Natasha Jonas retained her IBF welterweight title with a close split-decision win over Mikaela Mayer at Liverpool’s M&S Bank Arena.

Both women enjoyed success in a terrific back-and-forth, all-action encounter, in a result which will divide opinion.

The scorecards read 96-94, 96-95 to Jonas, with one judge scoring it 97-93 to Mayer.

Perhaps it was home advantage which ultimately proved the difference.

“It takes two to tango. I know Mikaela Mayer will be gutted,” Jonas said.

“She is in the top two people who I have fought. Please use this as motivation to get the title you deserve and become a two-weight world champion.”

In front of her home crowd in Liverpool, Jonas continued a golden period in the twilight of her career.

After her win the 39-year-old two-weight world champion said this will be her last year in boxing after she extended her record to 15 wins, two defeats and one draw.

American Mayer, 33, lost on points for the second time in her 21-fight career. Having felt she did enough to win, she called for a rematch.

“It’s disappointing but what am I going to do?” she said.

“I just hope that Tasha will be the stand-up champ that she is and give me another shot.”

Jonas comes out top in all-action fight

In the build-up Mayer’s coach compared the match-up to the classic 1985 contest between Marvin Hagler and Tommy Hearns.

While going even remotely close to matching the all-time notorious Hagler-Hearns bout would take some doing, Jonas and Mayer certainly served up their own memorable evening of boxing.

The Arena was far from full capacity but Jonas received an ear-splitting reception from her Liverpool faithful as she made her ring walk. Former world champion Callum Smith – just a week on from a devastating loss in Canada – was among the city’s boxing stars in attendance.

Jonas began sharply, landing a left hook to the stomach and a slick counter right in the opening round. “She’s too slow, Natasha,” her trainer Joe Gallagher bellowed after just a minute of action.

Mayer came out with more urgency in the second as both women traded punches. The away fighter was dictating the pace but Jonas was landing counters.

Fighting in the United Kingdom for the fourth consecutive bout, Mayer grew in confidence and began to have more success, trapping Jonas in the corner in the final seconds of the fifth and connecting with two powerful shots to the body.

“You’re being submissive on the ropes,” a slightly concerned Gallagher, having changed his tune, told his fighter.

As Jonas crouched, Mayer landed a thudding right hand in the seventh. Jonas replied with a flush straight left.

The usually more calculated Mayer was boxing aggressively, keeping to her pre-fight promise of it being an all-out war.

A huge left from Mayer opened up a cut above Jonas’ left eye in the ninth. She valiantly fought back but sported a deflated look as she walked back to her stool.

There was little to separate the two as the fight entered the 10th. With her home fans chanting her name, Jonas gave it everything up until the final seconds.

‘This is my last year in boxing’

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Is Jonas the most overlooked legend in boxing?

In a touching nod to a trailblazer for the sport, Jonas was accompanied to the ring by Jane Couch – a hall-of-fame star who paved the way for women’s boxing in Britain. Fittingly, they made their entrance to Beyonce’s ‘Run The World (Girls)’.

Couch famously won a landmark case against the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) allowing women to box professionally in the United Kingdom.

But history-making Jonas is also a pioneer in her own right. She became Britain’s first female Olympic boxer when she competed at London 2012.

Jonas has overcome setbacks in the ring to win a world title aged 37, followed by three more in the space of 22 months.

The Toxteth fighter was proud to headline in her home city, just a 10-minute drive from where she was born and raised.

“Everyone on this card tonight is so grateful for you coming out and spending your money,” she told the crowd.

Jonas has spoken of a desire to chase legacy fights and may now target unification bouts at welterweight – Briton Sandy Ryan is WBO champion, while American Jessica McCaskill holds the IBF, WBC and WBA belts.

An all-British contest against Wales’ Olympic gold medallist Lauren Price – also promoted by Boxxer – could be an option.

When asked what is next, Jonas did not name any names but instead told her adoring fans: “Unfortunately, I can’t be around forever – and this is probably my last year in boxing.