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Harper Battles Former P4P No. 1 Braekhus For WBA
& WBO 154 lbs. World Titles In Sheffield On Oct. 7
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 defence against Josh Warrington at
the Utilita Arena Sheffield on Saturday October 7, live
worldwide on 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 154lbs 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 147lbs, 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!"
Matchroom Fight Pass members will be able to purchase
tickets from 10am on Thursday August 3. Priority ticket info
will be emailed directly to eligible members ahead of the
on-sale time.
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