Welsh boxer Lauren Price is set to defend her unified welterweight world titles against Puerto Rican challenger Stephanie Pineiro Aquino on Saturday, April 4, at Cardiff’s Utilita Arena. The highly anticipated match will be broadcast live on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer.
Price, 31, is eager to showcase her skills in front of a home crowd after last fighting in March, where she secured a dominant points victory over Natasha Jonas to add the WBC and IBF titles to her existing WBA crown. “Defending my world titles at home in Wales means everything to me. I want to repay the support everyone has shown me with another great performance,” Price expressed.
With a reputation for taking on challenges head-on, Price acknowledges the threat posed by Aquino, a fighter she regards as dangerous. “Nothing is going to stop me from getting my hand raised on April 4 in Cardiff. Yma o hyd,” she declared, indicating her determination to retain her titles.
Price made history as the first Welsh boxer to win Olympic gold at the Tokyo 2020 Games and turned professional in 2022. This bout marks her return to Wales for the first time since her victory over Jessica McCaskill, where she became world champion.
Aquino, 35, remains undefeated in her 10 professional bouts, though she has yet to compete outside of Puerto Rico. She is equally committed to victory, stating, “Lauren may have the home fans on her side, but I have a country behind me too. I am coming to take those belts back to Puerto Rico.”
Should Price emerge victorious, she may position herself to pursue undisputed champion status, a goal she initially aimed to achieve by the end of the previous year.
Boxxer promoter Ben Shalom praised Price, calling her “not just a world champion, but a Welsh sporting icon and one of the greatest athletes the country has ever produced.” He expressed pride in bringing a significant title defense home to Cardiff for live coverage on BBC Two.
In addition, British bantamweight Francesca Hennessy is set to headline a world-title eliminator against Ellie Bouttell on the same night, marking a notable resurgence for professional boxing on BBC’s main channels, with events having been showcased in prime time on two previous occasions recently.
As the excitement builds for this match, fans eagerly await what promises to be an exhilarating display of talent and determination from both fighters.