Lauren Price says she will take inspiration from Joe Calzaghe as she aims for world title glory against Jessica McCaskill in Cardiff on May 11.
Olympic champion Price will face experienced operator McCaskill for the WBA and Ring Magazine welterweight titles where she will hope to emulate the longest-reigning super-middleweight world champion in boxing history, Calzaghe.
McCaskill, 39, has suffered just three defeats in 16 fights with the American giving up her WBC title to face rising star Price.
It will be the first time 29-year-old Price has fought at home since turning pro in 2022 and she will be bidding to become the first Welshwoman to win a world title for her country.
Calzaghe was regarded as one of Britain’s finest ever boxers, beating some impressive names along the way including Chris Eubank, Mikkel Kessler, Jeff Lacy, Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones Jnr.
“When I first turned professional, I turned as Olympic champion and everyone expected me to move fast. Six fights and when you look at those six fights I feel like I’ve enjoyed myself in there but I haven’t really been tested,” said Price.
“I haven’t really got out of first gear. I’ve won every round quite comfortably so for me now it’s going to be my seventh professional fight but I want to be involved in these big fights.
“I’ve got complete respect for Jess McCaskill, she’s a legit champion. It’s not as if I’m going in there boxing for a vacant title. She’s been there, worn the t-shirt and I’ve got complete respect for that. I know it’s my toughest test to date but I believe in myself.”
Speaking about Welsh boxing, Price said: “For me to follow in the footsteps of Joe Calzaghe, he’s a complete legend and that’s what I want to do, I want to become a Welsh legend. I want to bring big nights back to Wales and it’s a little bit of added pressure because you’re coming out in front of your own fans which is something I have yet to experience but I’ve had pressure my entire career.
“I’ve dealt with pressure and I’m sure I’ll come through with flying colours when I come out in front of my own fans and soaking it all up. I haven’t boxed at home in about 10 years so it’s going to mean the world to me.”
McCaskill feels she has the ability to hit hard enough to test the chin of Price, saying: “I don’t think there’s an appreciation for the boxing that I do or the more thought out things that we do in the ring. I think they’re overlooked because people are looking for those big right hands or things like that.
“I do feel like I get put into this bracket of brawling, which I love. I hate boxing, I love brawling. It’s just what I’ve done for so long.
“Every fighter has the opportunity to make that happen and I feel like I’m going to look for those opportunities.
“It’s up to the judges to be fair, it’s up to the referee to be fair, it’s not fair when you go into the locker room and say ‘I expect this’ but when you get into the fight the opposite fighter is doing those exact things, so you expect everyone to play their role and not get caught up.”
Johnny Nelson on Lauren Price’s step up
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Lauren Price is determined to bring the glory days back to Welsh boxing when she challenges Jessica McCaskill for her WBA and WBC welterweight titles at the Utilita Arena in Cardiff on May 11
Analysis from Sky Sports Boxing’s Johnny Nelson…
“You can look at best-case scenario and worst-case scenario. Worst-case scenario she loses but she learns a hell of a lot in her seventh professional fight and so there’s no shame in that because look who she’s up against.
“Best-case scenario is that she wins and she’s nowhere near the finished article of who she potentially is and this style of fight suits her down to the ground.
“Some of that’s physical in her face, that’s there for her. It gives her more of a chance than anyone I’ve seen. Jessica McCaskill had that supreme boxing ability where she out-boxed her, boxing smart, and her boxing experience to outfox Lauren.
“Lauren is fighting somebody that wants to have a tear-up, somebody that’s very physical, that’s in your face, that’s not hard to hit. So that will suit her down to the ground.
“This will all be about Lauren and Lauren lifting herself mentally as well. We know she’s a good fighter, we just don’t know how good a fighter she actually is, so I don’t think on an official level if she loses it’ll break her heart but it’s not the end of her.
“If she wins then the world’s her oyster.”