Tag: Cecilia Braekhus

Harper-Braekhus added to Wood-Warrington

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Terri Harper will clash with former world pound-for-pound No.1 Cecilia Braekhus for the WBA and WBO Super-Welterweight World Titles on the undercard of Leigh Wood’s WBA Featherweight World Title defense against Josh Warrington at the Utilita Arena Sheffield on Saturday October 7(DAZN).

The pair were originally slated to square off for Harper’s WBA crown on the historic Katie Taylor vs. Chantelle Cameron show at the 3Arena in Dublin earlier this year, but Braekhus was forced to withdraw from their fight on the morning of the event due to an illness.

Former WBC and IBO Super-Featherweight World Champion Harper (13-1-1 6 KOs) won the WBA 154 pounds World Title by widely outpointing Scotland’s Hannah Rankin at the Motorpoint Arena Nottingham in September last year – her first fight up at Super-Welterweight.

Norway’s Braekhus (37-2, 9 KOs), a former undisputed ruler at 147 pounds, is attempting to become a two-division World Champion. ‘First Lady’, a modern pioneer of women’s boxing, held the WBC and WBA World Titles at Welterweight from 2009 to 2020, also picking up the WBO Title in 2010 and the IBF Title in 2014.

Braekhus lost the titles by majority decision to Jessica McCaskill in August 2020 in Downtown Tulsa, USA and lost again to ‘CasKILLA’ in a rematch at the American Airlines Center in Dallas in March 2021. McCaskill is the only fighter to have beaten Braekhus as a professional.

“The fight went down really well with the fans the first time and it would’ve been a shame for it to have never happened,” said Harper. “I’m excited and grateful to everyone for making it happen again and it’ll be even more special this time with the opportunity of unifying the division.

“When the fight fell through last time I sulked for the weekend but thanks to Matchroom and Eddie I was back in the gym the following Monday ready for another fight week. Looking back this experience has made me a stronger fighter with even more experience now gained.

“Cecilia is an icon of the sport and has already done everything I want to achieve. That’s why me and my team were so keen to pursue this fight. I see this fight as a passing of the baton and another stepping stone towards my ultimate goal of becoming undisputed at the weight.

“It feels good to be back in front of my home crowd. From the beginning of my career I’ve had a great following and come fight night I’ll have thousands in there showing their support. Last time out in Sheffield didn’t go the way I planned but I’m excited to back to winning ways on home soil.

“I won my first World Title at Sheffield Arena and then lost them there, now it’s time to become unified World Champion at that same arena. It’s a huge night of boxing with a massive domestic fight headlining, I’m very lucky to be chief support and I will make sure I put on a good show. Not to jinx it but every time I’ve fought on Leigh’s undercard we’ve both had the desired outcome.”

“I’m delighted to announce the chief support bout for what will a monster night of World Title action on Saturday October 7,” said Matchroom Sport Chairman Eddie Hearn. “Two-weight World Champion Terri Harper gets the biggest fight of her life as she makes the first defence of her WBA Super-Welterweight World Title against former pound-for-pound No.1 and undisputed Welterweight ruler Cecilia Braekus, with the vacant WBO crown now also on the line.

“We were all gutted for Terri after Cecilia was forced to withdraw from their original fight on the historic Katie Taylor vs. Chantelle Cameron card in Dublin earlier this year due to illness, but now ‘Belter’ will be backed by thousands of her own supporters as she goes for the biggest win of her career. Roll on October 7 live worldwide on DAZN!”

Harper-Braekhus set for May 20 in Ireland

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Terri Harper will defend her WBA Super-Welterweight World Title against former world pound-for-pound No.1 Cecilia Braekhus on the undercard of Katie Taylor’s historic homecoming clash with Chantelle Cameron at the 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland on Saturday May 20(DAZN).

Former WBC and IBO Super-Featherweight World Champion Harper (13-1-1 6 KOs) won the WBA 154-pound world title by widely outpointing Scotland’s Hannah Rankin at the Motorpoint Arena Nottingham in September last year – her first fight up at Super-Welterweight.

Norway’s Braekhus (37-2, 9 KOs), a former undisputed ruler at 147 pounds, is attempting to become a two-division World Champion. ‘First Lady’, a modern pioneer of women’s boxing, held the WBC and WBA World Titles at Welterweight from 2009 to 2020, also picking up the WBO Title in 2010 and the IBF Title in 2014.

