Natasha Jonas vs Ivana Habazin Predictions: Price beckons but Jonas is focused

Natasha Jonas defends her IBF welterweight championship against WBC counterpart Ivana Habazin this Saturday, December 14. It is a hometown assignment for Jonas, who fights at the Exhibition Centre in Liverpool. Sky Sports Main Event will be screening the fight live.

Here are my Jonas vs Habazin predictions ahead of this latest BOXXER big night.

Jonas is on one of the best runs in boxing. ‘Miss GB’ came close to retirement after back-to-back world title disappointments against Terri Harper and Katie Taylor. But the likable Liverpudlian has gone 6-0 since.

This hot streak has seen Jonas lift the WBO, WBC, IBF and The Ring belts at super welterweight before dropping down to lift the IBF welterweight strap. Now the Olympian has a chance to unify titles in a second division, with Habazin bringing the WBC strap to the party.

Intriguingly, these two will not be the only welterweight champions on the show in Liverpool. WBA and The Ring boss Lauren Price defends her title against Bexcy Mateus in the co-main event. This has the feel of a winner-stays-on situation. But BOXXER will be banking on Jonas and Price emerging from this one, considering how incredibly marketable the two former amateur standouts meeting in a British ring would be.

But all that is to come. Jonas and Price have a potential 20 collective rounds to get through on Saturday before they can even think about squaring off. Jonas’ half of that equation is a veteran of the scene, a Croatian two-time world queen who is familiar to fans on these shores.

British boxing aficionados will remember Habazin from her WBA super welterweight title defeat to then-champion Terri Harper. Habazin was spirited but widely outscored on the cards. It was a fine performance in a short-notice world title bout. This time Habazin is coming in with a newly-won WBC title around her waist and with plenty of prep time.

There is an intriguing linearity here. Jonas drew with Harper when the pair faced off in August 2020. Harper outboxed Habazin and now Jonas has a chance to measure her own progress against the same opponent. Jonas faced Harper as a boxer still awaiting her first success at world level. As 2024 prepares to roll over into 2025, she is a seasoned world champion at two weights.

In many ways, Habazin is cut from the same cloth. She too has compartmentalised her setbacks and come back stronger. The Croatian star has lost to illustrious fighters like Claressa Shields and Cecilia Braekhus, bonafide legends of the sport. But in those defeats Habazin has learned more than she would beating lesser lights. 

Those lessons crystallised in her last fight, as Habazin lifted her second world championship. She handed Hungary’s Kinga Magyar her first defeat in seven years to lift the famous green and gold championship and earn a big night in Liverpool.

Jonas will have the rapturous support of her hometown behind her. ‘Miss GB’ has never lost in Liverpool as a professional and it is a record she will be keen to keep hold of. With the winner of Price-Mateus watching on, having offered a “can you top this?” in the co-main, the pressure is on. But Jonas has never been one to shirk pressure. 

Jonas vs Habazin Fight Odds

Habazin’s away day is put into sharp relief by her 6/1 price. Jonas is 1/12 to double up on title belts while a pre-Christmas sharing of the spoils is 16/1.

Jonas vs Habazin Full Card

Natasha Jonas vs Ivana Habazin

Lauren Price vs Bexcy Mateus

Stephen McKenna vs Lee Cutler

Mark Jeffers vs Elvis Ahorgah

Viddal Riley vs Steve Eloundou Ntere

Mason Cartwright vs Dzmitry Atrokhau

Frankie Stringer vs Tatenda Mangombe

Mikie Tallon vs Benn Norman

Jonas vs Habazin Predictions

I think Jonas has warmed into world level to the point where she is near-insurmountable. A re-do with Taylor would be fascinating, as would the likely next fight with Price. But the Habazins of this world, as talented as they are, don’t stand a chance with this version of ‘Miss GB’.

Habazin will show the same game bravery she did with Harper. But ultimately it’ll count for little. I like Jonas by wide points decision at odds of 4/9.

You can find all our latest boxing betting tips and analysis at our Betfred Insights Boxing page and our latest boxing odds here.