LAUREN Price matched the achievement of fellow Gwent fighter Rosie Eccles today by winning her first bout at this year’s World Championships in Ulan-Ude, Russia on points.

Ystrad Mynach middleweight Price, who has finished on the podium at each of her last four major championships, recorded a split decision victory (3:1) over Indian Saweety Boora.

The 25-year-old reigning Commonwealth Games and European Games champion will now face Iveta Lesinskyte of Lithuania in Thursday's 75kg quarter-finals.

After receiving a bye in the first round, number two seed Price, a bronze medallist at the Worlds 12 months ago, took the fight to Boora from the start.

There were times when the contest became a bit scrappy, but Price used her jab to good effect and finished the opening round well with a strong left.

The second round saw both boxers warned by the referee for holding, before the official docked Price a point after one too many infringements.

Price still had time to land a left hand that caught a slightly off-balance Boora.

The Welsh boxer started and finished the final round strongly, while in the middle she caught Boora with a cracking left that stopped the Indian in her tracks.

Three of the five ringside judges went with Price on their scorecards, one opted for Boora, while the other scored the contest a draw.

Wednesday sees Caldicot welterweight Eccles return to the ring to take on China’s Liu Yang in the 69kg second round.