Photo Courtesy of Natasha Jonas / Instagram
She became the first British female boxer to qualify for the Olympics in 2012 and the first woman to obtain the British Boxer of the Year title in 2022. Now, pioneer Natasha Jonas is making history as the first Black female boxing manager.
According to Sky Sports, Jonas earned the title once she began managing UK-based boxer Mikie Tallon, who has a history of five wins and one loss and will make his professional debut in Manchester on Saturday, Oct. 21, against Sean Jackson.
Jonas addressed her latest achievement in a statement to Sky Sports, stating how becoming a “first” was never her goal.
“All my life, I’ve always believed in myself, and I’ve never allowed myself to give up,” Jonas said. “I’ve not consciously set out to be first to do anything. I just knew that I wanted to break down barriers and not be scared to do anything just because it hadn’t been done before.”
Although being first wasn’t her intention, she’s honored and claims it’s something no one can take from her.
“That being said, one thing I do like about being first is that it makes you part of history, and nobody can take that away from you.”
The 39-year-old boxer has been boxing for six years. Her recent victory was against Kandi Wyatt on July 1, 2023, winning the IBF welterweight title.
Now, she’s sharing her knowledge with her client, Mikie.
“I couldn’t turn down this opportunity,” Jonas said, referring to managing. “I’ve known Mikie from Liverpool and watched him go through the ranks. The thought of being able to guide someone to miss pot-holes that I fell into is something I couldn’t pass.”
“I’ve got hopes for (Tallon), he’s got a successful and established amateur career, so I will try and guide him through that and make him a champion,” she said. “He has visions of what he wants to become, and we have a vision of where we want him to be.”