Undisputed WBO Welterweight Championship Press Conference Quotes McCaskill-Braekhus

Undisputed WBO Champion Jessica McCaskill:
“I’m so ready to punch Cecilia in the face. I mean like we said, I don’t know Cecilia and there’s no bad blood, but we want this for boxing so bad, it is going to be the best fight of the night.

“I always have to work for everything that we have, and we don’t mind doing that. We’ve come from places harder than what you see us in now and I want to seal the deal and solidify my win in august and let everyone know that wasn’t an accident and that was me, unified undisputed World champion.

March 11, 2021; Dallas, TX; Jessica McCaskill and Cecilia Braekhus pose after the final press conference for the Matchroom boxing fight card at the Thompson Hotel in Dallas, TX. The fights will take place Saturday March 13, 2021 at the American Airlines arena in Dallas, TX. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland/Matchroom.

“We have always had a large amount of confidence and we have just had to get those opportunities to show everyone else what we can do and like I said before we have come from places where this isn’t the hardest thing that we’ve had to go through so I think this will be a piece of cake.

“It doesn’t really matter what kind of game plan they bring. We are really prepared. Rick Ramos, my manager and trainer, he keeps me diversified in boxing whether it’s the brawling, the movement, the standstill, we’re ready for anything.

“Cecilia brought retirement up after the last fight, those aren’t my words, those are hers, so I’m going to make her eat them.”

Cecilia Braekhus

“She was so friendly, then she got the belt, and she was like whoa, she goes crazy. It is definitely a new situation. You know, it’s fun for me, I just want to get the belt back and McCaskill has kept me very motivated, she’s kept me motivated through my whole camp. Last time she knows she was lucky, so I think that’s where all the trash talk is coming from.

March 11, 2021; Dallas, TX; Jessica McCaskill and Cecilia Braekhus pose after the final press conference for the Matchroom boxing fight card at the Thompson Hotel in Dallas, TX. The fights will take place Saturday March 13, 2021 at the American Airlines arena in Dallas, TX. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland/Matchroom.

“Oh definitely. I had a rough training camp the last time, I was stuck six months in Big Bear. Now I had a normal training camp and now I have to do what I always do. I have to box. And I can do whatever and I think I can stop her too because I am definitely bigger and stronger and I am a much better fighter, boxer. I’m much better technically and stronger so I’m very confident going into this fight. And like I said, she provided me with a lot of motivation in camp.

“As a fighter I have given her a lot of credit. I should definitely not be losing to her. She was home, she was in her home country, all the judges were home, she got her catch weight and still I beat her in one of my invites when I didn’t perform at the top. Saturday I will be at my best and she is nowhere near my level.

“I will win so it is not even an option. I have a bigger name than her anyways with or without the belt”

Photos by Ed Mulholland/Matchroom

Jessica McCaskill and Cecilia Brækhus ramped up their rivalry in a fiery e-press conference ahead of their rematch for the Undisputed WBO World Welterweight title at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, on Saturday March 13, live worldwide on DAZN.

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McCaskill (9-2 3 KOs) ripped the titles from Brækhus (36-1 9 KOs) on the streets of downtown Tulsa, Oklahoma in August as Matchroom returned to action in the US, and now it’s McCaskill putting the belts on the line and Brækhus is looking to avenge her first pro defeat.

Promoter Eddie Hearn sat them down as the date ticked over to under a month to go to the rematch, and after Hearn’s initial questions to both fighters, tensions rose and the Chicagoan and Norwegian could have been back in the ring as the traded verbal blows back and forth to light the blue touch paper ahead of the return bout.

"Don't start comparing resumes." 👀

Watch the #McCaskillBraekhus2 E-Presser in the build up to March 13 – out now! ⬇️

— Matchroom Boxing (@MatchroomBoxing) February 16, 2021

“I feel the last fight was the last one of her career,” said McCaskill. “Once someone shows that weakness, shows they are not in it and alludes to retirement, that shows that they are mentally out of the game.

“We’ve never been given a whole lot, we’ve taken really big risks and they have gotten us to those higher places, I haven’t been given anything, I don’t want to take on anyone else’s legacy, I’m building my own and making history every step of the day and that’s what I want to continue to do.

“I feel great – every time I have had to fight for a belt, it’s been from a champion, Cecilia, you have fought for vacant titles, I’ve had to take mine from everyone I fought from, I’ve never just fought for a vacant title and it’s heads or tails on who is going to win it.

“I’m not saying I don’t get the credit for my last fight, but over the time that I’ve fought and the different hurdles that I have crossed, that’s what I don’t think I get the credit for, that’s not to make excuses. Everything I say is the truth, I don’t talk trash.”

“I felt I won’t the fight, it was very close, I could have got the decision,” said Brækhus. “A lot of people thought I won and it’s not the way to lose your belts.

“I know I am a better fighter than Jessica, I had a bit of an off day, but I feel I did what I needed to do to retain my belts, but I was not at home I was on her home turf and she got the belts.

“She says that people are hating on her because of the way she got the belts, they aren’t hating but people aren’t satisfied because that’s not the way anyone should become an undisputed champion, it should be harder than that. I don’t think she has a good feeling the way she won the belts.”

McCaskill and Brækhus clash on a massive night of action in Dallas with a triple header of World title action.

Topping the bill is another mouth-watering rematch as Juan Francisco Estrada (41-3 28 KOs) and Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez (50-2 41 KOs) finally meet for the second time eight years after their first bout, this time in a unification for the WBC, WBA and Ring Magazine World Super-Flyweight titles.

There’s a Matchroom debut on the card for Hiroto Kyoguchi (14-0 9 KOs) as he defends his WBA and Ring Magazine World Light-Flyweight titles against Axel Vega (14-3-1 8 KOs).

