Key Points
- Lauren Price, Welsh boxing world champion, was abandoned by her biological parents at just three days old and raised by her grandparents Derek and Linda in Ystrad Mynach, Wales.
- Her grandfather Derek passed away in 2020 at age 80 from dementia; grandmother Linda remains alive, and Price visits her regularly when not training in Sheffield.
- Price credits her grandparents entirely for her success, stating without them she “would probably have ended up in care” and her life “might have turned out quite differently”.
- In a previous WalesOnline interview, she remarked, “Let’s just say, if they hadn’t taken me in at three days old, I would probably have ended up in care… They transformed my life entirely and supported me wholeheartedly. I am incredibly thankful for them”.
- Price won Olympic gold in Tokyo 2020 (held in 2021) as Wales’ first boxing champion, dedicating it to her grandparents and looking to the heavens post-victory in memory of Derek.
- She faces Stephanie Piñeiro Aquino tonight in Cardiff defending WBA, WBC, and IBF welterweight titles, with wedding plans to fiancée Carlie Jones on 30 May 2026 taking a backseat.
- Price proposed to Carlie, a school acquaintance two years younger who runs an elderly care business, on 19 April 2025 after her fight with Natasha Jonas; they prioritise her career.
- At school age 8, Price listed goals—kickboxing world champion, Welsh international footballer, Olympic medallist—which her grandmother defended against a sceptical teacher.
- Grandparents supported her sports from early days in martial arts, kickboxing, boys’ football teams, attending in all weather with flasks and leather gloves.
- Price calls grandparents her “parents, really,” stating, “They love me like their own. I don’t know any different”.
- Prince William encouraged her pre-Tokyo to “make your whole family proud,” and she reflected emotionally post-gold.
- Price studied Foundation Degree in Football Coaching at University of South Wales; appointed MBE in 2022 New Year Honours for boxing services.
Cardiff (Cardiff Daily) April 4, 2026 – Lauren Price, the undefeated Welsh boxing sensation and world welterweight champion, has shared a poignant reflection on her abandonment by her biological parents at three days old, crediting her grandparents for shaping her into an Olympic gold medallist ahead of her title defence against Stephanie Piñeiro Aquino tonight at Cardiff’s Utilita Arena. The 31-year-old, who trains in Sheffield but calls Ystrad Mynach home, faces a high-stakes bout with her WBA, WBC, and IBF belts on the line, just weeks before her wedding to partner Carlie Jones. Her story of resilience, from foster care alternative to global sports stardom, underscores the personal drive behind her professional triumphs.
Who Are Lauren Price’s Grandparents and What Role Did They Play?
Lauren Price was dropped off at her grandparents’ home in Ystrad Mynach at just three days old, her biological parents unable to care for her, as detailed in reports from Team GB. Derek and Linda immediately decided to raise her as their own, a decision Price describes as life-changing. Her grandfather Derek passed away in November 2020 at age 80 from dementia, missing her Olympic campaign delayed by the pandemic, while grandmother Linda survives, with Price visiting whenever possible from her Sheffield base.
As reported by Ben James of WalesOnline, Price stated, “She [Linda] has been a part of my life… I make it a point to visit her in Wales whenever I am not training in Sheffield”. In a prior WalesOnline conversation, Price elaborated,
“Let’s just say, if they hadn’t taken me in at three days old, I would probably have ended up in care. I might have turned out quite differently. They transformed my life entirely and supported me wholeheartedly. I am incredibly thankful for them”.
This unwavering support extended to every sporting endeavour, from martial arts and kickboxing to football for boys’ teams, with Linda braving snow and hail, flask in hand alongside Derek.
Gareth A Davies of The Telegraph recounted Price saying,
“When I started in sport – martial arts, kickboxing, football for a boys’ team – they’d always be there… It could be snowing, hailing, and my nan would be there with her leather gloves on and her flask standing on the sidelines with my grandad”.
Price views them as her true parents:
“They are my parents, really, but I just call them nan and grandad. I don’t know any different. They love me like their own”.
What Happened During Lauren Price’s Olympic Gold Moment?
Price’s Tokyo 2020 gold (fought in 2021) marked Wales’ first in boxing, a middleweight triumph on the final day securing Team GB’s 22nd gold. Post-victory, she looked skyward in tribute to Derek, tears flowing in media interviews as victory mingled with loss. Prince William had messaged pre-Games via Kensington Royal: “I know you’ll make your whole family proud at #Tokyo2020,” a sentiment she honoured.
As covered by Team GB, “Prince William encouraged Lauren Price to make her granddad proud in Tokyo and as the last embers of these Games flickered out, the boxer heeded every word”. Davies quoted Price post-return to Ystrad Mynach, where hundreds gathered:
“I’m glad my dream has come true but I’m also happy I have also given back to them for all the support they have given me over the years”.
She emphasised home support’s vital role:
“Sport is a rollercoaster… You need that support there and they’ve always been that support for me. When I’ve lost, they’ve picked me back up and I’ve tried again”.
How Did Lauren Price Defy Early Doubts as a Child?
At age 8, during a school project, Price listed ambitions: kickboxing world champion, Welsh international footballer, Olympic medallist. Her teacher raised an eyebrow, but grandmother Linda insisted, “let the girl dream,” as recounted by BBC reporter Tom Brown in Foster Talk. This early defiance foreshadowed her achievements, including Olympic gold and pro world titles.
Price told Davies,
“I try to inspire children but the biggest thing for me is having that home support”.
Her Wikipedia entry notes a Foundation Degree in Football Coaching and Development at University of South Wales, plus MBE in 2022 New Year Honours.
What Is Lauren Price’s Relationship Status and Wedding Timeline?
Price proposed to Carlie Jones on 19 April 2025 after defeating Natasha Jonas on 7 March, sharing in The Guardian interview with Donald McRae: “After the Jonas fight last year, on March 7, I proposed, and Carlie and I became engaged on April 19 in Wales”. Carlie, two years younger and known from school, runs an elderly care business:
“She’s a wonderful person… It’s refreshing to be with someone outside of boxing, so when I come home, it’s not just about the sport”.
James reported Price saying,
“She has been a part of my life for a very long time since we were in the same school… Carlie runs her own business, providing care for elderly individuals in their homes, and she is incredibly motivated”.
The wedding at a Monmouthshire country house on 30 May has paused amid fight prep, per ESPN: “Lauren Price admits her wedding plans have taken a back seat with multiple world titles on the line against Stephanie Pineiro Aquino”. Price told Press Association, as quoted in ESPN,
“Carlie phones me up and says things like, ‘I don’t want to pester you, but what about getting this mirror?’”.
Note: earlier partner Karriss Artingstall ended by April 2025.
Why Is Tonight’s Fight Crucial for Lauren Price?
Price defends belts in Cardiff against Pineiro, her first ring return since Jonas, blending personal stakes with professional ambition. McRae quoted her in The Guardian:
“I want to win as much money as I can, build a legacy for boxing in Wales and get out safe”.
James noted,
“Lauren Price faces off against Stephanie Pineiro in Cardiff tonight with belts and pride on the line”.
Her backstory fuels this narrative—from abandonment to champion—positioning her as Wales’ pride. As the bout unfolds, Price carries grandparents’ legacy, family support, and Olympic grit into the ring.
