A bloodied but triumphant Lauren Price overcame a severe cut and a determined Stephanie Pineiro to retain her welterweight world titles in Cardiff, then immediately set her sights on a blockbuster clash with American superstar Claressa Shields.
Price, 31, faced her toughest professional test yet against the previously unbeaten Puerto Rican challenger. The fight took a dramatic turn in the fifth round when a clash of heads opened a deep cut above Price's eye, forcing her to battle through adversity for the remainder of the contest.
Despite the setback, the Welsh champion rallied to secure a unanimous decision victory, improving her professional record to 10-0. Moments after the final bell, Shields—a two-time Olympic gold medalist and current holder of multiple world titles—entered the ring for a face-off that electrified the Cardiff crowd.
"I want the biggest fights in boxing, and what a great honor it would be to share the ring with Shields," Price declared. "It makes for a great fight, but not just one fight. I said to her tonight, 'Let's do it, I'll come to America and then you come to Wales,' and she shook on it. So hopefully we can make that happen."
Shields, also 31, responded positively to the challenge, hinting at a potential super-fight at the end of 2026.
"When you are an Olympic champion you are a special fighter," Shields told Price in the ring. "Me and you have talked online and me and you can make it happen. No disrespect to you, you've got a little bit of time. I've got one more fight and then we can fight at the end of the year."
The proposed bout would likely take place at middleweight, where Shields currently reigns as champion. Price has frequently expressed her ambition to headline major stadium events in Wales, and a showdown with Shields—who boasts an 18-0 professional record and has held 15 world titles across five weight divisions—would certainly justify such a venue.
A Hard-Fought Victory
Price's victory over Pineiro was anything but straightforward. The Puerto Rican challenger, fighting professionally outside her home country for the first time, lived up to her pre-fight promise to bring the fight to the champion from the opening bell.
Pineiro started aggressively, landing clean shots in the first round and refusing to be intimidated by the hometown favorite. Price adjusted in the second, using her superior speed to connect with multiple right hooks that visibly bruised Pineiro's left eye.
Just as Price appeared to be taking control, the accidental head clash changed the complexion of the fight. With blood streaming from the cut, Price demonstrated both resilience and championship pedigree to outwork her opponent down the stretch.
The victory sets the stage for what could become one of women's boxing's most anticipated matchups—a clash between two Olympic champions at the peak of their powers, with Price's technical brilliance potentially facing Shields' proven dominance across multiple weight classes.