A bloodied Lauren Price dug deep to beat Stephanie Pineiro on factors to retain her welterweight world titles in Cardiff before calling for a future battle with Claressa Shields.
The 31-year-old picked up a horrible cut after a conflict of heads in the fifth spherical against the beforehand unbeaten Puerto Rican.
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Price rallied to battle to the closing bell and was rewarded with a unanimous resolution on the scorecards.
After the battle, American Shields – who has held 15 world title belts across 5 weight divisions – stepped into the ring to face off with Price.
“I want the biggest fights in boxing, and what a great honour it would be to share the ring with Shields,” said Price.
“It makes for a great fight, but not just one fight. I said to her tonight, ‘Let’s do it, I’ll come to America and then you come to Wales,’ and she shook on it. So hopefully we can make that happen.
“It is why I’m in the recreation, I need to battle the best. Credit to Shields – I respect her – but I back myself!”
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Shields said the location of any fight would have to be discussed but hinted at a meeting between the two stars at the end of 2026 and said the bout would be at middleweight.
“When you are an Olympic champion you are a particular fighter,” said Shields.
“Me and you have talked online and me and you can make it occur, you did great tonight.
“No disrespect to you, you’ve got a little bit of time. I’ve got one more fight and then we can fight at the end of the year.”
Price has spoken typically about staging a future battle at either the 33,000-seat Cardiff City Stadium or Principality Stadium, which can maintain nearly 80,000 followers.
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In Shields, Price could face the calibre of opponent who would benefit such a step up in venue.
Shields, also 31, presently holds the IBF, WBC, WBF and WBO heavyweight world titles and has a skilled combating file of 18-0.
Price comes through gruelling check
But Price’s win over Pineiro was no stroll in the park.
Previously, Price has cruised through fights, but against the beforehand unbeaten Pineiro – who had promised to shock the Cardiff crowd – she was made to work for her win.
Price expected the “kitchen sink from round one” and Pineiro immediately appeared to begin the battle on the entrance foot.
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The 35-year-old landed her share of punches in the opening two minutes and did not look out of her depth in her first skilled battle outside of Puerto Rico.
However, Price was far more dominant in spherical two, utilizing velocity to her benefit against her considerably taller opponent to land a string of clean punches.
The left eye of Pineiro appeared visibly bruised and swollen to start spherical three and three more proper hooks from Price added to the harm.
But Pineiro proved she was there on benefit in the center rounds, turning in a composed fifth spherical during which Price’s lip was closely break up.
Undeterred, Price took issues up a gear in the sixth and seventh rounds, ending each with a flurry of punches which left Pineiro trying off-balance.
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Two comparatively uneventful rounds adopted, though the harm on both fighters’ faces was changing into more and more obvious.
Knowing a knockout was most likely needed, Pineiro pressed ahead in the tenth and closing spherical, but it was Price who continued to land the more vital strikes while cheered on by the majority-Welsh crowd.
The judges’ scorecards advised the story, as Price was declared the winner to rapturous applause with scores of 99-91, 98-92 and 98-92.
With a super-fight now in Price’s sights, her promoter Ben Shalom said the Welshwoman could be the quantity one pound-for-pound feminine fighter on the planet by the finish of the 12 months.
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“It’s only a matter of time. To become the number one fighter in the world, you have to box the number one fighter in the world,” he said.
“I believe that fight will happen this year and as Lauren said on a two-fight deal.”
Edwards and Powar to ‘go again’ after draw
In the co-main occasion of the night, Rhys Edwards and Gully Powar could not be separated in the British featherweight title battle – with a majority draw verdict coming down from the judges.
Penygraig’s Edwards began the brighter and picked up the first couple of rounds after touchdown fast counter proper arms and utilising the jab successfully.
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Powar grew into the contest from that level and was the busier fighter all through, throwing more punches than the Welshman in every spherical.
Both fighters lifted their arm at the finish of the twelfth spherical, each nook believing the belt was theirs.
The first choose’s scorecard went the manner of the Wolverhampton fighter 115-114, to the delight of Powar’s travelling followers who made their voices heard in south Wales.
However, the two other judges scored the contest 114-114, ensuing in a majority draw.
The pair – who were far from pleasant in the week main up to the battle – confirmed great respect for one another at the bell and both vowed to have a rematch following the resolution.
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“I knew it was a tight fight, he’s a very good fighter. I respect him and we go again,” said Edwards.
Powar responded: “Rhys is a great fighter but I think I won the fight.
“I was relentless the complete 12 rounds, I did not let him breathe but let’s do it again, I’d love to do it again.”
Elsewhere on the undercard, there were wins for Welsh quartet Mikey O’Sullivan, Jacob Robinson, Kyran Jones and Morgan McIntosh, while Ireland’s Teo Alin upset hometown fighter Kane Shepherd in the only defeat for a Welsh fighter on the night.
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