Hannah Rankin
Former light-middleweight champion

As predicted I thought Jonas was more accurate with her punches.

Dicaire came on stronger at the end but I definitely thought it was a Jonas round.

BBC Radio 5 Live

Don't forget to click the audio icon at the top of the page to tune into Radio 5 Live commentary of this fight.

Two-minute rounds in women's world title fights, remember.

Decent response from Dicaire to that Jonas double blow as she backs the Brit against the ropes for a moment.

But that should be the Liverpool fighter's round.

Cautious start from both southpaws but Natasha Jonas lands two fantastic blows to Dicaire's face to get the crowd oohing and aahing already.

Spine-chilling ovation from the crowd as Natasha Jonas is introduced.

She has become a real fan favourite - and rightly so.

Here we go, seconds out!

It's fair to say Natasha Jonas is confident going into this fight - check out her interview below.

And here comes Natasha Jonas to a pretty deafening response from the Manchester crowd - must be a nice surprise for a Liverpool lass!

The WBC and WBO light-middleweight champion marches to the ring to the tune of Beyonce's Run The World (Girls).

She looks a fighter on a mission - real contrast to Dicaire's jovial, smiling entrance.

Here we go!

Marie-Eve Dicaire's entrance music is, er, interesting.

Almost like a love ballad. Anyone know what it is?? Let us know via #bbcboxing.

Image source, Getty Images

The 36-year-old Canadian may not quite be the household name the likes of Claressa Shields or Katie Taylor have become but she is an elite fighter with real championship pedigree.

Shields is the only blemish on her record, the American comfortably winning by unanimous decision when the pair met in March 2021.

Prior to that, Dicaire had racked up 17 straight victories, winning the IBF light-middleweight title against Chris Namus in 2018 and successfully defending it three times before losing to Shields.

And, after Shields vacated the IBF title, Dicaire won it back last December by stopping Mexico’s Cynthia Lozano inside seven rounds in Montreal and taking her overall record to 18-1.

She'll be no pushover for Natasha Jonas.

Image source, Lawrence Lustig

British light-welterweight champion Dalton Smith told Sky Sports: "We knew it was going to be a chess match.

"I couldn't push the pace. I nearly couldn't fight, I had a chest infection but I knew I had to fight, these are the ones that get you world title fights.

"I didn't train all week because I knew it would clear up and I could prove that I can box.

"I just take each fight at a time, I've had a busy year, tonight I fell a bit flat but champions get it done."

Natasha Jonas has had an unforgettable year.

Already the WBO and WBC light-middleweight champion, the 38-year-old Liverpudlian will look to win a third world title in nine months when she faces Marie-Eve Dicaire at the Manchester Arena on Saturday.

Jonas realised her dream of becoming a world champion in February by knocking out Chris Namus, before unifying in September with a unanimous points victory over Patricia Berghult.

"Twelve months ago, I didn't know how I was going to be a world champion, but I just knew I wanted to be one," she tells BBC Sport.

Huge fights await in 2023 if Jonas can continue her winning streak, whether it's an undisputed fight with newly crowned WBA champion Terri Harper or a scrap with unbeaten American Claressa Shields.

But Jonas hasn't always had such good times; more than once she has come back from the brink in boxing.

Read the full story here.

Image source, Getty Images

Almost main event time as the adopted British sporting anthem of Sweet Caroline rings around Manchester Arena.

The scorecards are in - and in the main support bout, Dalton Smith has retained his British light-welterweight title over Kaisee Benjamin.

A lot of tight rounds in that one but the judges scored it 117-112, 115-114, 116-113 in Smith's favour.

Smith reveals in his post-match interview he nearly pulled out of the fight with a chest infection he suffered last week.

BBC Radio 5 Live

Steve Bunce's Radio 5 Live Boxing podcast has been focusing on Natasha Jonas' world title unification fight with Marie-Eve Dicaire.

Jonas and her trainer Joe Gallagher both joined the pod to give their thoughts ahead of the bout while Ricky Hatton also popped in for a chat about his exhibition fight against Marco Antonio Barerra that follows the women's world title bout tonight.

You can listen to the podcast here.

Image source, Lawrence Lustig

Meanwhile, this British title fight is really heating up.

It's been a technical affair for much of the bout but now Dalton Smith and Kaisee Benjamin are starting to let fly a bit.

Two rounds to go.

All smiles at the weigh-in.

But it will be all business in a few minutes' time...

Image source, BBC Sport

With that fight looking increasingly set to go the distance, there's every chance the headline bout between Natasha Jonas and Marie-Eve Dicaire won't start until around 22:30 GMT.

So let's focus on the two fighters involved.