Jessica McCaskill will defend her undisputed WBO World Welterweight title against Cecilia Brækhus in early 2021 after former champion Brækhus activated the rematch clause.

McCaskill ripped the titles from Brækhus in a tightly fought contest on the streets of downtown Tulsa, Oklahoma in August as Matchroom returned to action in the US, with one judge unable to split the pair but challenger McCaskill getting the nod on the other cards, 97-94 and 97-93.

The win meant that McCaskill (9-2 3 KOs) became a two-weight World champion in just her 11th pro outing, and was another chapter of a phenomenal rise for the Chicago ace, from traveling to London, England in her seventh pro fight in December 2017 and giving Lightweight champion and Irish sensation Katie Taylor a run for her money in McCaskill’s first World title fight, before picking up the WBA World Super-Lightweight title in her next fight on home turf against Erica Farias in October 2018 and then unifying the 140lbs division against Anahi Sanchez in May 2019.

Brækhus (36-1 9 KOs) suffered her first career defeat in Tulsa and that loss prevented the Norwegian from making history by breaking Joe Louis’ 72 year record of 25 consecutive World title defenses, but ‘The First Lady’ of boxing was denied by the Chicagoan – and hinted at retirement in her post-fight interview. Now both former champion and defending ruler are ready to lock horns once again, with an early 2021 date and venue to be announced later in the year.

“That’s the fastest retirement I’ve ever seen in boxing history – she’s back!” said McCaskill. “We knew she would be back and that it would only be a matter of time. Usually those types of conversations straight after a fight to direct the audience’s eyes away from the loss. In this sport, so many people have said that they are retired and then come back to have fights.

“I gave her the belts back and just wanted to be the one to do that. There’s never been any bad blood, I could have had my team send the belts back but there was no reason not to give the belts back myself so we went over to her room and she was on the phone to her family, when she got off the phone, she made comments to passing the torch and with her being beaten for the first time I think she expects someone else to carry on her legacy and I have my own legacy to fulfill and that’s where my focus is.

“Tulsa is over with and now I have to get up for the rematch which is part of being professional and part of the gameplay. The only rematch I’ve had in my pro career was with Erica Farias so it’s part of it and you cannot expect anything to motivate, you can’t expect your team to hype you up for a workout, what if they are not there that day? You can’t expect the fans to get you hyped for the fight because what if there are no fans? I am a very mentally strong person, I can control how to get from point a to point b so I will be ready for it.”

“It was the weakest performance in my whole career,” said Brækhus. “I still feel I won, or could have got a draw, and when I thought about that, I knew I could beat her in a rematch. I didn’t want to go out with a career-worst performance either, I definitely owe that to my fans. If this was a fight where I lost to a better fighter, had been in my best shape and had given it my all, then fine, I could retire, but that was not the case here.

“She gave her everything in the ring and I wanted to give her props for that, I knew what I was going through and what I was struggling with, for everyone this was just a tough time. But we need to meet again under different circumstances.

“It’s hard to explain exactly how I was in the ring that night for everyone that has watched my other fights and been following me for a while they saw that something was very wrong. So for me to come back after getting some time in Norway with my friends and family, spending time on my other projects and gaining my strength back and going back to training camp, I don’t need to do anything different to get the win.

“I learnt how good I am! I was in bad shape and I still feel like I beat a great fighter like Jessica, so my self-esteem is very high right now. A win or a draw would be OK but I also understand the emotional aspect of giving Jessica the win because she fought her heart out, if you were a judge and saw this I can understand that.

“We never underestimated Jessica at all, these are unprecedented times and there’s no blueprint here, I didn’t have anyone that I could call and ask ‘what do I do in this situation?’ This had never happened before so I just had to try my luck, there’s no-one to blame it just didn’t work out for us.

“The situation with no crowd didn’t bother me so much, it’s good in a way because it’s completely neutral! But it would be good to have fans for the rematch, it gives us more energy and a little extra, we don’t want three American judges next time that’s for sure! I think if it’s in America I will have to get the KO for sure, after meeting Jessica in the ring, I was never near getting KO’d so I’m definitely not worried about that.”

Jessica McCaskill put the boxing world on notice as she claimed the undisputed crown from Cecilia Brækhus in a thrilling upset from the streets of downtown Tulsa and live on DAZN. At stake for Brækhus was shattering boxing’s most prestigious record – 25 consecutive world title defenses – one that she now holds with heavyweight legend Joe Louis.

The former unified super lightweight champion McCaskill (9-2, 3 KOs) edged out a majority decision victory over Brækhus (36-1, 9 KOs) in one of the biggest upsets in boxing this year. McCaskill was the far busier fighter throughout the 10-round title tilt, throwing 230 more punches than the decade-long welterweight ruler.

(via www.boxingnews24.com”

Photo by Ed Mulholland / Matchroom

Weigh-In: Undisputed WBO Welterweight Champion “The First Lady” Cecilia Brækhus 145 lbs vs Jessica McCaskill 144.4 lbs—10 rds for tomorrow night at Tulsa, Oklahoma. TV: DAZN

August 13, 2020; Tulsa, OK, USA; Undisputed Women’s welterweight champion Cecilia Braekhus and Jessica McCaskill face off after weighing in for the Matchroom card on August 15, 2020 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland/Matchroom

This Saturday, live on DAZN, Cecilia Brækhus (36-0, 9 KOs) will look to cement her legacy as undisputed welterweight champion with an opportunity to break Joe Louis’s 72-year-old record for most consecutive world title defenses. In the way of making history is the former super lightweight champion Jessica McCaskill (8-2, 3 KOs) who will enter the ring on Saturday night looking to transform her ring story with a victory over Brækhus. Both main event fighters successfully made weight on Friday afternoon in Tulsa ahead of their highly-anticipated bout tomorrow night on DAZN (8 p.m. ET).

