Natasha "Miss GB" Jonas will compete against Mikaela Mayer for the IBF Female World championship in a 10-round welterweight contest at the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool, United Kingdom, on Saturday, January 20.
Jonas vs. Mayer Event Information
● Date & Time: Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024 – 08:00 p.m. GMT
● Location: M&S Bank Arena, Liverpool, England
● Promotion: Boxxer
● Scheduled Bouts: 5
● How to Watch: Sky Sports
● Main Event Bout: Natasha Jonas vs. Mikaela Mayer
● Co-Main Event: Jack Cullen vs. Zak Chelli
Jonas vs. Mayer: Fighter Previews
Natasha “Miss GB” Jonas
Jonas, at the age of 39, achieved the status of a two-weight world champion by winning over Canada's Kandi Wyatt in her sole bout of 2023 after already consolidating three crowns in the super-welterweight division.
As Jonas progresses her campaign in the upper weight class categories, her last battle against Wyatt shows that she has retained her power as a previous super-featherweight. Her ability to swiftly move in and out of range and create angles has further amplified the effectiveness of her powerful punches.
Despite nearing the age of 40, Jonas has displayed no indications of decline, despite having a lengthy amateur career and participating in several high-level professional bouts. Notably, she engaged in two closely contested 10-round fights against Katie Taylor and Terri Harper, in which one could say that she was unfortunate not to secure victory.
Jonas will find solace in the familiarity of the M&S Bank Arena as she seeks to extend her victorious streak of five fights and establish it as her stronghold with a roaring British crowd in support.
Mikaela Mayer
Mayer, however, who has competed in her past three matches in the UK, is well accustomed to the enthusiastic British audience.
Following Mayer's loss to Alycia Baumgardner, a bout many felt she deserved the nod, the former unified super-featherweight champ rapidly progressed through various weight categories in less than 15 months. Her most recent bout took place at 141 lbs.
Although the increase in weight may appear significant, the 33-year-old can now train without being in a state of calorie deficit. Additionally, considering his height of 5 feet 9 inches, she looks much larger than Jonas based on the face-off.
Both boxers have followed comparable career paths, particularly in their growth. Both Jonas and Mayer were highly educated non-professionals who competed in the Olympics. Jonas gained fame for his defeat over Taylor in London in 2012, while Mayer was eliminated before reaching the quarter-finals in Rio 2016.
Jonas vs Mayer: The Tale of the Tape
| Natasha Jonas | Mikaela Mayer | |
| Country | UK | USA |
| Age | 39 | 33 |
| Pro Record | 14-2-1 | 19-1-0 |
| KOs | 9 | 5 |
| Height | 5'8" | 5'9" |
| Reach | - | 66.5" |
| Win/Loss (Last 5) | W/W/W/W/W | W/W/L/W/W |
| Championship Titles | IBF World (Welterweight) | WBC Interim (Lightweight) |
| Stance | Southpaw | Orthodox |
| Inactivity | 203 days | 140 days |
| Pro | 6 years | 6 years |
Jonas vs. Mayer Betting Odds
When evaluating the current betting odds for Jonas vs. Mayer, the numbers speak volumes about how difficult this contest is to predict. Online bookmakers for Ireland aren’t taking any chances, as the current price isn’t far from 50/50.
Natasha Jonas [4/5]
Mikaela Mayer [11/8]
Draw [1/16]
Jonas vs. Mayer: Main Event Breakdown & Analysis
Both Mayer and Jonas appear to be evenly matched in the next bout on January 20. Although Mayer is undeniably the more youthful combatant, she lacks prior involvement in the welterweight division. Jonas has had little experience in the 147-pound weight class, with her most recent bout being the only one at this weight. However, she has competed in her previous five bouts at or over 140 pounds and has achieved three world title wins in the super welterweight division. Out of the four championship fights she has participated in during the last two years, she’s been successful by stoppage in two of them, and in the other two, she emerged as the clear winner based on the judges' scores.
However, in Jonas' situation, her experience is accompanied by the drawback of age. She is 39 years old and has faced formidable opponents like Harper, Taylor, and Obenauf. Additionally, she is expected to have a disadvantage in terms of speed compared to Mayer, who will need to capitalise on her advantage in terms of quickness and agility.
Jonas is expected to adopt a defensive stance and strategically wait for an opportunity to use her left hand, as she has done in the past. However, this approach might be disadvantageous if she fails to identify a favourable moment, resulting in lost rounds. Suppose Mayer can effectively control the distance, neutralise Jonas' offensive output by deploying her quick and precise jabs, strategically wait for an opportune moment to strike a powerful shot, and successfully implement her point-based fighting style that has proven to be effective. In that case, there is a possibility of Mayer becoming the next IBF welterweight champion.
Furthermore, due to her proficiency in the weight category and utilising a southpaw stance, Jonas will introduce novel and atypical perspectives to Mayer, something the American is unaccustomed to. Jonas possesses significant strength in both hands and is expected to effectively utilise her right hook to target the head and body. Suppose Mayer attempts to evade by lowering her head to connect her straights, as she did against Baumgardner. In that case, Jonas will retaliate similarly by delivering a powerful right-handed blow.
Jonas vs Mayer Prediction: Mayer to Win
It is difficult to determine the outcome definitively. Still, Mayer's history of effectively scoring points in fights is encouraging for her prospects if the match is decided by the judges, which is probable. The most recent Mayer bout that did not reach the full duration occurred in October 2019, when she achieved a sixth-round corner stoppage against Alejandra Soledad Zamora. Although Jonas' performance may not be as reliable as Mayer's, four out of six of his world title battles have resulted in a decision by the judges. She narrowly lost one match and achieved a split tie in the other.
With a significant age, size and speed advantage, alongside her ability to deliver a technical boxing performance for 10 straight rounds, it’s difficult to ignore the challengers potential in this bout, and without a knockout (which isn’t expected), it’s going to be difficult for Jonas to out-point a point-style fighter in Mayer.
