The setting couldn’t have been more unexpected and unique. However, in Matchroom’s back garden, beautifully transformed into Matchroom fight camp, in front of a handful of individuals, but literally thousands watching at home, and around the world.
Terri Harper and Natasha Jonas made history, competing for the very first, all British, female bout for a world title in boxing.
The title on the line was the WBC super featherweight belt, held by 23 year old unbeaten sensation from Yorkshire, Terri Harper, which she won in her previous fight back in February, via a unanimous decision against Finland’s Eva Wahlstron.
The challenger, Liverpudlian Natasha Jonas, was made famous by becoming the first British female boxer to compete in the Olympic games, where she eventually lost in the quarter finals to gold medal winner Katy Taylor.
But now 36, is seemingly on the downward slide, especially having been stopped in August 2018 in four rounds by Viviane Obenauf, an opponent Harper beat via unanimous decision in November 2019, to retain her IBO super featherweight title.
The build up to the fight seemed to have genuine needle, it was a bout that should have taken place at the Doncaster Dome in April. But obviously postponed due to the pandemic.
This allowed plenty of time for talk, with both women predicting knockouts, Jonas felt disrespected by Harper, who felt she had been taken lightly due to her age.
Harper, brimming with confidence, felt she is on another level to Jonas and woman’s boxing is now moving into a new era with her at the forefront.
Matchroom boxing did all they could in a wonderful effort with the set up to compensate for no fans. However, with the WBC belt and bags of pride on the line, the lack of fans was barely noticeable, as both fighters went to battle from the opening bell,
It was a very interesting contrast of styles, that made the fight so exciting. With the walk forward, bullish style of Harper, being the physically bigger fighter, trying to impose her will and outmuscle Jonas with brute strength.
As opposed to Jonas, who was using slick, accurate boxing, inside and at range, with powerful, laser like straight left hands.
From the opening the ball, neither girl took a back step, both desperately tried not to give any ground.
Both jostled for position in an attempt to take the centre of the ring.
Not only was Harper’s WBC and IBO belts on the line, but pride seemed to be the main motivator in this fight and it showed with both females putting in a gladiator like effort and performance.
For me, Jonas caught the eye more with her combinations of left hands to the body and head, her accuracy really impressed. But the question was always, could she last and keep it up for the full 10 rounds?
Harper had youth on her side and she certainly tried to use that advantage, walking forward at every opportunity and forcing Jonas to fight every second of every round.
The action was intense, with several, tough, rough, back and forward exchanges. Jonas was cut in the third, which added that extra intensity to an already exciting fight.
It was really unfortunate the fight had to be played out in front of no fans, as this was the kind of fight that deserved to be appreciated by spectators, who would have been going absolutely crazy for what they were witnessing.
By the midway point of the fight, it was really hard to say who was in front, it was that close, both fighters had their moments but neither taking a really significant step forward.
When you felt Jonas was taking charge with her accurate, slick boxing, Harper would come back with a huge effort to put Jonas on the back foot.
That’s what made their performances even more special. Usually, the boxers would have the noise and the cheers of the fans to draw that extra bit effort from.
Sometimes the sheer weight and mass of spectators can give a boxer that extra 10% to draw on, to finish the round or the fight strongly. But these women didn’t have any of that and had to draw every ounce of effort from within themselves.
Going into the eighth, I think I had Harper up by a round, Jones then for me put in the most significant shots of the fight.
She rocked Harper with a superb left hand combo, with shook Harper to her core, forcing her to hold on. Jonas tried to capitalise but couldn’t finish it and Harper did well to clear her head and finish the fight well.
Going into the 10th and final round, I had Jonas up by a round. For me, Harper had to put in a really good effort to retain her title.
Something she did, showing real champion quality and heart to push from to the very last bell and finish the fight strongly, walking forward and throwing punches.
It was again unfortunate that at the final bell, there wasn’t 10,000 odd fans to show their appreciation for what these women had just produced.
It would have been no more than they deserved and I felt slightly sad for them that after such a monumental, history making fight, they didn’t get to receive and feel the admiration of the fans.
When the scorecards were read out. I was extremely surprised to see respected official Ian John Lewis give it to Harper by two points 96-94. This was cancelled out by the 96-95 and 95-95 scorecards, which caused this fight to be a split draw.
You could see Jonas was physically aggrieved at this, after all her efforts, being the underdog, written off by most and counted out, to put in such an effort, only to be given a draw.
Harper for me looked relieved at retaining her title. I personally thought Jonas did enough to win, but wasn’t exactly upset at the final decision of a draw. However, I was a little perplexed at the two point win Ian John Lewis gave to Terri Harper.
In the end, female boxing was the winner, not just in Britain, but the world over.
I couldn’t have imagined a better fight to make history with, from beginning to end, it was two perfect candidates, from the build up, to the fight.
Everything was perfectly set and much respect have to go out to both women. It just was bitter, sweet that there wasn’t an arena full of adoring spectators to make it even more special.
But it still didn’t take away from both women’s efforts. British woman’s boxing has really been on a rise in the past decade and this history making thriller will go right up there in its legacy.
No doubt, we will see a rematch but for now, Terri Harper and Natasha Jonas, take a bow, you certainly deserve it!
