By Paul Jones
Wales’ Olympic gold medallist Lauren Price will face former European champion Silvia Bortot on December 10.
The fight takes place on the undercard of Chris Billam-Smith’s WBO world cruiserweight title bout against Mateusz Masternak in Bournemouth.
Price, who won gold at the delayed Tokyo Olympic Games in 2021, is unbeaten in her professional career with five wins so far and beat Lolita Muzeya last time out in Manchester in September.
On the same evening, former EBU European super-lightweight champion Bortot (11-3-1, 3 KOs) went the distance with Mikaela Mayer.
Next stop 🛑
BOURNEMOUTH | 10th Dec.
Looking to finish this year on a high. 2024 I’ll be ready and would love nothing more than to bring a world title back home 🏴 @boxxer | @skysportsboxing | @benjshalom | #BillamSmithMasternak pic.twitter.com/bLmwzYsOR6— Lauren Price MBE (@LLPrice94) November 21, 2023
Price, who won a raft of honours as an amateur, made history in May when she beat Kirstie Bavington to become the first professional women’s British champion.
Speaking ahead of the bout in December, Price is aiming to finish 2023 on a high.
“I’m looking forward to December 10th and continuing my progression by finishing the year with a good win to take me into 2024,” said the 29-year-old from Ystrad Mynach.
“Bortot is a good opponent, she’s game and tough like them all, but I believe I’m the bigger, stronger and better boxer.
“She boxed Mayer in her last fight and gave her a good 10 rounds so she will be a good step up.
“There are some great female fights coming up and I believe next year I will be involved in the big fights.”
Lauren Price vs. Silvia Bortot Added To Billam-Smith vs. Masternak Card https://t.co/IKhK85wOa8 pic.twitter.com/5VGzp1WyRf
— BoxingScene.com (@boxingscene) November 21, 2023
Price became the first Welsh woman to win a Commonwealth Games boxing medal in 2014 and the first Welsh athlete to win an Olympic boxing gold medal in the Tokyo Games in 2021.
Before dedicating herself to amateur and then professional boxing, Price was a four-time youth kickboxing champion and also earned 52 caps for the Wales football team.
When she opted to chase her dream of boxing glory over a promising future in club football with Cardiff City, she helped make ends meet by driving a taxi at weekends.
BREAKING: Lauren Price announces she will fight former European super-lightweight champion Silvia Bortot on December 10 in Bournemouth as part of the Chris Billam-Smith v Mateusz Masternak undercard 🥊🔒 pic.twitter.com/FQloLvYiri
— Sky Sports Boxing (@SkySportsBoxing) November 21, 2023