We are minutes away from the main event of the evening.

Natasha Jonas v Ivana Habazin is around the corner with the winners' likely next opponent, Lauren Price, sat at ringside predicting an "edgy," fight.

Ben Shalom
Boxing promoter on BBC Radio 5 Live

She [Lauren Price] is phenomenal.

You always think about that transition from an amateur to a professional.

In the first few fights, it showed that she'd been an astounding amateur for a long time, but now you're starting to see her understand the professional game and understand how to pick people off.

She's got so much power in both hands, you don't see that a lot in women's boxing.

She probably put fear into the rest of the division because that was unbelievable.

I know we are in the hype game, but it's not a 50:50 fight is it?

Ivana Habazin is a dangerous opponent, without question, she's a world level fighter, but if Natasha Jonas is close to her best then she wins tonight, surely?

Lauren Price has just sat down at ringside after her demolition job this evening.

Ben Shalom
Boxing promoter on BBC Radio 5 Live

It's absolutely huge.

As the fight gets closer, it feels silly that we're even talking about Natasha Jonas against Lauren Price.

Natasha Jonas, every time she fights, I'm always thinking 'will this be the one where age shows?'.

It's never happened so far. And now I'm thinking 'could it happen?'.

It's a 50:50 fight, it's a unified world title fight in her home town of Liverpool.

The atmosphere is unbelievable and I'm really looking forward to it.

Lee Cutler has just beaten Stephen McKenna by majority decision after a barnstorming fight.

He celebrates by doing the worm after dropping McKenna twice and inflicting his first career defeat.

That was a savage contest.

Image source, Getty Images

Stacey Copeland
Former Commonwealth champion on BBC Radio 5 Live

I thought she [Lauren Price] went about it really well.

It was a mismatch in many respects.

Mateus had never been in with the calibre of opponent that she was in there with tonight in Lauren Price.

Her sheer athleticism, I think she could have picked any sport on the planet and beaten her at it.

She's an all-round, exceptional athlete.

What impressed me was the way she went about it.

Her shot selection, the way she put her combinations together, moving in and out with her feet.

I think she looked good doing it, which is really important at this stage.

I just think there's some enormous nights ahead.

Natasha Jonas says she is relishing the chance to box in her home city again.

Jonas will defend her title at home, the third time she has had the chance to fight for world title in front of her fellow Liverpudlians.

Croatia's Habazin has been in the ring with a host of brilliant names including Terri Harper, Claressa Shields and Cecilia Braekhus, although has lost to each of them.

The 35-year-old will be an underdog against Jonas, who says fighting in Liverpool is like "you're Virgil van Dijk and you're playing against AC Milan at Anfield on a European night".

"[Habazin] is experienced, she doesn't come to just make up the numbers. She is coming to fight and to try and take my titles," Jonas added.

"She has got good fundamentals, a good jab and good footwork but everything she does I just believe I'm better.

"I always play it down in my head [fighting in Liverpool], that it's just another fight because you can get bogged down, weighed down in the pressure of performing in front of your friends, your family and your city.

"[But] it's massive. When it gets tough, when it gets hard and you need some inspiration, drive and motivation, the fans bring it for you."

Read more:'Fighting in Liverpool like being Van Dijk at Anfield'

Natasha Jonas has conceded she is in "extra time" in her career as she makes final preparations for her unification fight against Ivana Habazin on Saturday in Liverpool.

The IBF welterweight champion aims to add Habazin's WBC belt to her growing world title collection.

Jonas, who turned 40 in June, has won world titles at two weights and told BBC Sport she has "tried to put a time on" when she would retire "but that didn't work out".

"I'm contracted to two more fights if that's what it is then that's what it is," she added.

Jonas is the oldest world champion from Briton, male or female, and is the second oldest female world champion after IBF flyweight champion Irma Garcia.

But having won all her world titles in the past three years, Jonas is confident she can continue surprising people.

"[There is] satisfaction in myself and not putting barriers or ceilings on what I can do, who I can become and how I can get there," she said.

"I just concentrate on each fight and what is in front of me and then see what presents itself after that but I need to keep winning for that."

Stand-by for some nice football-related analogies from Natasha Jonas.

Paul Smith
Retired boxer on BBC Radio 5 Live

Natasha Jonas has inspired so many young females.

She's a proud mother from a proud sporting family.

Tash is a very proud member of that family.

I can see her winning and winning well tonight.

Her fighting Lauren Price would be a very difficult fight. It will be a great fight if it happens.

Tom Brown
BBC Sport Wales

Natasha Jonas may have been reluctant to talk about Lauren Price in the build-up.

But that's purely out of respect for her opponent tonight, Ivana Habazin.

Jonas confirmed earlier in the week that a showdown with Price will happen if she wins later.

"I’m contracted to do that fight," she said. "That’s the fight that I’ve signed up for.

"But in boxing so many things happen. You’ve got to win the fight that's in front of you."

