Lauren Price made her professional boxing debut having won gold at the Tokyo Olympic Games, following on from a highly-decorated kickboxing career and a spell representing Cardiff City and the Wales senior team on the football field;
Sunday 12 June 2022 13:13, UK
Lauren Price made light work of her professional debut as she teased glimpses of her blistering speed to cruise to victory over Valgerdur Gudstensdottir at Wembley Arena on Saturday.
The Olympic middleweight gold medalist delivered the flurries and footwork of a pure lightweight to underline her huge potential as a multi-division thorn within a thriving women's boxing scene.
Price started on the front foot and dictated the tempo of the fight from the off, landing a slick left jab to jolt the head of Gudstensdottir early on before perfecting her distancing in a bid to wear down her Icelandic opponent.
Gudstensdottir's efforts to claw her way back into the contest only played to Price's introduction as the 27-year-old showcased her slick reflexes and shrewd ring coverage.
"I wanted to relax while I was in there, I didn't want to rush my work and a great six rounds under my belt and let's go again," Price said after the fight.
"I just wanted a classy performance really, I didn't want to rush or make my work look messy."
She has now set her sights on getting onto the undercard for Savannah Marshall's fight with Claressa Shields in September.
"I want to get out soon as possible," Price told Sky Sports on Sunday. "I want to get fights under my belt, get the rounds in and I'm looking to go on one of the biggest female fights of all time - Savannah Marshall and Claressa Shields undercard. So that's where I'm looking to go next."
The Welshwoman was happy with her performance on Saturday, and has backed herself to "go all the way" in her division.
"With Rob (McCracken) behind me, and little step-ups each time - each fight - I think I can go all the way. I wouldn't be doing it if I didn't think that," she said.
"One hundred percent I think I can go all the way."
The victory kicked off the newest chapter in Price's glistening sporting career, which saw her become a four-time kickboxing champion before playing football for Cardiff City and representing Wales at senior level.
Asked what a world title would mean to her among all her achievements, Price said: "It'd be up there with the Olympic gold medal. That's something I'm very proud of.
"Winning a world title as well... one hundred percent I want to go through the weight classes as well and follow in the footsteps of the likes of Katie Taylor. She's done it all."
Such is the reputation with which Price enters the professional ranks that trainer Rob McCracken previously dubbed her the most talented female boxer he has come across.
He welcomed Price's next challenge as she looks to make a swift statement.
"I thought she was great tonight, she's been in camp a long time, she did the Olympics and we've kept her in camp ever since then. She'll only get better," said McCracken.
Earlier in the evening, Chris Kongo came through a tough test against Sebastian Formella to win the WBC international silver welterweight title, YouTube sensation Viddal Riley capped his London debut with an emphatic first-round knockout against Jone Volau and Zak Chelli earned the biggest win of his young career as he frustrated Germaine Brown to win the English super-middleweight title.