August 14, 2020; Tulsa, OK, USA; Jessica McCaskill steps on the scale to weigh in for the August 15, 2020 Matchroom fight card in Tulsa, OK. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland/Matchroom

August 13, 2020; Tulsa, OK, USA; Undisputed Women’s welterweight champion Cecilia Braekhus and Jessica McCaskill face off after weighing in for the Matchroom card on August 15, 2020 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland/Matchroom

August 13, 2020; Tulsa, OK, USA; Undisputed Women’s welterweight champion Cecilia Braekhus and Jessica McCaskill face off after weighing in for the Matchroom card on August 15, 2020 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland/Matchroom

📷 Ed Mulholland / Matchroom Boxing

BRÆKHUS vs. MCCASKILL PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES
Undisputed Welterweight crown on the line in Tulsa, Oklahoma on Saturday.

Cecilia Brækhus

“This is going be a hell of a fight. I think everyone who knows our careers, fights, and how hard we work – they will know this will be a great fight. We have both been fighting since January, we both have been in camp, so we will see come Saturday that I’m in the best shape and form ever.

“Jessica’s hungry, she knows what doors can open if she beats me. I have seen her against Katie Taylor and gave her problems, so you know she’s hard working and dedicated. I feel I have better skills. I try not to focus on the record, I focus on my task in camp, but you know it would be huge. That’s a record that won’t be broken in quite a while.”

Jessica McCaskill

“I have had pretty enormous fights leading up this fight. I’m confident in my fighting and skills, and that’s all I worry about. Cecilia has an amazing record, history that she has created, but some of that history is before this era and it can be seen differently compared to the fighters in this era. I’m here to challenge everything she has put on the table. Cecilia wants to hear that I will knock her out and not here to rub her back. She wants me to be the
best fighter.

“You’re going to see the best form of fighting. A lot of brawling, a lot of things you haven’t seen out of me, a lot of fireworks.”

Photo by Ed Mulholland/Matchroom

Cecilia Brækhus says her experience will be the key as the undisputed WBO Welterweight champion puts her titles on the line against Jessica McCaskill on the streets of downtown Tulsa, Oklahoma, on Saturday August 15, live on DAZN.

Brækhus (36-0 9 KOs) is gunning for history on Saturday night as she looks to surpass Joe Louis’ 72-year record for World title defenses and is brimful of confidence that she has seen too much in the sport for the tenacious McCaskill (8-2 3 KOs) to dethrone her.

The Norwegian star has been lacing them up as a pro for over 13 years following a successful amateur career, and dwarfing her Chicago rival who has achieved so much in just shy of five years as a pro – and Brækhus believes that gulf in experience will be key to adapt to the unique conditions of boxing around the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I’ve been doing this a long time and I know the drill; it’s not the first time a fight has been cancelled for me,” said Brækhus. “Of course, these are some extraordinary circumstances, but as soon as the fight was off, we wound down a little bit and had some time off before slowly starting back up again. I think we’ve done the right thing, we haven’t over-trained, but we’ve stayed in shape.

“I will get win 37 in Tulsa. Being in Big Bear for so many months has given me another life in boxing, before I have been in meetings, on the phone, flying back and forth, LA-Norway, Norway-LA, but I’ve been just completely focused on my boxing and I am in the best shape, I cannot remember the last time I was in such great shape and I cannot wait for Saturday.

“Where I box doesn’t matter to me, I just get in the ring and I’m excited to share the ring with a great fighter. I’ve travelled the world and boxed indoors and outdoors; this is my job and it’s what we do. We have our routines and we are following them; we’re going to do the work inside the ring and that’s all the matters. The set up in Tulsa looks great and I’m excited to be a part of it, it’s completely new.

“I feel great knowing that we’ve both stayed in camp and so we’ll both be the best versions of ourselves. I think that it’s one of the best fights that Matchroom could come back with in the States.

“The best fighters will adapt to the new conditions. When I go into the ring I just focus on my opponent and nothing else, so it will be different but I have experienced a lot of weird stuff in my career, it’s been many years now and I honestly think that I have experienced everything so I don’t think no crowd being there will be an issue at all. I am there to do a job and that’s where my focus is.

“It’s a huge fight. The setting, being the main fight, a tough opponent in Jessica who we all know from her fights with Erica Farias and Katie Taylor; I think we’re opening boxing for Matchroom with a bang in America.”

Brækhus-McCaskill tops the bill on a massive night of action in the unique setting of the downtown Tulsa streets as Matchroom return Stateside.

Rising Super-Welterweight Israil Madrimov (5-0 5 KOs) can close in on World title honors as he meets Eric Walker (20-2 9 KOs) in a final eliminator for the WBA World title while Madrimov’s fellow countryman Shakhram Giyasov will now face Wiston Campos (31-7-6 19 KOs) after second replacement opponent Rey Perez was ruled out following original opponent Francisco Rojo being forced out of the bout after testing positive for COVID-19 during his training camp in his home city and a trio of young talents complete the card in Nikita Ababiy (8-0 6 KOs), Raymond Ford (5-0 2 KOs) and the debut of amateur star Marc Castro.

Cecilia Brækhus is ready to burst out of her Big Bear training camp and become a record breaker as the undisputed Welterweight champion puts her titles on the line against Jessica McCaskill on the streets of downtown Tulsa, Oklahoma, on Saturday August 15, live on DAZN.

Brækhus (36-0 9 KOs) tackles the unified Super-Lightweight champion McCaskill (8-2 3 KOs) knowing that victory will see her pass Joe Louis 72 year record of 25 straight successful World championship defenses – but history isn’t in the Norwegian’s mind having had plenty of time to prepare for face the tenacious Chicagoan.

