Terri Harper retains world title in breathless draw with Natasha Jonas

Terri Harper cut a relieved figure as she held onto her WBC and IBO world titles in a split draw against Natasha Jonas.
A relieved Terri Harper with trainers Ray Doyle and Stefy Bull after her draw with Natasha Jonas. Picture: Mark RobinsonA relieved Terri Harper with trainers Ray Doyle and Stefy Bull after her draw with Natasha Jonas. Picture: Mark Robinson
A relieved Terri Harper with trainers Ray Doyle and Stefy Bull after her draw with Natasha Jonas. Picture: Mark Robinson

After an action packed contest where the pace rarely dipped, the judges could not separate the two with Harper and Jonas getting the nod from one scorecard apiece with the other reading a draw.

The close nature of the bout and the ultimate decision will certainly lead to calls for a rematch and few would argue against it after such an entertaining spectacle.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Harper herself would undoubtedly be keen, having been drawn into a close quarters fight that did not favour her.

Natasha Jonas and Terri Harper fire in shots against each other during their brilliant bout. Picture: Mark RobinsonNatasha Jonas and Terri Harper fire in shots against each other during their brilliant bout. Picture: Mark Robinson
Natasha Jonas and Terri Harper fire in shots against each other during their brilliant bout. Picture: Mark Robinson

But the Denaby Main fighter can take heart from the grit and resolve she showed to not be overwhelmed, particularly when rocked heavily in the late stages.

She will learn from it and she must if she is to deliver world title unifications and become the leading light in the female ranks of which she has been spoken.

It was a night of history - the first time two British women had contested a professional world title.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

And it was a clash of generations. Jonas, the first woman to compete for Team GB, a London 2012 Olympian. Harper, leading the charge of the next wave and taking the female arm of the sport in this country to new heights with every fight.

It was a fight befitting such billing - a breathless and unyielding bout packed with heart and quality.

The staging – despite some eye-catching walk-ons for both women – did not. Covid-19 forced the fight away from what would have been a raucous Dome in Doncaster to the quiet of the back garden of Matchroom Boxing’s headquarters. If ever a fight deserved a crowd, it was this one.

The build-up was characterised by spikiness between the two camps, where tired legs and inexperience were questioned in equal measure.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Talk of Jonas being finished was proved to be premature with a strong, determined performance from the likeable trailblazer.

And there was a reminder of 23-year-old Harper’s status as a relative novice as she struggled to fully impose her style and will on a wily veteran.

It was a tentative opening round from Harper who struggled to find her range early.

Jonas had strong success with the left hand from the southpaw stance, finding an early straight before sending through a big shot towards the end of the round.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The positive start from Jonas continued into the early stages of the second round as she landed another big left and followed up quickly.

A large cut opened up on Jonas’ right brow 30 seconds in, with a left hook from Harper, which proved a turning point in the round.

Jonas went into her shell and it invited Harper on. The Denaby fighter quickly found her range and sent in a flurry of big shots that had her opponent on the back foot.

The action early in the third was breathless, with both fighters letting their hands go in quick flurries. Each shot seemed to be answered with one from the opponent, but Harper’s were the quicker as she regularly sent in two or three for each on Jonas landed.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Both corners encouraged a lessening of the pace as the round drew to a close and the fighters responded, showing a more considered approach in the fourth.

Jonas had the greater success in the round, picking her shots well and letting little slip through the defences for the first real time in the bout.

A gritty contest at close quarters, both women let their hands go with each landing some excellent hooks. Harper finished the round the stronger, showing excellent head movement to dodge shots and fire back with real accuracy.

The sixth was another intense round. Jonas landed a brilliant left hand early in the round but it only invited Harper on, with energy-sapping flurries from each at close quarters.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Neither fighter could ever get fully on top. For every good attack to the head from Harper, Jonas responded by throwing out the body shots.

But Harper was showing greater accuracy through the seventh, sending some beautifully accurate straight right hands through the guard and keeping the pressure on.

But there was a frightening moment for Harper mere seconds into the eighth. A big left hand from Jonas following by a strong right hook to the jaw rocked Harper, buckling her knees. She immediately clinched and spent much of the remainder of the exhausting two minutes looking to survive.

It needed to a big talking to from trainer Stefy Bull between the rounds to sort Harper’s head and she responded well in the early stages.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

But Jonas seemed to be the ascendency, and landed hurtful shots periodically through the round, knocking Harper out of her rhythm.

Harper needed a big last round in what was an exceptionally tight contest. And she came out swinging, putting the pressure on from the start.

She looked exhausted but continued to throw shots in bunches, quietening Jonas for the first time in a many minutes.

Any outcome from the scorecards would hardly have been surprised and it was certainly a nervy few moments for Harper as she awaited the decision.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

It fell in her favour, with the draw seeing her continue to hold her two world crowns. One card gave it to her 96-94, one to Jonas 96-95 while the other was a 95-95 draw.

Undoubtedly she will learn plenty from ten rounds that could yet prove so pivotal in her career.

*

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards in the world. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news and information by buying a copy of our newspaper.

Thank you

Nancy Fielder, editor

Related topics:

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.