Lauren Price: Welsh boxer proud of historic world number one ranking

Lauren Price is World, European Games and Commonwealth champion

Welsh boxer Lauren Price is proud to have made history for Wales by becoming world number one.

The International Boxing Association's September 2020 rankings have the 26-year-old topping the 75kg division.

In October 2019 she became the first Welsh boxer to win a World Championships title, beating Netherlands boxer Nouchka Fontijn in Russia after a successful appeal.

"It was a very proud moment for me," Price told BBC Sport Wales.

"I'm very proud not just to say I'm world number one but making history again for Wales, being not just the first female, but the first world champion as an amateur boxer.

"Even though I've got the name world number one I don't look at it as that, I always keep my feet on the ground and make sure I don't take my foot off the gas in training."

Price, who relies on National Lottery funding to train full time, has recently returned from an intense 12-day training camp in Turkey ahead of some upcoming tournaments.

First up for the British middleweight will be Poland in just under four weeks' time.

"I haven't boxed this year. I just want to get back in the ring and feel my feet a bit before the [Olympic] qualifiers," said Price, who is also a European and Commonwealth champion.

"I want to make sure I box before then, it will only be a little tournament, maybe three or four fights, that's all you need sometimes to just get back in the mix."

Price was in London ready for the qualifiers when the pandemic's impact began to halt events.

"All my opponents are in exactly the same position as me so I took the time to work on other things I need to improve," she said.

"I looked at it as it gives me another year to get better, I will be more than ready when it comes round again."

The Olympic qualifiers will take place at the end of February 2021 in London, where Price will battle to ensure her place on the plane to Tokyo.

"It's been my dream since I was eight years old so when the qualifying time comes around I'm going to make sure I'm more than ready mentally and physically, and in the best shape ever to go out and perform," she said.

"I was confident last time I was going to do the business, but I'm sure come February I'll be exactly the same.

"I've got the Commonwealth, European and World, I've just got one more to add to the collection and I'll being doing everything I can to get that gold medal."