Lauren Price prides herself on being a smart, savvy and lovable science technician, but she warns she’s fully prepared to take on Jessica on Saturday if necessary Jessica McCaskill showed a tough side.
It was billed as a fascinating clash of styles, with the gold-standard skills of Olympic champion Price and the all-out attack of former undisputed dominant McCaskill.
Mutual respect has been the theme of the rally, with both men admitting it’s a tough test that will set the stage for Price if he can unseat McCaskill’s WBO, IBO and Ring Magazine welterweight belts. Price offers a path to her maiden world title.
Through six fights as a pro, Price has barely been asked to break a sweat while showcasing his world-class potential. She knows that will change when she appears in front of a raucous crowd in Cardiff this weekend.
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McCaskill believes she sees some weakness in Price heading into Saturday’s welterweight title fight
“I think she’s going to get the best out of me,” Price told Sky Sports. “I think my recent matches have been very easy and I’ve won every round on the scorecards.
“I think when she brings a game to her, you see the best in me and I have more to do. I’m learning and improving every game.
“I can definitely fight. I can mix it all up. I got to compete with some big girls at middleweight, and obviously to win an Olympic gold I had to hold my own, and those girls have been through a lot of pressure at my weight. In my case, I had to fight them.
“I can definitely stand up there and trade when I want to. But first of all, it’s called boxing and it’s all about skill.”
What might be considered a fast track to the world championship stage actually feels like a natural progression for Price, who expects her career to take off just as quickly as her success at the amateur level.
McCaskill is 10 years older than Price, though she boasts a resume that saw her topple the great Cecilia Brækhus and later defeat Katie Taylor. Katie Taylor’s Chantelle Cameron goes all the way and draws with rising star Sandy Ryan She’s no stranger to big matches, but Price thinks she’s there. will dominate Fight Night in America.
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Price relishes prospect of fighting in front of home fans
“I’m in my prime,” Price said. “I’m young, I’m motivated, I have big goals, big dreams.
“Yes, this is only my seventh professional fight, but what I’ve accomplished in my amateur career, I’ve reached the top of my sport and won an Olympic gold medal. I feel like I’m ready. I believe I win this fight and that’s it.
“I know she’s obviously going to bring out her toughness and try to rough me up and turn it into a dogfight, but it’s up to me to use my skills, stick to my punches and listen to my side of the story.”
While Wales awaits Price’s return, McCaskill insists she won’t be fazed by a potentially hostile atmosphere. In her view, the responsibility lies with Price.
“The pressure is going to be on Lauren because when you think about a boxer and a fight and a championship, you think the other guy really has to do something to get the belt, so I think The pressure was on her.
“She really has to do something to get the belt, she can’t win just because she’s from here. She has to perform well. I just want to see what she can get.”
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Price insists she’s ready to deal with McCaskill’s aggressive tactics
Price believes her amateur experience and good sense will guide her to victory. McCaskill believes her professional experience and good sense will guide her to victory.
The two have faced plenty of style at both levels. McCaskill believes her victory will be a win.
“When it comes to setting up this fight, when you think about my experience and how fresh she is in the pro game, you always have a mindset where they probably think I’m going to be wild and big. and overreaction.
“If you come in and act calm, it can make people uneasy, worried and panicked, so the key is to maintain control of the situation, be elusive and not overdo it.”
McCaskill was happy to travel to Cardiff to defend her belt, visiting local boxing gyms in Wales and spending time posing for photos with Welsh fans who later admitted they supported her, she laughed.
The essence of her travels is not only to retain her title, but also to gain herself new fans and new respect. While others may be afraid of leaving the territory, McCaskill uses her previous trips to get through the week.
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McCaskill’s coach Rick Ramos questions his career record ahead of Sunday’s tight world title fight with Price
“I think there’s a lot of difference in the mental game, staying cool, cool and collected. When you’re fighting, you don’t have a lot of people with you, and sometimes people travel, but you bring something with you to keep your head above water.” A calm state, “she says.
“I have a couple of books, make bracelets, make sure your mind is somewhere and not just in your room watching TV waiting for this or that, boxing won’t make you feel anxious and physically sick, come on Getting to Wells Weight was important for me because the first few days are traveling and you miss out on exercise opportunities.
“When you gain weight, you don’t have to worry, you can just work out. Don’t overdo it. If I need a strength and conditioning coach, we can have a Zoom call and work out together and have a solid team and not be afraid to say what I want.” Wants and needs, and having a team that embraces that.
“It’s important for athletes to stand up and have conversations with their teams.”
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Funny Moses Jolly appears on McCaskill-Price undercard – watch him combine acrobatics and dance moves during Wednesday’s media workout
McCaskill, 39, faces the question of what else will happen in his career.
However, Price should be prepared to face a fighter who is as hungry for victory as she was earlier in her career.
“Fights like this show there’s no shortage of opponents to fight Jessica,” McCaskill’s coach Rick Ramos said.
“We will prove on Saturday night that we are still the best.”
It’s one of the biggest sporting events in a generation. Tyson Fury and Alexander Usyk The undisputed heavyweight championship of the world is up for grabs live on Sky Sports Box Office on Saturday 18 May. Book a fight now.
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