Lauren Price Bloodied but Victorious in Cardiff Title Defence
The unbeaten Welsh fighter Lauren Price survived the most gruelling examination of her professional career to retain her three welterweight world titles with a unanimous points victory over Stephanie Pineiro in Cardiff. Price, 31, held on to her WBA, WBC and IBF belts by comfortable margins of 98-92, 98-92, 99-91 on the three judges’ scorecards, but the contest was far from straightforward as she endured a bloody battle that tested her resilience to the limit.
A Bloody and Bruising Encounter
From the fifth round onwards, Price suffered a nasty mouth injury with blood dripping heavily from it, turning her all-white outfit into a crimson-stained mess by the end of the seventh round. Despite the alarming visual damage, Price claimed at the conclusion of the fight that her lip was cut by a clash of heads rather than a punch. Her opponent, Pineiro, known as ‘The Medicine’, pressed forward aggressively, sensing an opportunity for an upset as the Welsh champion bled profusely.
Price Digs Deep Under Pressure
This marked Price’s first fight on Welsh soil since winning her maiden world title against Jessica McCaskill in May 2024, and she had warned Pineiro would be stepping into the Dragons’ Den. The Tokyo Olympic gold medallist made a stirring entrance to Dafydd Iwan’s Welsh anthem ‘Yma O Hyd’ amidst a crescendo of noise at the Utilita Arena. However, southpaw Pineiro – unbeaten in ten fights and Price’s WBA mandatory challenger – was determined to join the pantheon of Puerto Rican boxing greats like Miguel Cotto and Amanda Serrano.
Both boxers started patiently in the opening round, with Price working behind a strong jab and Pineiro settling into her rhythm. Price showcased her superior speed in the second stanza, landing accurate two and three-punch combinations, and caused Pineiro to stumble after a straight right at the end of the third round. Although Pineiro was not slow to come forward, Price was far quicker to the punch, leaving a noticeable bruise under the Puerto Rican’s left eye.
Future Superfight Looms on the Horizon
The victory sets the stage for a potential superfight, as four-weight world champion Claressa Shields was ringside with the American in talks to meet Price either later this year or in early 2027. Price had been kept out of the ring for over a year due to boxing politics following her comfortable points victory over Natasha Jonas at the Royal Albert Hall. Wales’ first female world champion expressed her desire to stage big shows in her homeland rather than return to the grand scene of that all-British affair.
Despite the bloody damage and Pineiro’s persistent efforts, the outcome was never truly in doubt as Price continued to move well and throw effective shots throughout the later rounds. Her ability to dig deep in adversity underscored her championship mettle, proving that even in her toughest battle yet, Lauren Price remains a force to be reckoned with in the welterweight division.
