Lauren Price knocks out Bexcy Mateus and Lee Cutler beats Stephen McKenna in epic | Boxing News

Lauren Price went through her first world title defense in style as she beat Bexcy Mateus three times en route to a shock third-round victory in Liverpool on Saturday.

Ruthless Price displayed not only her quick boxing skills, no secret now, but also ferocious power as she dominated her Colombian opponent to move to 8- 0 as a professional.

Price was back in the ring for the first time since beating Jessica McCaskill to win her world title in Cardiff in May.

If that was her first crowning moment, it was her first champion performance as she once again proved herself at a high level in the final leg of a fast-paced journey ' move towards greatness for the Olympic gold medalist.

“With speed comes power, I enjoyed myself in there, I wanted to make a bit of a statement, I want some big fights next year,” Price said.

“Credit to my opponent, I knew she had a good record. I had a great camp and I'm over the moon.

“I think it's just fight by fight I keep learning and keep improving, there's a lot more to come but I have a good team behind me and you've seen it tonight I'm not at all about speed, I can brag too. .

“It's my eighth professional fight tonight, I'm still learning but I believe I'm the best at 147. I want the main event winner tonight, I have more belts that I want to collect, I want to introduce big-time boxing. back to Wales.”

Price wasted no time in making an early breakthrough as she caught Mateus with a well-timed left hook to send her partner to the canvas.

Mateus, who had looked like a willing trader early on while even squeezing her own left hook, bravely got back to her feet as she managed to survive the opening round.

Price launched another attack in the second to knock Mateus down with another hook hook, the Colombian's legs never recovered from the impact as she was brutally dispatched with a right hand strike to to bring matters to a conclusion.

The next step could be a full British shock with Natasha Jonas in 2025, a competition that has been the talk of the week in Liverpool.

“I respect Tasha, it will be a great British fight. When I turned again as an Olympic champion I wanted to be involved in big fights and it is a real struggle for not a -only women's boxing but boxing in general.”

Cutler and McKenna put on a thrust

Lee Cutler welcomed Stephen McKenna twice as he staged an absolute disaster to win by majority decision in a fight that lived up to expectations.

The pair had been involved in a fiery war of words during the build-up when McKenna vowed to expel his opponent.

Instead, it was the cleanup and two knockouts of Cutler that earned him the victory and the WBC International Super Welterweight championship.

For all of McKenna's business, it was the slow and accurate Cutler who took it 94-94, 95-93, 96-92 on the scorecards in a deserved win.

“Chaos tonight, I enjoyed it. I bullied the bully, there was no reason to run away from him because he is a healthy lad but I knew he couldn't handle the strength ,” Cutler said.

“My team thought I would stop him, it's something I have to work with, carrying the look through the fight.

“I'm ready for those big nights now.”

Cutler enjoyed a good start when he dropped McKenna to one knee after several clean shots in the opening round, building on his early advantage by targeting the body of his younger opponent.

McKenna came back firing in the second as he headbutted Cutler, who seemed happy to bite and work the inside as there were more openings to the torso.

Cutler's game plan paid off once again when he caught McKenna with a well-timed right hand in the third round, his confidence evident with a continued smile in the face of head shots coming his way. McKenna's busy approach led to examples of smart moments of avoidance and control from Cutler as he took his shots and relied on his late stamina.

The Cutler of corner continued to beg their man to attack the body of McKenna, who seemed to turn the fight in his favor with the positive result as he forced Cutler to work off the back foot .

By the fifth round you were wondering if Cutler had been throwing enough in response despite being knocked down early as McKenna kept going.

The answer would be decisive two rounds later, a beautiful right hand rocking McKenna as the Irishman found himself on his knees for the second time.

Momentum had shifted back to Cutler, and he noticed, setting up a successful right hook as McKenna threw wild swing after wild swing in an attempt to get himself back in the contest.

There was no stopping him in the final rounds, the two continued to trade hands as they scrambled between the ropes until the final bell in what will go down as a fight of the year contender.

Jeffers Simpson's eyes fight

Mark Jeffers easily dispatched Joshua Quartey in a third-round TKO victory to retain his Commonwealth heavyweight title and continue on his path to bigger days in 2025.

Jeffers improved his perfect record to 19-0 (six KOs) after calling more respect and more special fights during the build up. For Jeffers, bigger days mean a clash with Callum Simpson, who is due to fight Steed Woodhall on January 11.

“I know how much I can fight. I need someone to get the best of me, that's Callum Simpson. I don't just want Callum Simpson, I want anyone who is a great fighter.”

“I have nothing but respect for Malcolm Simpson, he is the biggest name in Britain (in his division), he wants to develop my career.

“Callum I'm 100 per cent (sure) he's up for it, obviously I am.”

The Chorley man was the main attacker from the opening bell, wearing Quartey down with superior pace, movement, power and shot variation before finally breaking through with a knockdown in the third.

Quartey never recovered as another killer arrived, the second breakdown all but spelling the end as referee Kieran McCann finally halted the contest after another wave of penalties moments later.

Riley brings up Chamberlain's trial

Viddal Riley set up a domestic affair with Isaac Chamberlain as he delivered another outstanding performance with a second-round stoppage victory over last-minute challenger Dan Garber.

Riley raised his undefeated professional record to 12-0 with a TKO win which now sets up an exciting domestic rivalry with Isaac Chamberlain.

“It was perfect, I thought it might have been earlier, but it was good to open up the lungs, it was a six-rounder so there was no need to fight like 10 rounds, I wanted to push him and get the best out of him, because the guy who's looking at me (Isaac Chamberlain) needs more than that.”

Chamberlain joined Riley in the ring after the fight as the latter confirmed that the pair will meet in London on February 1st.

The heavyweight rematch between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury will be live on Saturday December 21 on Sky Sports Box Office. Book Usyk v Fury 2 now!