The pair were set to clash in April in Maryland but for the COVID-19 pandemic to put a halt to all sporting events. Brækhus started camp for that fight in January – her second outing with trainer Abel Sanchez – and believes an elongated spell in the Big Bear mountains with her esteemed coach will give her the edge in Tulsa.

“I’ve been in Big Bear since January because I wanted to be back in the ring as soon as possible and wanted everyone to know that I’d be ready at the first opportunity,” said Brækhus. “When I got the chance to be one of the first to fight for Matchroom on a big show I was very happy.

“I’m in the best shape ever, I feel amazing. I feel strong, I’m in the best condition I’ve ever been in and I’ve worked great with Abel. We’ve made small adjustments; we’re not trying to make me a new fighter but just take the things that I’m already good at and adding things to it to make me a more complete and dangerous fighter.

“Working with Abel has been so much fun, I’m learning and developing every day and I’m having a great time.

“I’m in an amazing place in Big Bear, training in the heart of nature, with the mountains and the fresh air, it’s a home away from home as it’s what I grew up with in Norway.

“I missed belonging to one gym, it’s been a good thing for me, not traveling around from country to country and gym to gym, it takes a toll on you. Being in Big Bear gives you more strength and power, and the high altitude has had a good effect on me.

“Abel is so professional and has worked with so many champions, I don’t have to tell him anything or explain anything, we just get down to work. He is a great guy, a motivator and that’s something that doesn’t get mentioned very often. The training in Big Bear is brutal but Abel leads by example and that’s really important.”

Brækhus-McCaskill tops the bill on a massive night of action in the unique setting of the downtown Tulsa streets as Matchroom return Stateside.

BRÆKHUS YOUTUBE FEATURE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2Go_K-lAZQ

BRÆKHUS-MCCASKILL ZOOM PRESS CONFERENCE WITH EDDIE HEARN: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZwvaA0v8dk

Prior to the lockdown, Cecilia Brækhus was set to defend her Undisputed WBO Welterweight Championship in Maryland against Jessica McCaskill, and now, the fight is returning in Tulsa, Oklahoma on Saturday August 15, exclusively live on DAZN in the US.

Brækhus (36-0 9 KOs) has dominated the Welterweight division for 11 years and victory over McCaskill would 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 11th pro outing in March 2009.

‘The First Lady’ still holds the same ambitions from when she first became a World ruler, and with a long camp behind her in Big Bear, California with new trainer Abel Sanchez, Brækhus is itching to get back into action and defend her belts in style.

“Finally we have a new fight date and I cannot wait to return to battle,” said Brækhus. “It’s been an extended camp in Big Bear with my new trainer Abel Sanchez and I’m very excited to defend my world titles against Jessica on August 15. I know how tough of a fight this is and will be well prepared for victory.

“Thanks very much to Abel, the Matchroom Boxing Team and Tom Loeffler for all of their support during these unique times. And to my fans in Norway, the United States and all over the world, thanks so much for continuing to inspire me, I hear you loud and clear.”

It’s fitting that McCaskill (8-2 3 KOs) marks the return of Matchroom Boxing USA on DAZN from the lockdown as the Chicago ace won her WBC World Super-Lightweight title in Hearn’s first ever show on the groundbreaking streaming network in America in her hometown in October 2018 against Erica Farias.

‘CasKILLA’ went on to unify the division by taking the WBA crown from Farias fellow Argentine Anahi Sanchez in May 2019 in Maryland before putting both belts on the line in a rematch with Farias in her Windy City home, edging out her old foe via majority decision.

The 35 year old now meets the Norwegian superstar for the undisputed title in just her 11th fight, and McCaskill is determined to keep her fairytale story going and end Braekhus supremacy.

“I’m just looking to make history and shock the world as I usually do every time,” said McCaskill. “I’m expecting to knock out Cecilia. I don’t know what round, but this extra time we’ve got to train before the fight is definitely going to make us a lot sharper and a lot stronger and smarter overall.

“I’ve been in the gym every day for multiple workouts and I can’t wait to show what we’ve been working on.”

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.

Braekhus vs Bustos Weigh In Results

The fight card from Monte Carlo will be shown live on Sky Sports in the UK and DAZN in the US

Cecilia Braekhus 146.6 vs Victoria Bustos 144.6

Cecilia Braekhus:

“Firstly I want to say thank you so much. Me and my team have received the royal treatment since we landed in Monaco. I want to thank the Matchroom team, I want to thank all of the locals. There’s really not much for me to say, I’m here to beat Bustos on Saturday and I want to make a statement. The door to the Olympics was closed for women and you had to fight for a spot on a television show. What has happened in recent years is a pleasure to be a part of.”

Tom Loeffler, advisor to Braekhus:

“This is a huge opportunity but a tough fight. Under promoter Eddie Hearn’s guidance, if Cecilia is successful on Saturday, there will be some of the biggest fights in the history of women’s boxing next year.”

Victoria Bustos:

“I am thankful to Eddie Hearn and Matchroom Boxing for the opportunity. I feel very confident with all of the work I have been doing in the gym together with my team. I know that Cecilia is going to perform like a champion on Saturday night but I am well prepared. I am powerful and I am quick. I am ready to become a World Champion again. Thank you very much.”

Photo via Mark Robinson

☑️Upcoming WBO World Title Bouts:

💥November 30 – Undisputed WBO Welterweight Female Champion Cecilia Braekhus Vs. Victoria Noelia Bustos @ Casino de Monte Carlo Salle Medecin, Monte Carlo, Monaco.

💥November 30 – WBO Bantamweight World Champion Zolani Tete Vs. John Riel Casimero @ Arena Birmingham, Birmingham, West Midlands, United Kingdom.

