Natasha Jonas always knew this would be her hometown swan song.

The fighting hero of Liverpool provided a special finale with a ten-round virtual shutout of Croatia's Ivana Habazin. Scores were 100-90, 99-92 and 99-91 for Jonas, who retained her IBF welterweight title and won Habazin's WBC belt Saturday on Sky Sports (U.K.) and Peacock+ (U.S.) from M&S Bank Arena.

"I didn't think it could get any better than qualifying for... and performing in the Olympics," Jonas told Sky Sports' Andy Scott. "Nights like these... all the 20 years of support, we as a city are unbelievable."

Jonas (16-2-1, 9 KOs) is long regarded as one of the hardest punching women in the sport. The Ring No. 1 welterweight contender went right to her body attack against the visiting Habazin (23-6, 7 KOs), No. 5 at 147 who won the vacant WBC title in April.

The fighting spirit was there for Habazin. However, she found herself outclassed by the well-credentialed Jonas, a 2012 Great Britain Olympian and two-division unified titleholder.

Jonas shut down a brief attack by Habazin in the second round and went right hook heavy in the third. The 40-year-young southpaw cracked Habazin with a body shot and then another upstairs.

Habazin found herself on the defensive for all of the fourth. She was forced to fight in a shell defense as Jonas went on the attack while soaking in the cheers from the partisan crowd. A right hook rocked Habazin, but she steadied herself and briefly seized control in the fifth before she fell back behind.

The second half of the contest saw a similar pattern in each round. Habazin enjoyed bursts of success after each rest period but Jonas was the more accurate puncher who repeatedly scored with combinations.

Jonas didn't push for a knockout but made a point to press the action in the tenth and final round. Habazin, already blooded from a cut over her left eye, wobbled but remained upright and to the final bell.

It was the only form of victory enjoyed by the Miami-based Habazin, whose WBC title reign ended after just eight months and one fight.

Meanwhile, Jonas' career continues to thrive deep in the twilight.

A 2022 Fighter of the Year runner-up, Jonas earned that honor by collecting three titles at junior middleweight. She is now a two-division unified titlist after Saturday's win.

Jonas won the IBF welterweight belt in an eighth-round knockout of Kandi Wyatt last July 1 in Manchester, England. Her 2024 campaign was spent entirely at M&S Bank Arena. She began the year with a spirited, and disputed, split decision win over Mikaela Mayer (20-2, 5 KOs) on Jan. 20 to retain her title.

Mayer, No. 3 at 147 by The Ring, went on to dethrone WBO titlist Sandy Ryan (7-2-1, 3 KOs; The Ring No. 4 welterweight) in September.

Jonas and Mayer and No. 9 and No. 10, respectively, in The Ring's top ten pound-for-pound list.

Meanwhile, Jonas was forced to wait until year's end for her return. Saturday's performance made it worthwhile. She committed to the event being the last ever in her beloved hometown.

Now, Jonas will focus on The Ring/WBA welterweight champion Lauren Price (8-0, 2 KOs), who defeated Bexcy Mateus via third-round knockout on the undercard.

"Enjoy your Christmas, have a good camp and I'll see you soon," Price told Jonas.

The reply was considerably more direct, and sparked a fun exchange.

"Be careful what you wish for," Jonas cautioned. "Be careful what you ask for. I'll be there."

"Too young, too good, too quick," insisted Price.

Jonas replied, "That's what Terri Harper said."

"I'm no Terri Harper," said Price, a 2020 Olympic Gold medalist.

"We'll see," suggested Jonas, now 7-1-1 in major title fights.