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Lauren Price MBE held on to her welterweight world boxing titles in Cardiff last night with a unanimous decision after ten tough rounds.

The Ystrad Mynach fighter took on mandatory challenger Stephanie Piñeiro Aquino in Cardiff’s Utilita Arena.

A sell-out crowd created an electric atmosphere from the moment Dafydd Iwan started to sing Yma O Hyd as Price walked to the ring.  

She climbed through the ropes and fist bumped the Welsh singer.

The first two rounds saw both fighters sizing each other up, with Price using her speed, and Piñeiro Aquino attempting to keep distance using her reach and height. 

A head clash in round five caused Price’s mouth to bleed until the end of the bout. Her opponent from Puerto Rico constantly came forward, following Price around the ring.

A beautiful combination by Price in round six left Piñeiro Aquino shaken and pleased to hear the bell at the end of the round.

Price’s cut bled heavily throughout the fight, but it didn’t stop her from continuing to score with cleaner shots.

The tenth round began with an embrace between the two fighters, but this hug was short-lived as neither fighter wasted time getting back into action for the final two minutes. 

The final round was a spectacle for fans with both women giving it their all until the bell rang for the last time. 

Undisputed heavyweight champion Claressa Shields entered the ring after the result and came face-to-face with Price. The pair agreed they would clash twice in the future – one bout in America with another in Cardiff – if a deal over the money, exact locations, and weight could be agreed

The judges’ scorecards were 98-92, 98-92 and 99-91.

Price, the 2020 Olympic gold medallist is now undefeated in ten professional bouts and is the holder of the WBA, WBC, IBF, IBO and Ring Magazine World Welterweight titles.

“I knew it was going to be tough“

In the post-fight press conference, Price joked about her bloodied and bruised face saying: “I think it looks worse than what it is if I’m honest and hopefully my partner is still going to marry me in May.”

Price is set to marry long-term partner Carlie Jones in Abergavenny on May 30. 

Price said: “I’d been out of the ring for a year, so I knew it was going to be tough. 

“Obviously, it was a mandatory defence as well. She’s probably the second best in the division and we’ve seen that tonight in there. 

“I thought as I got through the fight, boxed obviously well, got my shots off.

“But, you know, credit to my opponent, she was a tough, tough girl and a good girl.

“I think I showed another level in there tonight, in toughness especially coming through. And what an atmosphere to come out to and box in front of the home fans. 

“I call myself the lucky one, but I’m also lucky that I’m Welsh. I’m so proud to be Welsh. I’ve got a country behind me and the fan base is just getting bigger and bigger all the time.

“I’m so grateful for the people coming out tonight, and not just tonight. They’ve supported me throughout my whole career.”

What the fans thought

Hayley said: “We didn’t doubt her. She absolutely smashed it, and she deserves it more than anything in the world. Absolutely incredible. It was electric. It was absolute fire tonight.

“All her Welsh supporters, we lifted the roof off Utilita. She’s an absolute dragon and we roared with her.”

Lesley said: “Fantastic for women’s sport and Lauren obviously turned up, and I believe that. 

“I used to coach Lauren at football. What a showmanship for women’s sport today.”

Sharon said: “Brilliant fight. Tough, tough opponent for her, but I think she managed to come through. She brought that dragon spirit today for sure, in abundance.”