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Two of Boxing’s Biggest Stars make their highly anticipated return at the iconic Stubhub Center in Carson, CA. on Saturday, December 8 for an outstanding double-header featuring Undisputed Women’s Welterweight World Champion ‘The First Lady’ Cecilia Braekhus (34-0, 9 KOs) and Four-Division Pound for Pound World Champion Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez, (47-2, 39 KOs). The event will be televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark beginning at 10:20 p.m. ET/PT. (photos by Lina Baker).

Fighting out of Bergen, Norway, Braekhus, the Consensus #1 Ranked Women’s Pound-for-Pound Fighter in the World will face two-time world title challenger, Aleksandra Magdziak-Lopes, (18-4-3, 1 KO), a native of Gilwice, Poland, now based in Marshfield, MA in the ten-round main event.

Presented by Tom Loeffler’s 360 Boxing Promotions, advance tickets priced at $25, $50, $100 and $150 can be purchased through www.AXS.com starting This Friday, November 9 at 12:00 p.m. The StubHub Center is located at 18400 Avalon Boulevard, Carson, CA 90746. For more information please visit their website at www.StubHubCenter.com.

“I’m thrilled to be announcing my next title defense against Aleksandra Magdziak-Lopes,” said Cecilia Braekhus, currently training in Southern California with the renowned Johnathon Banks. “I know Aleksandra very well and this will be a very tough challenge for me.”

“It’s great to be back in Los Angeles, it’s starting to feel like my second home now. Right now, it’s pretty cold now in Norway so the sun and warm weather are treating me very good and I expect a lot of fans from Norway to come to my fight and experience the Southern California sunshine. My trainer Johnathon Banks and I have already started working very hard in the gym.”

“A big thank you to Tom Loeffler and 360 Promotions for putting together this great event. Thanks very much to HBO for putting me on the network again. I promise to deliver another big fight, my last fight was very exciting and this one will be as well, I don’t do boring fights.”

‘I’m defending all the belts as you see in front of me. They represent a life-time of hard work. Hopefully when it becomes time to retire I can do so undefeated, that is my dream, that is my goal. I thank you for all your support and to the fans here in the United States and those attending the fight Internationally.”

“It’s been my dream to fight Cecilia and I can’t wait to fight her,” said Aleksandra Magdziak Lopes. “She is the best women’s fighter in the world and has been for many years but on December 8 I will be up to the challenge and come out victorious with her titles.”

Said Tom Loeffler, “This card truly is a tribute to HBO where the biggest stars in boxing have been made for decades. As we have seen with the ascent in popularity with Gennady Golovkin and as we continue to see with Cecilia and Roman their international popularity and marketability continues to increase with each appearance on HBO.”

“We’ve promoted some outstanding and record-breaking memorable nights of boxing at the Stubhub Center and we look forward to another great event on Saturday, December 8. We hold the record for the 3 largest gates at StubHub Center with GGG in his two fights at StubHub and Chocolatito with his sold out fight there last year.”

“Thanks to Dan Beckerman at AEG and everyone at StubHub Center for their support and for working on this show with us and to the California State Athletic Commission who have always been very fair while keeping the health and safety of the fighters as their number one priority.”

Fighting for the first time in Russia, Cecilia Braekhus won a 10-round unanimous decision over junior middleweight world champion Inna Sagaydakovskaya on July 21, 2018 in Moscow. The victory took place in front of over 25,000 spectators at the Olympic Stadium and an international televised audience. Prior to that, Braekhus was victorious in the first women’s bout televised by HBO in their 45-year history on May 5, 2018. Defeating Kali Reis by unanimous decision at the StubHub Center in Carson, CA, the fight drew an average of 904,000 viewers in the United States, the second highest viewership by the network for boxing in 2018.

Braekhus is currently ranked the #1 Pound-for-Pound Female Boxer by Ring Magazine and the Boxing Writers Association of America. She was presented with the first women’s Ring Magazine Pound-for-Pound Title belt in Las Vegas on September 15, 2018. Since September 2014, Braekhus has held the WBC, WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO Welterweight World Titles and was just awarded 3 Guinness Book of World Records Awards this year at the WBC Convention in Kiev, Ukraine.

The WBO proudly congratulates Cecilia Braekhus, WBO World Female Welterweight Champion and former 5-division Female World Champion Amanda Serrano, who took the first and second place in the Boxing Writers’ Association of America (BWAA) Women’s Pound for Pound Top 10.

This is BWAA inaugural women’s top 10 pound-for-pound list, which is selected on a point system.

“Topping the first list is Cecilia Braekhus, who already made history earlier this year by being named the first BWAA Female Fighter of the Year. Braekhus is followed by Amanda Serrano (…)” reads the article by bwaa.org

Braekhus has defended her WBO belt 19 times, and is the undisputed champion in her weight category.

Serrano is the first female and Puerto Rican five-division world champion in boxing history.

Female boxing continues to grow and the WBO is happy to be a part of this, we reaffirm our commitment in continuing to support these strong and exemplary athletes.

The BWAA is proud to announce its first women’s top 10 pound-for-pound list, selected on a point system. Twice a year, in June and December, the BWAA will go public with its listings.

Topping the first list is Cecilia Braekhus, who already made history earlier this year by being named the first BWAA Female Fighter of the Year. Braekhus is followed by Amanda Serrano, Layla McCarter, Claressa Shields, Yesica Yolanda Bopp, Jelena Mrdjenovich, Delfine Persoon, Kenia Enriquez, Mariana Juarez, Daniela Bermudez and Naoko Fujioka.

Fighters from seven different countries are represented, with the United States leading the way with three fighters listed, with Argentina and Mexico having two representatives each.

