Natasha Jonas ready to negotiate for 12 three-minute rounds in Mikaela Mayer world championship defence | Boxing News
Natasha Jonas will hold talks around competing over 12 three-minute rounds in her world title defence against Mikaela Mayer.
Jonas will defend the IBF welterweight championship against Mayer on January 20, live on Sky Sports.
The bout is currently scheduled for 10 two-minute rounds, as is standard for women’s world title fights.
Jonas faces off with Mayer ahead of their IBF world title fight
But Mayer has called for them to increase that to 12 three-minute rounds – the men’s world championship distance.
“We’re the type of pioneers who should be doing that,” Mayer told Sky Sports. “These are the type of moves we should be making.
“I train 12 three-minute rounds in the gym, that’s the pace that I’m used to,” the American continued.
“That’s the pace I feel like I get better and better, and my IQ starts to grow and I break my opponents down. I don’t have that luxury in a fight.”
Amanda Serrano held her most recent championship fight over 12 three-minute rounds. Although the WBC doesn’t sanction that distance for women’s title fights, other bodies, including the IBF, do.
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“We should be following what Amanda Serrano did,” Mayer said.
“Maybe she [Jonas] feels it’s a little late in her career for making that sort of adjustment. Maybe. That’s all I can think of. She is part of the generation in women’s boxing that’s pioneering the sport.
“The only thing I can think of is she doesn’t think she can do it. The petition I signed with Serrano is that we have the choice. It is her choice. She is the champ.”
Though Mayer added: “When I’m champ, I’ll set the terms.”
Jonas however is willing to negotiate. “Genuinely that was never anything spoken about. That was never something that was asked. The contract with 10-twos, that’s what it was, there was no other option,” the Liverpudlian told Sky Sports.
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“That’s what I thought it would be. For her to mention that, it was a shock to me because I’d never been told that.
“I’m happy to have the conversation,” she continued. “Sometimes with the way that TV works with timeslots, to change it might make it difficult for the rest of the card so I get that. But I still need to have the conversation.”
BOXXER’s Ben Shalom promotes the January 20 event. He would welcome those talks.
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“We’ve been pushing women’s boxing for the past two years and to see where it’s got to is incredible. It’s almost put men’s boxing, a lot of the time, to shame. We’ve seen classic after classic and sometimes I feel that is down to the explosiveness of two-minute rounds. No time to breathe,” Shalom explained.
“I think it creates absolute drama. For me, I like two-minute rounds. Not to say that we won’t ever do three-minute rounds but I think it’s been a formula for success for us so far.
“I think 12-twos is a good format, especially with a fight like this, it could be very close. I think 12-twos makes a lot of sense. We’ll see. We’ll speak to the fighters.”
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Jonas also warned Mayer that longer rounds won’t necessarily favour the challenger.
“Three minutes does suit my style of fighting, the way I fight. I train three minutes but when it comes to actually boxing I taper down. It does change the dynamics of the fight as well,” Jonas said.
“There could have been a different result in some close ones if there was an extra minute on the end. Terri Harper would definitely have gone down in the eighth.”
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Mikaela Mayer discusses the reception she will receive in Liverpool when she takes on home favourite Natasha Jonas in January
Whatever distance they settle on for this championship fight, Jonas is focused on victory. Already a titlist across two divisions, the champion views this clash with Mayer as one of the fights that will determine her legacy.
“I want a lad, a girl, whoever it may be, in 10 years looking back to say I remember where I was for this fight,” Jonas declared.
“I have to be smarter. I think she knows that. The last people we fought, we were expected to win,
“I’ve got to box smart. If she tries to stay on the outside and box, if she tries to stand and trade and fight, whichever way she does it, I’m better.
“She’s going to come, she’s going to be aggressive. I’ve got to be the best version of me to combat that.”
