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In only her ninth professional fight, Lauren Price put on a boxing masterclass to unify the welterweight titles – outclassing a two-weight, five-time world champion.

The Ystrad Mynach fighter put on a boxing clinic against Natasha Jonas – a fellow trailblazer for women’s boxing – in her toughest test to date at the historic Royal Albert Hall.

She added the famous green-and-gold WBC belt, which sports the images of Muhammad Ali and Joe Calzaghe, and the IBF to her collection which includes the WBA and Ring belts.

Entering the fight to Dafydd Iwan’s Yma o Hyd, with the chorus ringing “despite everything and everyone, we are still here”, she would not be denied in a career-defining fight.

Lauren, whose favourite boxer is Ukrainian legend Vasiliy Lomachenko, was every bit as elusive as the man known as ‘The Matrix’ – one of the most skillful fighters alive.

‘Price the bullet dodger’

Dodging punches similar to Neo swerving bullets in the movie, she was like a ghost with a hammer in her hand at times in the contest over ten two-minute rounds.

Lauren picked apart her opponent, who boxes out of the highly regarded Rotunda gym in Liverpool, as she headlined an all-women card on the eve of international women’s day.

The southpaw controlled the contest from start to finish, conjuring memories of Calzaghe’s famous one-sided victory against American Jeff Lacy in 2006.

In a tentative first, Lauren landed two eye-catching lead hooks with her right hand, nicking the round with the more effective work despite a couple of good body shots from Tasha.

Entering the second stanza, Lauren continued to work behind a ludicrously fast jab and sent her opponent sprawling across the ring at one point.

’Like a boomerang’

She could hardly miss with a cuffing right hook, chalking up the round with some ease as Tasha struggled to land a glove.

In the third, Lauren’s in-and-out movement began to bamboozle her opponent. Bounding up and down on the balls of her feet, she threw feint after feint her opponent’s way.

Landing a beautiful shovel-shaped right hook, she remained on the front foot, keeping a high pace against a champion ten years her senior.

In the fourth, Lauren demonstrated her defence: her hands returning to her chin like a boomerang after lightning-fast combinations.

Backing up her experienced opponent, she landed a cracking Floyd Mayweather-style “check hook”, spiralling away like a matador sending a bull in the wrong direction.

‘Blistering speed’

In the fifth round, relentless feints kept Tasha guessing with Lauren proving too sharp, spearing her opponent with the jab and showing off some truly blistering speed.

Despite taking a bit of a breather in round six, she continued to boss the contest.

Entering the seventh, it was apparent Lauren had hardly landed the jab at times but controlled the entire contest with that very punch, using it as a stick to measure distance.

Fifteen minutes in, still with a spring in her step in the eighth, she showed some silky smooth boxing skills and ring craft, catching Tasha with a crisp one-two straight down the middle.

In the penultimate round, Sky Sports commentator Andy Clarke remarked that Price “looks like she could do this for 20 rounds” after a dominant performance so far.

‘She barely lost a minute’

After boxing out of her skin, Lauren got on her bike in the final round with Jonas landing her cleanest punches of the night before the pair went to war in the final ten seconds.

As the final bell rang, Lauren held her arms aloft. Jonas smiled, knowing she’d lost the contest but clearly enjoying the high-level tussle nonetheless.

What a warrior she was to keep plugging away despite being outclassed at times

Price, who had never lost a round in 54 before the contest, won a unanimous decision, 98-93, 100-90 and 98-92 on the three judges’ scorecards.

But on most people’s cards, she barely lost a minute of that contest – never mind a round – despite the pedigree of her opponent.

‘I’ve got a nation behind me’

Interviewed in the ring following the fight, Lauren told Sky Sports: “You know what – stepping out here tonight – what a venue, made history but I’ve got to say thank you to Tasha.

“A perfect dance partner, a complete honour to share the ring with her. I respect her – not just for what she’s done for women’s boxing – a true legend, it’s been an honour.”

She added: “It was all about using my angles, speed, jab and feints. I thought my right hook worked pretty well tonight and, like always, using my feet.

“They helped me in the amateurs, that’s what won me the Olympic gold medal and it’s going to get me to the top in the pros.”

Lauren set her sights on the winner of Mikaela Mayer-Sandy Ryan for the WBO title, with the aim of becoming the undisputed welterweight world champion this year.

“I’ve got a nation behind me,” she said.