BWAA Women’s Pound-for-Pound Top 10:

1. Cecilia Braekhus – Norway – 33-0

2. Amanda Serrano – Puerto Rico – 34-1-1

3. Layla McCarter – United States – 42-13-5

4. Claressa Shields – United States – 6-0

5. Yesica Yolanda Bopp – Argentina – 34-1

6. (Tie) Jelena Mrdjenovich – Canada – 38-10-2

6. (Tie) Delfine Persoon – Belgium – 41-1

6. (Tie) Kenia Enriquez – Mexico – 20-1

9. Mariana Juarez – Mexico – 49-9-4

10. (Tie) Daniela Bermudez – Argentina – 23-3-3

10. (Tie) Naoko Fujioka – Japan 17-2

OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES – Erica Anabella Farias, Christina Hammer, Ibeth Zamora Silva, Katie Taylor

NOTE – Jessica Chavez is not on this list due to pregnancy

VOTERS

David Avila – http://theprizefighters.com/

Sue Fox – http://womenboxing.com/

Thomas Gerbasi – The Ring / BoxingScene / Boxing News

http://www.bwaa.org/single-post/2018/06/26/Cecilia-Braekhus-Tops-The-BWAAs-Inaugural-Womens-Pound-For-Pound-List

Women’s #1 Pound-for-Pound Fighter in the World and Boxing’s Only Undisputed World Champion, ‘The First Lady’, Cecilia Braekhus, (33-0, 9 KO’s), defends her world titles (WBO, WBA, WBC, IBF and IBO) against Undefeated WBC Interim Junior Middleweight Champion Inna ‘The Ice Queen’ Sagaydakovskya, (7-0-0, 3 KO’s), on Saturday, July 21 at the Olympic Stadium in Moscow, Russia, it was announced today at a press conference in the Russian capital attended by both women.

Braekhus vs. Sagaydakovskya will be the chief support to the highly anticipated World Boxing Super Series Final between cruiserweight world champions Murat Gassiev of Russia and Alexander Usyk of Ukraine. The event takes place just six days after the final of the World Cup.

“I’m very excited to be here today announcing my next fight,” said Braekhus who returns to battle following a tremendous performance in a decision victory over Kali Reis on May 5, 2018 at the StubHub Center in Carson, CA which garnered the second highest TV ratings in 2018 for a boxing match shown on premium cable in the United States.

“This is a huge international event, a great event for women’s boxing. Oslo is not so far from Moscow and I believe many of my fans will be able to come to the fight.

“I want to be a global champion — I fought in Germany, in Norway, in the USA. And I will fight in Moscow now.”

“Inna is dropping down in weight but she is very strong physically and mentally. She has experience and this is not going to be easy at all. This will be a great fight.”

Said Sagaydakovskaya: ”I was waiting for this moment, finally this fight will be held. I expect to have a great training camp with my new coach Andrei Ivichuk and I expect that victory will be mine.”

“I’ve boxed on the national team for many years, I have a lot of experience – and it’s not even about who has so many fights but who is more prepared and more ready to win on July 21.”

Continued Braekhus, “I was thrilled to fight for the first time in 10 years in the United States and proud to be part of the first women’s bout on HBO and now this fight in Moscow is a new journey for me. I fought here as an amateur and look forward to fighting in front of a huge crowd of up to 30,000 on July 21 against Inna Sagaydakovskya.”

“I know that Inna is a very strong, hard-hitting fighter judging by her recent knockout of Jennifer Retzke but my trainer Johnathon Banks and I have studied her fights and we are confident of victory.”

Braekhus has opened training camp in Kiev, Ukraine where she will prepare with her trainer Johnathon Banks until leaving for fight week in Moscow.

“This year has been one of taking chances and taking different paths than I have in the past. This fight on July 21, which will be telecast worldwide, is very big not just for me but for all of women’s boxing.”

Braekhus has held all of the sanctioning body world titles in the welterweight division since defeating Ivana Habazin in September 2013.

Sagaydakovskya defeated Maria Lindberg on September 29, 2017 in Bilbao, Spain by ten-round decision to earn the vacant WBC Silver Women’s Super-Welterweight Title. In her next bout, she stopped Jennifer Retzke in the second round on December 30, 2017 in Almaty, Kazakhstan, winning the WBC Interim Women’s Super Welterweight Title.

It’s a night for the record books when HBO Sports presents WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING: GENNADY GOLOVKIN VS. VANES MARTIROSYAN AND CECILIA BRAEKHUS VS. KALI REIS, to be seen SATURDAY, MAY 5 at 11:00 p.m. (live ET/tape-delayed PT) from StubHub Center in Carson, Calif., exclusively on HBO. The HBO Sports team will call the action, which will be available in HDTV, closed-captioned for the hearing-impaired and presented in Spanish on HBO Latino. (photos by Tom Hogan/Hoganphotos).

The fights will also be available on HBO NOW, HBO GO, HBO On Demand and partners’ streaming services.

Undefeated middleweight titleholder Gennady Golovkin (37-0-1, 33 KOs) from Karaganda, Kazakhstan, now living in Los Angeles, takes on Vanes Martirosyan (36-3-1, 21 KOs) from Abovyan, Armenia, now living in Glendale, Calif., in a 12-round championship bout. Golovkin, 36, looks to defend his middleweight title successfully for the 20th time, a feat previously accomplished only by surefire Hall-of-Famer Bernard Hopkins. Despite battling Canelo Alvarez to a stirring 12-round draw last September, Golovkin boasts an astonishing 87% knockout-to-win ratio. He’s coming off back-to-back efforts against Alvarez and Daniel Jacobs, perhaps the finest opponents in the 160-pound division.

