Tonight on the Amir Khan-Kell Brook card in Manchester, it proved to be third time lucky for Natasha Jonas. The 37-year-old from Liverpool, going up an amazing three-weight divisions, stopped Uruguay’s Chris Namus to take the vacant WBO super-welterweight title. Jonas was razor-sharp from the off and the southpaw dropped Namus, a former IBF champ at 154 pounds, heavily with a left hand/right hand combo in the very first round.
(Photo credit: Lawrence Lustig / BOXXER)
In the second, Jonas wasted no time at all, and Namus, still wobbly and taking a number of shots, was sent down a second time from a left to the head. The 34-year-old beat the count but the referee decided to halt proceedings. Namus, who was devastated, falls to 25-7(8). New champ Jonas is now 12-2-1(9). Jonas is now on top of the world.
Beaten in a previous world title challenge by Katie Taylor down at lightweight, and held to a draw by Terri Harper in a super-featherweight title fight, Jonas wrote quite the story tonight. A tough fight to call going in, almost every judge a fan asked felt Jonas-Namus would be a distance fight.
Instead, looking stronger and more powerful than ever, Jonas surely put on a career-best performance. Dedicating the win to her young daughter and to trainer Joe Gallagher and her entire team, Jonas was understandably emotional after the win.
We fans witnessed a genuine feel-good moment from the sport we love tonight. What next for Jonas? At age 37, but looking and boxing like someone way younger, Jonas may have more glory in her future.
It will be interesting to see if Jonas stays at super-welterweight, where she could defend her new belt, or if she will drop back down. Jonas knew her career was on the line tonight and she made sure she gave her all and delivered.
WBA super-welterweight champion Hannah Rankin, who was a studio guest for Sky Sports, said a fight between her and Jonas would be a big one for the near future. That unification clash would be one to see for sure.
