Terri Harper Says Natasha Jonas Undisputed Fight Is No Longer Priority
Becoming undisputed is what most fighters want to achieve. In the junior middleweight division, the fight for undisputed may not happen as WBA champion Terri “Belter” Harper (13-1-1, 6KO) doesn’t plan to wait for unified champion Natasha Jonas (13-2-1, 8KO).
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In 2022, Jonas earned 3kingsboxing.com’s Female Fighter of the Year honors by gobbling up three belts in three-straight championship fights. At the same time, Harper entered the division and grabbed the WBA title away from Hanna Rankin in September 2022.
The boxing community was smiling as a rematch from their 2020 showdown looked to be on the horizon for all the marbles. After defeating two-time IBF champion Marie-Eve Dicaire, Jonas spoke of undisputed as a viable option.
Fans were excited when Team Harper revealed sending a contract over to the unified champion to make undisputed happen. However, Jonas decided to go a different direction, looking to fight three-time undisputed champion Claressa Shields.
HARPER IS NOT GOING TO WAIT ON JONAS
This prompted the WBA champion to change course, and she will now be fighting former undisputed welterweight champion Cecilia Braekhus. This fight takes place on the undercard between the two undisputed champions, Katie Taylor and Chantelle Cameron, on May 20.
Boxing fans wonder if these two will fight for undisputed later in the year. During an interview with iFL TV, Harper said she doesn’t plan on putting things on hold for Jonas.
“I’m not waiting around or anything. I’m not putting my career on hold for Natasha. I feel like every fighter’s dream is to become undisputed but obviously, that’s not possible for me at the minute.”
It is worth mentioning that Harper won the first encounter in 2020. Undisputed can still happen between the two champions. As it stands right now, Jonas has turned down an offer to fight Shields, and provided Harper is victorious against Braekhus, maybe these two can revisit negotiations.
