Lauren Price vs Bexcy Mateus Predictions: Welsh hero welcomes unbeaten challenger

WBA and The Ring welterweight champion Lauren Price takes on Bexcy Mateus this Saturday, December 14. The championship bout is the co-main event to Natasha Jonas’s IBF/WBC unification bout at the same weight against Ivana Habazin. The fight takes place at Liverpool Exhibition Centre with Sky Sports Main Event broadcasting live.

Here are my Price vs Mateus predictions ahead of this world title match-up.

Price is coming off the best victory of her pro career, winning the belts she defends here against Jessica McCaskill. ‘CasKILLA’ is as legit as they come and, were it not for boxing’s achingly tiresome politics, she would have been the undisputed champion going into that bout. 

The American never lost her WBC, WBO and IBF belts in the ring. Instead they were stripped from her using the same logic that allowed Oleksandr Usyk to remain undisputed champion for about five minutes this year.

If you’re someone who tracks the lineal title then, by virtue of defeating McCaskill, Price is the true welterweight champion of the world.

Of course, there are two women in the night’s main event who would have something to say about that. IBF boss Jonas takes on WBC counterpart Habazin to unify two of the titles at 147lb. The idea is for the winner to face the Price-Mateus victor, putting together three of the four championships plus the prestigious The Ring strap.

Though the idea is actually more acute than that. BOXXER appear to be manoeuvring towards Price vs Jonas next. It is a smart play. That fight is major box office as two of the finest Team GB amateurs of recent history square off with a phalanx of professional gold on the line. There are few occasions more intoxicating than a Battle of Britain with world honours on the line.

But first up is Mateus, a 7-0 with six knockouts, the Colombian fights outside her home nation for the first time. That isn’t the only unchartered territory for the 29-year-old. Mateus also is also embarking on her first 10-round fight, having previously only gone a maximum of eight sessions.

In terms of pure numbers, she is a match for the similarly 7-0 Price. But the Welsh superstar has experienced a lot more in the same amount of bouts. Price became the first ever female British champion, winning the newly-minted welterweight belt with a 10-round decision over two-time ex-European queen ​​Kirstie Bavington.

Price also beat Silvia Bortot, another former European champ who took Mikaela Mayer 10 rounds last year, in her fifth outing. Add those experiences alongside Price’s Olympic gold and win over McCaskill and you realise not all seven-fight pros are created equal.

Price is expected to win here and look impressive doing so. After the real 50/50 feel of the McCaskill fight, Price is back to being a heavily-favoured A-side fighter. It is a position she knows well. But if she gets through Mateus, a potential fight with Jonas would see her return to the lion’s den of a pick-em fight.

Price vs Mateus Fight Odds

Price is a mammoth 1/50 to win this fight. 14/1 is your reward for bravely backing Mateus. A draw is pitched at 20/1.

Price vs Mateus Full Card

Natasha Jonas vs Ivana Habazin

Lauren Price vs Bexcy Mateus

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Mason Cartwright vs Dzmitry Atrokhau

Frankie Stringer vs Tatenda Mangombe

Mikie Tallon vs Benn Norman

Price vs Mateus Prediction

I think Price’s status as a huge favourite is well-warranted. The Welsh athlete has looked in control as a pro every step of the way. The McCaskill win shows that her ceiling resides far above the unbeaten but unseasoned Mateus.

Price only has one stoppage so far in her career so this one looks looks set for the full distance. Mateus has never lost so I expect her to have a confidence about her that should sustain her to the end. I’m going Price on points at 4/11.

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