Photos: Cecilia Braekhus Press Conference in Oslo

Today in Norway, WBA, WBC & WBO Female Welterweight Champion Cecilia Braekhus kicked off fight week with a crowded press conference at the Viasat offices in Oslo. The pound-for-pound number one faces Myriam Lamare on Saturday night at the Nordic Fight Night in Frederikshavn.

”I’m really looking forward to this fight,” said Braekhus. ”I haven’t been in the ring for a while so I’m excited to be back and facing such a quality opponent. It will be a great way to start the year!     ”Since my last fight I have been working with a new trainer Otto Ramin. Although I was sad to leave my old team, it has been good to be able to train with someone who is able to focus on me full time.

”I am expecting a very tough fight. Lamare is fit and hungry. She has said that she has been studying all of my fights, and I hear she is arriving early and bringing her own chef, so she is definitely coming to Frederikshavn to win.   ”I feel good! My training has gone very well. I am in a new and exciting position with a new team around me. I am looking forward to a great fight against a tough opponent.”

Braekhus was joined on the podium by her new coach Otto Ramin and promoter Nisse Sauerland.

Said Ramin: ”It has been fun to work with Cecilia. She loves boxing, she is extremely professional and she is dedicated to learning new things and getting better. She is a three-time world champion for a reason, she is the best in the world but I believe she can still improve. We’ve been focusing on her strengths – her great technical and tactical skills – and we’re keen to make her even better.”

Said Sauerland: ”Lamare is possibly the toughest opponent out there for Cecilia at the moment. She is an experienced fighter and a proven champion. There is no doubt that she is taking this fight seriously. She will be staying in a separate flat away from the city to avoid distractions and is even bringing her own chef. This will be an interesting test for the ‘First Lady’.”

Braekhus vs. Lamare tops an action packed Nordic Fight Night bill at the Arena Nord in Frederikshavn. The show will be broadcast live on Viasat 4 from 19.30-00.30. Tickets are available via arenanord.dk.

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By:  Sauerland Promotion –

In the Norwegian main event of the evening, WBA, WBO & WBC Female Welterweight Champion Cecilia Braekhus (23-0, 7 KOs) confirmed her pound-for-pound number one rating with an impressive ninth-round TKO victory over previously unbeaten Oxandia Castillo (12-1, 9 KO). The WBO Female Light Middleweight Champion started out aggressively, but Braekhus took control early, cleverly outboxing her 18-year-old opponent. Soon she stamped her authority on the battle and picked Castillo apart with one-two punches – much to the delight of the many Norwegian fans in attendance. In the ninth, the referee eventually stepped in to save Castillo from further punishment.

“She should not have taken my belts after the press conference,” Braekhus said. “They are mine and mine alone. But let me add one thing: Oxandia is extremely talented and I am sure that she will be the pound-for-pound number one in a few years when I am retired. It was an extremely tough fight, she was very good, but I am happy I defeated her.”

Said Castillo: “I want to congratulate Cecilia, she is the best in the world and she deserved to win tonight.”

Said Sauerland: “Cecilia is the pound-for-pound number one and she once again proved that tonight.”

http://www.eastsideboxing.com/2013/nielsen-dominates-majewski-p4p1-braekhus-stops-castillo/

The first meeting between WBA, WBC and WBO Female Welterweight Champion Cecilia Braekhus (22-0, 6 KOs), the pound-for-pound number one, and WBO Light Middleweight Champion Oxandia Castillo (12-0, 9 KOs) came to a dramatic conclusion on Thursday afternoon. While the First Lady was giving interviews after the final press conference, Castillo grabbed the three belts and posed for pictures with them. “They will be mine on Saturday, I will take them home,” she said.

The clash of unbeaten champions at Arena Nord in Frederikshavn, Denmark is just two days away. “She should not have taken my belts, I am not happy about it,” Braekhus said. “I have never seen anyone do that before. Anyway, it´s the closest she will get to them. She will never touch them again. I will defend them on Saturday and take them back home with me.”

When promoter Nisse Sauerland heard about the happenings, he was shocked by the “disrespectful behaviour” of the 18-year-old.

“It is a big insult to take the belts,” Sauerland stated. “You have to earn the belts, you cannot just take them. Oxandia crossed a line and Cecilia will make her pay for it on Saturday night.”

On Saturday, Braekhus can once again be counting on the ferocious support from Norwegian and Danish fans. “The support in Frederikshavn has always been fantastic and we will put on a great fight on Saturday,” she stated. “It´s something special to fight here.”

Castillo is unimpressed by the prospect of entering an arena packed with a hostile crowd. “That´s no problem for me. When I knocked out Hanna Gabriel, I had no support either. I will be at my best on Saturday and win the titles.”

In the Danish main event, WBA Intercontinental Middleweight Champion Patrick (19-0, 9 KOs) Nielsen takes on Patrick Majewski (21-1, 13 KOs). The WBO Intercontinental Title will also be at stake. The Nordic Fight Night will be broadcast live across Scandinavia on the Viasat channels.

http://www.eastsideboxing.com/2013/castillo-steals-braekhuss-belts-at-press-conference-sauerland-disrespectful/

The Nordic Fight Night will return to Frederikshavn´s Arena Nord on Saturday, September 7. WBA, WBC & WBO Female Welterweight Champion Cecilia Braekhus (22-0, 6 KOs) will headline against an opponent to be confirmed shortly. “It´s great to be fighting in Frederikshavn again,” the First Lady said. “The support has been phenomenal and I look forward to coming back.”
Braekhus has previously clinched two big victories in Frederikshavn. Last September, she defeated Anne-Sophie Mathis in the women´s fight of the year. In April, she stopped Mia St. John. “The victory over Mathis was one of the highlights of my career, and the atmosphere the Norwegian fans created was unforgettable. September 7 will be no different as I plan to celebrate another big win in front of a Norwegian home crowd.”

Said promoter Nisse Sauerland: “We are close to finalising a deal with Cecilia´s opponent and we will make an announcement as soon as everything is signed. All I can say at this time is that it will be an exciting fight which will push Cecilia to the limit. On top of that, we will once again present the very best of Danish, Norwegian and Swedish boxing.”

Undefeated Norwegian youngster Simeen Smaadal (6-0, 2 KOs) will also be in action. Tickets are on sale at www.arenanord.dk.

http://www.boxingscene.com/cecilia-braekhus-tops-sept-7th-card-arena-nord–66901