Lauren Price (9-0, 2 KOs) will make a long-awaited return to the ring on Saturday, April 4, when she defends her unified welterweight world titles against Puerto Rican challenger Stephanie Pineiro Aquino (10-0, 3 KOs) at Cardiff’s Utilita Arena. The homecoming title defence will be broadcast live on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer.
The 31-year-old Welsh star has been inactive for 13 months, last fighting in March when she delivered a dominant points victory over Natasha Jonas in London to add the WBC and IBF belts to her existing WBA crown. “Defending my world titles at home in Wales means everything to me,” Price said. “I want to repay the support everyone has shown me with another great performance.”
Price, who became the first Welsh boxer to win Olympic gold at Tokyo 2020, turned professional in 2022 and will be fighting in Wales for the first time since defeating Jessica McCaskill in her seventh pro bout to become world champion. She has spoken openly about her ambition to become undisputed, a goal she believed was within reach by the end of last year following her win over Jonas.
Watch Jonas vs. Price highlights: Watch
Aquino, 35, arrives in Cardiff unbeaten in 10 professional fights, though the bout will mark her first contest outside Puerto Rico. “Lauren may have the home fans on her side, but I have a country behind me too,” Aquino said. “I am coming to take those belts back to Puerto Rico.”
Boxxer promoter Ben Shalom hailed the occasion, calling Price “a Welsh sporting icon and one of the greatest athletes the country has ever produced.” The fight continues the BBC’s renewed commitment to prime-time boxing, following recent broadcasts headlined by Jeamie ‘TKV’ Tshikeva and Troy Williamson, while this weekend Francesca Hennessy will also top the bill on BBC Two in a world-title eliminator against Ellie Bouttell.
Fight card:
▪️Lauren Price vs. Stephanie Pineiro Aquino, 10 x 2 rounds, for Price’s IBF, IBO and WBC World welterweight titles
