LAS VEGAS — Cecilia Braekhus was supposed to be fighting for a junior middleweight world title this weekend. But when Ema Kozin was unable to travel to the United States, Braekhus needed another opponent.
Someone familiar stepped in: Maricela Cornejo.
“It’s going to be an honor to share the ring with ‘The First Lady’ Cecilia Braekhus. I’ve known her a while. We’re friends,” Cornejo said at Thursday’s press conference for Saturday’s show featuring Vergil Ortiz vs. Serhii Bohachuk in the main event. Braekhus-Cornejo will be part of the preliminary broadcast streaming for free on Golden Boy Promotions’ YouTube page.
“It’s going to be a great night. I’m excited to share the ring with her. I know both of us are going to come out fighting for all the marbles,” Cornejo said. We worked together in camp. We’re familiar with each other. But I know she’s only improved, and so have I. […] I’m excited to put on a great show and walk away with the win.”
Braekhus was long considered one of the best female boxers in the world. She picked up a pair of vacant world titles at welterweight in 2009, added another vacant belt in 2010, and took the fourth from Ivana Habazin in 2014. By the time Braekhus’ reign ended in 2020, she had made 25 successful title defenses in a row, including 10 successful defenses as the undisputed champion. Over the course of her career, Braekhus also helped get boxing legalized in her home country of Norway.
But her reign came to an end in 2020 with a majority decision loss to Jessica McCaskill. And McCaskill won their rematch in 2021, this time by unanimous decision. After some time off, Braekhus returned in 2022 as a junior middleweight, outpointing Marisa Joana Portillo. Last October, Braekhus fought to a majority draw with WBA titleholder Terri Harper. Braekhus is 37-2-1 (9 KOs).
She was supposed to take on Kozin for the WBC and WBO titles. Instead, the winner of Braekhus vs. Cornejo picks up the interim WBC world title and will be in line to challenge Kozin.
“Kozin had some issues. It wasn’t that they wouldn’t approve her for the visa [to enter the United States]. It was the timing,” Loeffler said. “She thought she could get the visa over there in Slovenia, but then when she wasn’t able to get it on her own, then we had to apply over here in the States, and the timing got too short. With more time she could probably come over here, but Cecilia has fought in Europe so many times, I think she could definitely go back over there and do another huge fight in her home country.”
Braekhus is grateful for Cornejo stepping in on short notice. Cornejo is 19-6 (7 KOs) and has won three straight since a 2023 decision loss to Claressa Shields.
“You are an absolute hero for this,” Braekhus said Thursday, before turning back to those in attendance. “We have been training partners. We are friends. Don’t let that fool you. On Saturday, we’re both coming for that belt. I’m very excited. It’s going to be a great fight. Don’t miss it.”
Braekhus turns 43 in September. She’s been fighting professionally since 2007. Loeffler says Braekhus still has more she wants to achieve.
“She’s accomplished everything in boxing. So many title defenses. Filling up 10,000-seat arenas in Norway. Being the first female fighter to break the glass ceiling on HBO. She’s 42 years old and she’s convinced that she can win another world title, and this is a step in that direction, fighting Maricela. Maricela wasn’t handpicked. It just happened to be that she was willing to take the fight on basically 10 days notice. It’s a very tough fight. Some people think that might be a harder matchup than fighting Ema Kozin.”
Follow David Greisman on Twitter @FightingWords2. His book, “Fighting Words: The Heart and Heartbreak of Boxing,” is available on Amazon.
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