The opening bout marks the first women’s boxing match on HBO, with Cecilia Braekhus of Cartagena, Colombia (32-0, 9 KOs) meeting Kali Reis (13-6-1, 4 KOs) from Providence, RI, in a ten-round welterweight title bout. Braekhus seeks to extend her nine-year world championship reign in her 22nd consecutive title defense.

www.boxingscene.com/photos-cecilia-braekhus-kali-reis-putting-work–127745?print_friendly=1

Date:  Friday, June 9, 2017

WBO/WBA/IBF/WBC Female Welterweight Championship Title Bout

Location: Berhenhus Festning, Bergen, Norway

Promoter:    First Lady Promotions / Tom Loeffler

Supervisor:   Marion Palatin

Referee:  

Judges:  

Results:  

TV: 

(Photo by Boris Streubel/Bongarts/Getty Images)

By Per Ake Persson

Cecilia Braekhus, 31-0, retained her five – WBA, WBC, WBO, IBF and IBO – female titles tonight in Bergen, Norway, on a rainy (nothing unexpected as it almost always rains in Bergen) outdoor show with an unanimous decision over Argentinean challenger Erica Farias (24-2, 10 KOs), who is the WBC champ at 140.

The judges had it 98-92 twice and 99-9 after ten two minute rounds of boxing in a no knockdown affair.

A native of Bergen from childhood, Braekhus is universally recognized as the #1 women’s Pound-for-Pound fighter in the world.

Following the lifting of the decades long ban in Norway of professional boxing which Braekhus was instrumental in removing, she has defended her titles twice in her homeland.

On October 1, 2016, Braekhus knocked out Anne Sophie Mathis in the second round in front of a sold out crowd at The Spectrum in Oslo, Norway. Most recently she won a 10-round unanimous decision over Klara Svensson at the same venue on February 24, 2017.

Braekhus credits her dominating performances to head trainer Johnathon Banks, who also the head trainer former champion Wladimir Klitschko. 

“This training camp has been terrific with Johnathon (Banks), this is our fourth fight together and I’m continuing to learn a great deal from him. In my last three fights I’ve become much more of an aggressive fighter and he’s truly brought that out in me, more of an American and Detroit style of fighting. This is my true homecoming as I’ve lived in Bergen since the age of two,” Braekhus said.

www.boxingscene.com/cecilia-braekhus-decisions-erica-farias-retain-results–117390?print_friendly=1

By Lyle Fitzsimmons –

Don’t look now, but Norway is fast becoming a world boxing capital.

Long dormant due to a decades-long ban, the sport has been revived thanks to the efforts of unified women’s welterweight champion Cecilia Braekhus.

Braekhus is originally from Colombia but was adopted as a toddler and raised in Bergen, Norway, where she began boxing as a teenager and ultimately won 75 of 80 amateur fights prior to turning pro in 2007.

She’ll make her third appearance in Norway – and first in her hometown – when she faces Erica Farias, a once-beaten foe with world title claims in two weight classes, on Friday at the historic Bergenhus Fortress.

The 13th century structure sits at the entrance to the harbor in Bergen and could house more than 15,000 fans for the fight, which will mark Braekhus’ 20th defense of the WBC belt that she won with a unanimous decision over Vinni Skovgaard in March 2009.

She added the WBA’s title with the same victory and has since defended it 18 times.

The WBO crown came 14 months later with a defeat of Victoria Cisneros, the IBF bauble was added in September 2014 against Ivana Habazin and the IBO’s jewelry rounded out the collection – via decision against Chris Namus – in February 2016.

Braekhus made her Norwegian debut with a second-round TKO of Anne Sophie Mathis last October in Oslo. Her first professional appearance there came after she worked with political leaders to lift a domestic boxing ban that had stood since 1981.

“I have to give a special thanks to the prime minister of Norway, Erna Solberg, who has been so very supportive of my work and played a huge role towards lifting the ban in Norway that allowed me to fight here,” Braekhus said.

She had fought in Switzerland, Belgium, Germany, Finland and Denmark before bringing her act to back home.

“I’ve fought all over Europe but it was always my dream to fight in Norway, this is my home and it meant so much to me on Saturday to see the huge crowd and know how much it meant to so many people in this country,” Braekhus said. “The entire fight week truly exceeded my expectations, everywhere I went the response from fans and media was incredible.”

More than a quarter of the 4 million people residing in Norway tuned in to the fight on TV3, making it the second-most watched program in the station’s history.

The champion returned to The Spectrum for a unanimous decision defeat of Klara Svensson on Feb. 24.

Braekhus is preparing for the Farias fight in Spain, where’s she’s working for the fourth time with Johnathon Banks, a former IBO cruiserweight champion who’s worked for many years with longtime heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko.

Banks was 29-3-1 with 19 KOs in a pro career that stretched from 2004 to 2014. He won the cruiserweight title by decision over Vincenzo Rossitto in 2008 before losing it to Tomasz Adamek.

“This training camp has been terrific with Johnathon. I’m continuing to learn a great deal from him,” Braekhus said. “In my last three fights I’ve become much more of an aggressive fighter and he’s truly brought that out in me, more of an American and Detroit style of fighting.”

Farias, 32, has scored 10 KOs while winning 24 of 25 fights in a career that began in 2009.

She staked her first WBC title claim at 135 pounds in 2011, then moved to 140 after losing the championship in 2014. A second WBC belt came in 2015 following a defeat of the aforementioned Svensson, and she’s since made two successful defenses.

The Braekhus fight will be her first as a full-fledged welterweight. The champion has a three-inch height advantage and has fought exclusively in the 147-pound class.

Advantages notwithstanding, Braekhus has no intention of overlooking the task at hand.

