like Chantelle Cameron, Tasha Jonas,” Robinson said. air sports. “I developed my boxing like that and worked really hard. So when I went back to GB they could see there were improvements.
“It opened my eyes, that time away from GB. I’m glad the journey went the way it did.”
Robinson has experienced firsthand what makes Jonas so effective, even three divisions above her natural weight class.
“She’s got really good basics and I think that comes from her amateur pedigree. She’s also kept her speed and increased the weight. She’s doing the basics really well,” Robinson said.
“She now has experience, she has been through a journey herself. She is also an inspiration to me.”
The next step of Jonas’ journey comes against Dicaire on Saturday. Watch their world title unification live on Sky Sports Arena from 7pm.
The post Natasha Jonas inspiring Caroline Dubois and the next generation in women’s boxing: ‘We just needed the world to see how good we were’ appeared first on WhatsNew2Day.