STOCKHOLM, (Reuters) – Cecilia Braekhus will look to reclaim the five world titles she lost in a shock loss by Jessica McCaskill in August last year when the two meet in a rematch in Dallas, Texas this evening as their fight for equality in boxing go ahead.
The 39-year-old hinted at his retirement following that welterweight loss. But several months spent running a home in Norway and a seven-week camp in the US have provoked her to re-conquer a sport she has dominated since becoming a pro in 2007.
“I feel great, this is a completely different situation, I’ve had a normal camp and I haven’t had all these other things happen. I’m happy now and I’m looking forward to Saturday, ”he told Reuters in a telephone interview.
McCaskill, a Chicago investment banker who spent some time homeless as a child, drew the biggest win of her career when Braekhus edged on the judges’ scorecards to give Norway its first professional loss and take its WBA, WBC, IBF titles, WBO and IBO.
“It was a very special situation, I was stuck in a training camp when the pandemic (COVID-19) broke out, so I hadn’t seen my friends and family for about six months. Around that time I was just worried about going back to see them and getting home and being with my people, ”Braekhus remembered.
“My head was definitely not in the right place, and I was also struggling with guilt – I took the choice to stay and train, rather than go home to look at them, so there was a lot of other things happening outside what happens in the circle. ”
Braekhus said the sport has changed a lot since she won her first world titles in 2009, with women now able to earn much more, but added that there is still a long way to go to achieve equality.
“Promotion is the key. He needs to be a good opponent, with good marketing and promotion behind him, ”he said. “This is up to the promoters and the TV.
“We can do what we do on social media and different things, but without the promoters and TV behind us, it doesn’t matter that much.”
Braekhus claims that boxing could learn from the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) mixed martial arts organization in terms of marketing female fighters.
“We have to be honest, the guys (when boxing) are definitely pushed more, even when they have female fighters like Claressa Shields.
“The UFC, you’ve seen what they’ve done with their female fighters like Ronda Rousey and Holly Holm – I’d say the UFC is a very good measure for how it should be with promotion,” said Braekhus, adding that she had done so no plans to switch to MMA.
When she enters the ring today, Braekhus says she does it for only herself.
“My legacy is already done, it’s already written. This is just me – I need to get my belts back, ”he said.