Boxer Natasha Jonas spends Christmas in the gym as she trains to defend IBF World Welterweight title

World Champion boxer Natasha Jonas says she has 'swerved selection boxes' and postponed Christmas celebrations as she focuses on training for her title defence.

The Liverpool boxer became a two-weight World Champion in 2023, winning the IBF Welterweight title to add to the three light middleweight belts she won in 2022.

But as 2023 ended and the new year begins Jonas, the first woman to be named British Boxer of the Year, says she cannot let up, as she prepares to defend her Welterweight title in January.

“It's only when you're outside of the situation looking back or looking in that you have time to reflect on that," she said.

"So right now I'm just focused on doing what I have to do and keeping the results going the way I need them to."

Her punishing schedule does not allow for a Christmas break, with Jonas training hard for her bout with Mikaela Mayer on 20 January.

Jonas said: "It is tough because you're trying to still be festive, and not be the Grinch.

"The selection boxes, we’ve swerved them this year, it's going to be measured, it's going to be controlled, and it's not going to be the usual Christmas, but we'll make for that afterwards."

Jonas will take on American Meyer in a hometown fight at Liverpool's M&S Arena, in one of women's boxing's biggest nights.

“Any fight I can headline, and a card in my hometown is a big thing," she said, "these are the kind of nights and the fights that will project women's boxing onto the next level.

"There's no place like home, to go back home and to be in front of my fans in my home city and just win.

“I just focus on what’s in front of me, because so easily in boxing a result doesn't go your way, all the doors shut, so I’ve got to do everything I can to make sure all those doors stay open."