“Erica Farias is the toughest opponent of my career,” she said. “She’s moving up from the junior welterweight division where she’s the WBC champion and one of the best fighters in the division. I know Farias is coming for all my belts and I’m up to the challenge. No way I won’t be ready.”

www.boxingscene.com/cecilia-braekhus-ready-gala-norwegian-homecoming–117273?print_friendly=1

slo, Norway (January 23, 2017). First Lady Promotions has postponed the highly anticipated battle between Consensus #1 Women’s Pound-for-Pound Fighter in the World and Undisputed Welterweight World Champion, CECILIA BRAEKHUS, (29-0-0, 8 KO’s) and Mandatory Challenger KLARA SVENSSON, (17-1-0, 5 KO’s) scheduled for this Saturday, January 28 to the new date of Friday, February 24.

Braekhus, holder of the WBC, WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO World Titles has been hit with the flu which will require a period of rest before the resumption of a full training schedule.

“I was in the best shape of my life before I got knocked out by the flu. This is the worst that can happen to a fighter so close to battle, but health and safety comes first of course,” said Cecilia Brækhus.

The entire event, planned for another sold-out night at the Oslo Spektrum, will now take place on Friday, February 24 with all tickets being honored for the new date.

Through Braekhus’ extensive lobbying work over the last several years, Norway lifted their 33-year ban on professional boxing in 2015. On October 1, 2016, Braekhus was finally able to fight in her home country, knocking out Anne Sophie Mathis in the second round, a national event that captivated the entire country.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Cecilia Braekhus
Twitter – @1LadyCecilia
Facebook – CeciliaBraekhus
Instagram — CeciliaBraekhus

Klara Svensson
Twitter– @KlaraCosmetic
Facebook – Klara.Svensson.1253
Instagram — KlaraSwedishPrincess

Cecilia Braekhus vs. Klara Svensson postponed until February 24

Date:  Saturday, January 28, 2017

WBO Female Welterweight Championship Title Bout

Location: The Spectrum, Oslo

Promoter: FIRST LADY PROMOTION AS/MORTEN ANDREASSEN

Supervisor: MARION PALATIN

Referee: MASSIMO BARROVECCHIO (WBC)

Judges:FABIAN GUGGENHEIM (WBC), PREDRAG ALEKSIC (WBC), ROBIN DOLPIERRE  (WBC)

Results:

TV:

Four weeks before the historical bout in Oslo, Norway, the two participants met media and fans at The Thief Hotel. Despite the fact that Anne Sophie Mathis is by many considered to be “the female Mike Tyson” Cecilia Braekhus came out offensively.

“One of us going down in Oslo. And it will not be me,” said Braekhus. The Colombian-born Norwegian goes “all in” and puts her five  titles at stake (WBA, WBC, WBO, IBF and IBO) when facing French fighter Anne Sophie Mathis on October 1st.

The fight has raised an enormous interest in Norway, and is also considered one of the biggest female fights in the history of boxing. The fight will be the first one on Norwegian soil since 1981, after Norway lifted the ban against professional boxing three years ago.

Mathis stands with a record of 27-3, and an impressive KO-rate of 72 %. Only four of her victories has come by points, while 23 of her opponents didn’t make it to the final rounds.

“Many reckon me as ‘the female Mike Tyson,’ and there is a reason for that. Cecilia Braekhus is an intelligent boxer, but I am stronger than what you expect,” said Mathis, who refused to share any other details from her training. She has previously stated that she will not make the same mistakes this time as she felt she did the last time the two fighters met in 2012. All judges had it 97-93 to Braekhus.

When asked about what she will do different this time, the French KO-specialist just answered briefly: You will see it when I am in the ring.

Said Brakehus when asked about her preparations:

Sparring starts next week. My last opponent Chris Namus will fly down to our camp in Spain to help out the last weeks. The camp has been great, and I feel better than ever. I have build some solid muscles and is faster, more explosive and better than ever. I am very confident and I have no problems handling the pressure. I rise to these occasions. These are the kind of fights that any boxer dream of.

www.boxingscene.com/photos-cecilia-braekhus-anne-sophie-mathis-go-face-face–108446?print_friendly=1

(Photo Credit: Photo Wende)

Cecilia Brækhus (27-0, 7 KOs) retained her WBC, WBA, WBO & IBF Female World Welterweight titles with a unanimous points victory over IBF mandatory challenger Jennifer Reztke (15-1-2, 9 KOs) at the Falconer Hall, at the Radisson Blu in Copenhagen.

Brækhus once again proved why she is the pound-for-pound number one with a dominant display against her German opponent. ‘The First Lady’ started strongly and looked likely to stop Retzke before injuring her foot in the third-round. Despite the injury, Brækhus fought on to claim a clear victory, with the judges scoring the fight 100-90, 100-90 & 98-92.

‘’I would like to thank all the fans that travelled to Copenhagen to support me,’’ said Brækhus. ‘’I thought I could have got the stoppage but I injured my foot and had to adjust my tactics. I was unlucky, but fortunately the injury doesn’t appear to be serious. Retzke was a tough opponent but I think I showed, even with one foot, that I’m a class above.’’

Said promoter Nisse Sauerland: ‘’This was an entertaining fight and a great advert for women’s boxing. Cecilia continues to impress, she seems to get better and better with every fight. Full credit to Retzke, she came to fight, but was ultimately outclassed by Cecilia, who must now be considered the greatest female boxer of all time.’’

Tim-Robin Lihaug (9-1, 5 KOs) captured the vacant WBO Youth World title in an entertaining battle with George Beroshvili (14-4-2, 7 KO).

‘’I felt that I was always in control of the fight,’’ said Lihaug. ‘’Beroshvili is a good boxer so I couldn’t afford to make any mistakes. I had to keep calm and stick to my game plan, and that’s exactly what I did. It is a great honour to win the youth world title. This is the beginning of my journey to become a world champion!’’

http://www.sauerlandpromotion.com/news/br-khus-retains-titles-lihaug-hagen-and-havnaa-win/