Braekhus lost the titles by majority decision to Jessica McCaskill in August 2020 in Downtown Tulsa, USA and lost again to ‘CasKILLA’ in a rematch at the American Airlines Center in Dallas in March 2021. McCaskill is the only fighter to have beaten Braekhus as a professional.

“This fight has been a long time coming but it will be worth the wait to be on such an amazing card,” said Harper. “All eyes around the world will be watching that night and I want to show everyone who Terri Harper is.”

“I’m very excited to challenge Terri Harper for the WBA 154lb. World Title on this tremendous card, my first time fighting in Ireland,” said Braekus. “I’ve spent my entire career facing the toughest challenges and this fight is another chapter.”

“I’m delighted to announce the first undercard fight for what will be one of the greatest nights of boxing in Irish history on Saturday May 20 – and what a fight!” said Matchroom Sport Chairman Eddie Hearn. “Two-weight World Champion Terri Harper gets the biggest fight of her life as she makes the first defense of her WBA Super-Welterweight World Title against former pound-for-pound No.1 and undisputed Welterweight ruler Cecilia Braekus.

“Two unbelievable World Title fights already confirmed for Katie Taylor’s historic homecoming fight against undisputed Super-Lightweight Champion Chantelle Cameron and there’s still so much more to come. We’re building an incredible show on May 20 and we will be confirming the next undercard fight tomorrow – it’s another cracker! Roll on May 20 live worldwide on DAZN.”

“It is an honor to prepare Terri for a contest with arguably one of the greatest females of all time in Cecilia Braekhus,” said trainer and manager Stefy Bull. “This has just got a whole lot more exciting now we are sharing a bill with what I believe has the potential to be the best and most thrilling fight female boxing can deliver in Katie Taylor vs. Chantelle Cameron. Two of the best female fighters on the planet in an undisputed vs. undisputed clash – May 20 is going to be one hell of a night.”

“Cecilia is one of the most accomplished female boxers in the sport with 3 Guinness Book World Records, we’re excited to work with Eddie, Matchroom and DAZN again for Cecilia being on this tremendous show in Dublin, Ireland.”

Braekhus-McCaskill set for April 17

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Undisputed World Welterweight champion Cecilia Braekhus will defend her titles against unified Super-Lightweight champion Jessica McCaskill at the MGM National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Maryland on Friday April 17, live on DAZN.

Braekhus (36-0 9 KOs) will put her 147lbs belts on the line for the tenth time having claimed all the straps in September 2014, and victory for the ‘First Lady’ will see the Norwegian sensation break Joe Louis record of 25 consecutive World title defenses, with the 38 year old’s record stretching back to her first World title fight in her 11thpro outing in March 2009.

McCaskill (8-2 3 KOs) will be desperate to snap that streak in Maryland though, and the Chicago star has undoubtably been one of the great success stories in the last year of women’s boxing. ‘CasKILLA’ bounced back from a close loss to then-WBA World champion Katie Taylor in London in December 2017 to win the WBC Super-Lightweight crown in October 2018 on her home turf and then unified the division in Maryland in May 2019.

Pound-for-pound star Braekhus will be out to make history on the night but McCaskill can become a two-weight World champion and continue her phenomenal run of form in this standout fight on the undercard of the clash of former World Super-Lightweight champions Regis Prograis and Maurice Hooker.

“I’m very excited to battle Jessica McCaskill on April 17,” said Braekhus. “She is a unified World champion and a formidable opponent for me. However, following my victory in November I only took a short time off from training and will be well prepared for this very tough challenge.

“Thanks very much to my team for their efforts in bringing me this opportunity and to my fans all over the world, I can’t wait to put on a great show for you in Maryland.”

“This is a fight I wanted,” said McCaskill. “I want to fight the biggest names and the best fighters. Nothing less. My name is up there with the best in female history and I want to continue on that path. Every time I fight its exciting and not only for female boxing but for boxing – period.”

“This is a fantastic fight on what is going to be another brilliant night of boxing on DAZN,” said promoter Eddie Hearn. “Cecilia is one of the greatest female fighters of all time and still the ‘First Lady’ has huge ambitions to achieve even more greatness in the sport.

“But what a breakthrough star Jessica has become since landing her World title in Chicago – it’s been a fairytale rise and she wants to go onto achieve greatness like her foe in Maryland. Jessica always brings it on the night and victory over Cecilia would top everything she has done so far, and that’s saying something.

“We have so much more great action to add to this card and I cannot wait for a huge night on April 17 in Maryland.”

Further undercard action will be added in the coming days and an announcement on ticket on-sale dates will be made early next week.