Natasha Jonas vs Ivana Habazin prediction: Who will go to welterweight wonderland?

IBF women’s welterweight champion Natasha Jonas will meet her WBC counterpart Ivana Habazin on Saturday, December 14th. The BOXXER clash could serve as a stepping stone for a world championship unification bout next year for both fighters. Check out our Natasha Jones vs Ivana Habazin prediction before the two champions lace up for the Liverpool showdown. 

Natasha Jonas vs Ivana Habazin prediction: Tale of the tape

Jonas is not only the queen of IBF welterweight, she also holds the IBF, WBC and WBO light middleweight straps. The Liverpool southpaw has fought 18 professional fights in her career and won 15 of them. She has drawn once and lost twice. 

Since her loss to Katie Taylor in 2021, Jonas has been on a six-fight winning run. Earlier this year, she faced Mikaela Mayer in probably her toughest assignment in recent years. But she passed the test with flying colours by grinding out a split-decision victory against the American. 

Jonas won the vacant IBF welterweight belt right before the Mayer fight. She secured a technical knockout win against Kandi Wyatt in Manchester in July 2023 to claim the title. 

Habazin, 23-5, comes into this fight fresh off the euphoria of her WBC welterweight conquest. She picked up a unanimous decision victory against Kinga Magyar in Zagreb to become the new owner of the belt. 

The Croatian is a two time world champion in the welterweight division and has traded punches with some legendary boxers throughout her career. She’ll be performing in front of a hostile crowd at the Liverpool Exhibition Centre, where the support will overwhelmingly favour the local favourite. But, she will hope to overcome the adversity with her experience. 

Fight odds and win probability 

Here are the current Natasha Jonas vs Ivana Habazin odds:

• Natasha Jonas: 1/7 (1.14) – 87.49%

• Ivana Habazin: 13/2  (7.50) – 13.33%

• Draw: 18/1 (19.00) – 5.3%

Natasha Jonas vs Ivana Habazin odds from Kwiff, subject to change

Keys to Victory

This is a battle between two world champions, so expect to see some fireworks inside the ring. Jonas, however, is riding a longer winning streak. Habazin may have claimed the WBC belt in her last fight, but a closer look at her recent form shows two losses in her last four outings.

Natasha Jonas: Defence is the best form of offence 

Jonas’s exceptional counter-punching and raw power give her a significant edge against Ivana Habazin. With nine stoppages in her 14 victories, Jonas has demonstrated the ability to exploit her opponents' mistakes and turn defensive moments into fight-ending opportunities.

Habazin is a skilled fighter, but she could be error-prone, particularly against high-pressure opponents. Jonas can exploit these mistakes by setting traps, luring Habazin into overcommitting, and unleashing her powerful counters.

Ivana Habazin: Controlled aggression

Ivana Habazin prefers an aggressive brand of boxing. She's a pressure fighter who constantly moves forward, throwing punches in combinations and forcing her opponents to fight on the back foot.

That might not be the best strategy against Jonas, who is an excellent counter-attacker. So, Habazin has to resist the temptation of unleashing a barrage of punches. Her primary focus should be outpointing Jonas instead of fishing for a stoppage. 

Natasha Jonas vs Ivana Habazin: Key stats 

• Stats suggest that Natasha Jonas is the fiercest puncher between the two. She has won nine of her 15 fights, meaning she has a knockout ratio of 50%. Habazin has picked up seven knockout wins in 28 fights, which puts her knockout ratio at 25%. 
• Jonas is five years older than Habazin, but she has less professional experience. The former Great Britain Olympian had retired from the sport before coming back and pursuing a professional career. She became a pro in 2017; seven years after Habazin. Her total rounds stand at 105, a considerable gap compared to Habazin's 188.
• Jonas has been notably more active, with her last five fights spanning two years, nine months, and 25 days—averaging one bout every six months. In contrast, Habazin’s last two fights occurred over a much longer stretch of four years, 11 months, and four days, meaning she has fought roughly every two years and a half years.

Jonas vs Habazin hot tip: Jonas to win via decision 

Jonas has won all the fights she has contested in front of her hometown audience. Habazin is a formidable opponent, but Jonas has the perfect weapons in her arsenal to exploit the Croatian’s weaknesses.  

We expect the fight to go the distance, but Jonas should be the one to convince the judges and claim the bragging rights.

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