Ellie Scotney
Super-bantamweight world champion on BBC Radio 5 Live

Inactivity for any fighter is never your friend.

Since then [her last fight in January], she [Natasha Jonas] has turned 40. It will be interesting to see.

You never know until you're under the lights in the ring.

You can feel however you want in the gym.

With smaller gloves on, the crowd, it'll be interesting to see how her legs do hold up.

That's one of her best attributes, the ability to be in and out of range, use speed of her feet.

When that goes, you just never know.

Wales' Lauren Price successfully defended her WBA welterweight world title by stopping Bexcy Mateus in devastating fashion on Saturday in Liverpool.

The 30-year-old dropped her Colombian opponent three times, all by her left hand, before the referee stopped the contest in the third round.

The fight was in large a mismatch, as Price outclassed her opponent to extend her undefeated record to eight fights in her first defence of her world title.

"With speed comes power, I enjoyed myself in there tonight," Price told Sky Sports.

"I wanted to make a bit of a statement, I want big fights next year.

"Credit to my opponent, I didn't know much about her but I knew she had a good record. I've had a great camp and I'm over the moon."

Price also holds the Ring Magazine title and will look to unify the division next if rival Natasha Jonas can come through her test with Croatia's Ivana Habazin.

The Welsh boxer featured on the undercard of IBF welterweight champion and rival Jonas in Liverpool and she called out her domestic rival after the victory.

"It will be a great British fight, when I turned over as Olympic champion I wanted to be involved in massive fights," she said.

"It's one hell of a fight for British fans and boxing in general."

In just her seventh professional fight, Price picked up a world title to become the first ever female boxing world champion from Wales.

The win continues Price's remarkable sporting career which includes four senior world kickboxing titles, as well as a host of European gold medals, and representing Wales in football at international level.

Full report:World champion Price knocks out Mateus in mismatch

Image source, Getty Images

Natasha Jonas retained her IBF welterweight title with a close split-decision win over Mikaela Mayer at Liverpool's M&S Bank Arena in January.

Both women enjoyed success in a terrific back-and-forth, all-action encounter, in a result which will divide opinion.

The scorecards read 96-94, 96-95 to Jonas, with one judge scoring it 97-93 to Mayer.

Perhaps it was home advantage which ultimately proved the difference.

"It takes two to tango. I know Mikaela Mayer will be gutted," Jonas said.

"She is in the top two people who I have fought. Please use this as motivation to get the title you deserve and become a two-weight world champion."

What did you think of that fight back in January? I think Mayer was pretty unlucky on the night but what a fight that was by the way.

One of the best fights in the UK in 2024 for sure.

Jonas is 40 now. Was January a sign that time is beginning to catch-up with her?

Image source, Getty Images

Natasha Jonas. Born to brawl.

Steve Bunce
Boxing expert on BBC Radio 5 Live

This is Collision Course because it was about Lauren Price, who came through earlier on with three knockdowns in three rounds.

We're waiting now for Natasha Jonas to get into the ring.

A totally different proposition for Jonas tonight.

Ellie Scotney
Super-bantamweight world champion on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

I feel like she [Lauren Price] couldn't have timed it any better, she's got her Yorkshire puddings and her turkey next week! She's earned it.

She's someone that's a very calm and collected character.

She's won gold, now a world champion and her demeanour never changes.

She's made for moments like this.

Tom Brown
BBC Sport Wales

It sounds like it was tricky to find Lauren Price an opponent tonight.

Because when she fights like that, who would want to get in a ring with her?

She's getting better and better as a pro and there can be no denying her a massive fight next in 2025.

But it'll be interesting if she gets her wish to have it back in Wales.

Wales' first female world champion boxer Lauren Price says a potential unification showdown with Natasha Jonas would be a "massive, massive fight".

Price, 30, made the first defence of her world WBA welterweight title tonight against challenger Bexcy Mateus and won via third-round stoppage after three knockdowns.

Price is being lined up to face the winner of the headline bout of the evening as champion Natasha Jonas meets Ivana Habazin for the IBF and WBC welterweight titles.

A showdown fight between Price and Jonas has been discussed since Price turned professional in 2022 and the Welsh woman, who won Olympic gold in 2021, says she is expecting 2025 to be a seminal year in her career.

"I'm excited. It has been a long time coming, I would have liked to have been more active this year but the main thing is that I'm finishing the year on a high. I'm going to put a clean performance on and then the big fights come next year," she told BBC Sport.

"It's massive, it's a massive fight for the British public. If it was down to me I'd be fighting her now but the politics of boxing and other things [meant that was not possible].

"We both need to get the win and then we can look forward to that fight. It's a fight I've wanted for a long time and a fight that I believe I win."

Image source, Getty Images

Natasha Jonas (15-2-1) has won world titles at two different weights - light-middleweight and welterweight - in the past three years and is aiming to become a two-weight unified champion against experienced operator Ivana Habazin.

The Croatian (23-5) is an experienced operator, however, and should not be dismissed as a threat.

Image source, Getty Images