Terri Harper To Defend WBA Title Against Cecilia Braekhus In Rescheduled Bout

Terri Harper will defend her WBA junior middleweight title against Cecilia Braekhus in a rescheduled bout from May that Braekhus had to pull out. The new date for the bout will be on October 7 in Sheffield, England, 

Harper was knocked out by Alycia Baumgardner in 2021. Harper now 26, was the WBC junior lightweight champion, Harper (14-1-1, 6 KOs) has won her last three fights. Since that fight, Harper has moved up two weight divisions: first to junior middleweight, where she defeated Hannah Rankin for the WBA title, and then to lightweight, where she defeated Habazin.

Braekhus, 41, is a two-time junior middleweight champion and former world champion based on pound-for-pound rankings. After holding at least one of the four main welterweight championships from 2009 to 2020, when she lost to Jessica McCaskill by majority decision, Braekhus (37-2, 9 KOs) is attempting to capture a world title in a different weight class. She fought at junior middleweight after losing to McCaskill by unanimous decision in a rematch.

"It would have been a shame for it to never happen," said Harper in media reports.

"Looking back, this experience has made me a stronger fighter with even more experience now gained," said Harper in media reports.

"Cecilia is an icon of the sport and has already done everything I want to achieve," said Harper in media reports.

"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," said Harper in media reports. 

The fight will take place at the Utilita Arena on the undercard of Leigh Wood vs. Josh Warrington's WBA featherweight title contest.

(Additional reporting provided by Joseph Hammond)