Promoter Eddie Hearn has revealed to Boxing Social that he made a second, increased offer to the team of the IBF/WBC/WBO champion Natasha Jonas (13-2-1, 8 KOs) to face WBA Super Welterweight champion Terri Harper (13-1-1, 6 KOs) in an undisputed title bout on the DAZN platform. This potential rematch between the two British stars has been a highly anticipated clash since their first encounter in 2020.
The First Encounter: Harper vs. Jonas I
The rivalry between Natasha Jonas and Terri Harper dates back to August 7, 2020, when they first met for Harper’s WBC and IBO super-featherweight world titles at Matchroom’s Fight Camp. The bout was historic, marking the first time two British women competed for a world title, and it delivered an all-action spectacle. Harper, then 10-0-1, 5 KOs, was defending her belts against Jonas, who held a record of 9-1-1, 7 KOs at the time.
The fight was a brutal, back-and-forth affair that left both fighters bloodied. Jonas, the underdog, suffered a cut early on but found her rhythm, troubling Harper with inside fighting. In the eighth round, Jonas seriously wobbled Harper with a left hook, nearly securing a stoppage. However, Harper showed immense grit to survive the round and finish strong. The judges ultimately scored the contest a split draw (96-94 Harper, 96-95 Jonas, 95-95), allowing Harper to retain her titles. Many in the boxing community, including promoter Eddie Hearn, felt Jonas deserved the decision.
Negotiations and Bad Blood for the Rematch
Following their thrilling first fight, a rematch for undisputed super welterweight status became a logical, highly desired next step for both fighters and fans. However, negotiations proved challenging. Last week, Stefy Bull, the manager and trainer of Terri Harper, confirmed via Twitter that Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing made a “large, high-end six-figure offer” to Natasha Jonas for their rematch. Jonas responded, “MR, big six figures? Oxymoron, stop the [cap emoji] [two laughing face emojis]. I’ve been getting big six figures since I left. But we’ll see.”
Jonas later revealed to Sky Sports that the offer wasn’t particularly appealing, saying, “It might be a huge offer to Terri and a huge offer for Matchroom, but compared to the other offers on the table right now, it’s not huge.” Her trainer, Joe Gallagher, further stated that Jonas vs. Harper 2 “will never happen.” It is assumed that Hearn and Matchroom have since increased their “large, high-end six-figure offer.” However, whether this increase was enough to settle the bad blood between the teams and entice Jonas back into the fight remained to be seen at the time of the original article’s publication.
Post-2022 Developments: Divergent Paths and New Champions
Despite the strong desire for a rematch, Natasha Jonas and Terri Harper ultimately moved in different directions after November 2022. The highly anticipated undisputed super welterweight clash did not materialize. Both fighters have since continued to build impressive careers, albeit in different weight classes and with varying degrees of success.
Natasha Jonas’s Journey:
Natasha Jonas (now 16-3-1, 9 KOs) has had a remarkable run since the initial article’s publication. After defeating Marie Eve Dicaire in November 2022 to unify the WBC and WBO light-middleweight titles, Jonas continued her ascent. On July 1, 2023, she became a two-weight world champion by stopping Kandi Wyatt in the eighth round to claim the vacant IBF female welterweight belt. She successfully defended this title against Mikaela Mayer on January 20, 2024, winning by split decision in a closely contested bout. Jonas then unified the welterweight division further by defeating Ivana Habazin via unanimous decision on December 14, 2024, adding the WBC welterweight title to her collection. Her impressive 2022 campaign, which saw her capture three world titles in three consecutive fights, earned her the British Boxing Board of Control’s British Boxer of the Year award, making her the first woman to receive this accolade. Jonas’s last fight was a unanimous decision loss to Lauren Price on March 7, 2025, where she lost her IBF and WBC welterweight titles.
Terri Harper’s Trajectory:
Terri Harper (now 16-3-2, 6 KOs) also continued her career, primarily at lightweight and light-middleweight. After the initial offer for the Jonas rematch, Harper went on to win the WBA and IBO light-middleweight titles by defeating Hannah Rankin via unanimous decision on September 24, 2022. She defended these titles before moving up to lightweight. Harper’s recent form includes a majority draw against Cecilia Braekhus on October 7, 2023, and a unanimous decision loss to Sandy Ryan on March 23, 2024. She then secured the WBO female lightweight title by defeating Rhiannon Dixon on September 28, 2024. Her most recent bout was a unanimous decision loss to Caroline Dubois on April 5, 2026, where Dubois unified the WBO and WBC lightweight titles.
Implications for the Division and Future Prospects
The failure to secure a rematch between Jonas and Harper meant that the undisputed super welterweight title remained fragmented for a period. However, both fighters pursued other significant challenges and achieved world championship status in multiple divisions. Jonas, in particular, became a dominant force at welterweight, unifying multiple belts and solidifying her legacy as a two-weight world champion.
While the direct rematch never happened, the careers of Jonas and Harper have continued to intersect with other top names in women’s boxing. Jonas had expressed interest in facing undisputed super lightweight champion Chantelle Cameron and even undisputed middleweight champion Claressa Shields. Shields’ PFL (Professional Fighters League) commitments did prevent her from returning to the boxing ring until the second half of 2023, as she re-signed with the PFL in August 2023 and made her return to the SmartCage in February 2024. Jonas also fought Mikaela Mayer, a highly regarded opponent who had expressed interest in fighting both Jonas and Cameron.
The landscape of women’s boxing has indeed gained massive momentum, consistently delivering top-tier matchups. While the undisputed clash between Jonas and Harper at super welterweight did not come to fruition, their individual successes and the emergence of other strong contenders have ensured that the divisions they compete in remain vibrant and exciting, often outshining their male counterparts. Fans continue to hope for major fights, and the careers of Jonas and Harper are testament to the depth of talent in the sport.
Follow NoSmokeBoxing on X
