Undisputed female welterweight champion Jessica McCaskill will defend her WBA/WBC/IBF/WBO titles 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.
Brækhus suffered her first career defeat in Tulsa and that loss prevented the Norwegian from breaking Joe Louis’ 72 year record of 25 consecutive world title defenses. She had hinted at retirement in her post-fight interview.
“That’s the fastest retirement I’ve ever seen in boxing history – she’s back!” said McCaskill.
No surprise she made an immediate emotional decision she had to go back and change her mind on. Go figures…
Looks to me like CB overtrained a bit. She looked flat and didn’t seem to employ her bread & butter..1-2 slide out and uppercuts versus a woman in Jessica who lacks fundamentals and fights with reckless abandon! I’ll give it to Jess in that she has great conditioning, but damn she is hard to watch!!!
I had her winning a close fight, but I do not see her getting better at her age. I think she loses the rematch.
I am glad she is getting the rematch, she was a great champion and deserves the chance to avenge the loss.
She has looked paler compared to her younger self in recent matches. Hunting that record probably. She almost did it. Now when her record is not perfect why not try to get revenge? She is not the first great champion to try and I dearly hope she stops with this fight and call it a career. I will remember her as one of the best ever pound for pound.