Lauren Price is on the lookout for a homecoming struggle in Wales because the Olympic gold medallist prepares to take her skilled profession to the subsequent degree in 2023.
At the Tokyo Games in 2021, the GB squad was Britain’s most profitable Olympic boxing group in 100 years. Wales’ Price was one of many stars of that aspect, profitable the middleweight gold medal with a sequence of super performances.
She turned skilled in 2022, profitable her debut at Wembley Arena after which halting Timea Belik on the undercard of Claressa Shields vs Savannah Marshall at The O2 in London in October.
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Lauren Price has set her sights on a busy 2023 (Image: Lawrence Lustig)
Now Price needs to return to Wales to struggle as knowledgeable.
“That could be sensible. That’s the dream getting the Welsh followers behind me,” Price advised Sky Sports. “That could be a dream come true to field in Wales.
“We are speaking about that,” she added. “The sooner I field in Wales and get the followers on board, the higher. I had loads of assist on the Olympics.
“If I field in Wales they’re going to get behind me.”
Boxing will not be the one sport the place she has represented Wales. She additionally performed soccer for the worldwide aspect.
“I performed soccer, I used to play for Cardiff,” she stated. “To field within the stadium there could be nice sooner or later.”
Price’s Olympic gold medal was all of the extra spectacular as she gained it at middleweight, a division or two above her pure weight. Over the approaching years, as soon as she reaches world-class as knowledgeable there’s a potential super-fight that could possibly be made. Boxing Claressa Shields at super-welterweight could be arduous to withstand.
“As lengthy as she comes down a bit then yeah, why not?” Price stated cheerfully. “Who is aware of, it’d even fill the Principality [stadium].”
Olympic gold medallist Lauren Price explains her outstanding profession in sports activities, together with captaining Wales and enjoying for Cardiff City
Price intends her subsequent contest to be her final six-rounder earlier than transferring as much as eight rounds. Before the top of 2023, she needs to be competing over 10 rounds, the championship distance.
Like her associate Karriss Artingstall, a Tokyo Olympic medallist and now skilled fighter herself, Price needs to field 5 occasions throughout the subsequent 12 months.
“We’re in six-rounders however we’re coaching prefer it’s a 10-round struggle. We’re each in prime situation,” Price stated. “If I get 5 fights in, on the finish of the 12 months I’ll be greater than able to step up.
“The professional sport is completely different so we might like step-ups. I need to be in a ten rounder however I’ll hearken to Rob [McCracken, their trainer] and observe his recommendation.
“As an novice, we’re not used to crowds and stuff like that. That’s one thing we have to get used to as effectively. All the little issues as a professional which is completely different to the amateurs, not carrying headguards, getting smaller gloves, having a crowd there.
“When the time is correct he [McCracken] can level us in the precise path to win the world titles. Along the best way now the subsequent couple of fights are studying fights to get us in the precise place.”
Price is already creating. Only two fights into her professional profession, she seemed harmful final outing when she compelled a stoppage in opposition to Belik inside 4 rounds.
“I gave loads of weight away as an novice as a result of I used to be boxing at 75kgs, so now I’m boxing individuals the identical weight as me. So it’s a little bit completely different and it takes loads of getting used to however I nonetheless need to clearly hold my velocity and my motion as a result of that is what I’m about,” Price stated.
“But within the skilled sport, I need to have the ability to land large pictures as effectively, an all-rounder actually. In the primary struggle, I boxed fairly technically and in my final struggle I simply wished to get her out of there.”
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Lauren Price can not wait to field in Wales together with her house supporters backing her
Performing on that main all-women’s present on the O2 was an apparent excessive level of 2022. But there was additionally a unique form of spotlight for her final 12 months when King Charles introduced Price together with her MBE.
“Myself, Karriss, my nan and my auntie all went as much as the fortress,” she stated. “It was nice to expertise that and have my household with me.
“He simply talked to me about my sport and I stated to him about enjoying soccer for Wales and profitable caps and clearly going to the Olympics. We had a little bit chat for 5 minutes.”
For 2023 now it’s again to the arduous work of coaching and boxing. “Looking realistically, I’d prefer to have another six-rounder after which go on to eights and probably have a ten rounder on the finish of the 12 months,” Price stated. “Just to get out as a lot as I can, 5 occasions… I do not actually need to have any break day.
“This 12 months we will have a busy 12 months.”
