The Pre-Wrap: Cecilia Braekhus vs Kali Reis
Santa Monica, (May 1, 2018)- Of all the champions in boxing garnering hoopla during the sports biggest weekend, only one is undisputed.
Cecilia Breakhus.
Boxing’s only current undisputed champion the “First Lady” is breaking a barrier this weekend becoming the first female fighter to perform as co-main event and televised on boxing staple HBO. Braekhus (32-0 9KO’s) steps into her 23rd title fight against Rhode Island’s Kali Reis (13-6-1 4KO’s).
“I’m a three time world champion too. I’m the former middleweight champion of the world, she ain’t getting no easy fight” said Reis today to the gathered media at the Wild Card West Boxing Gym in Santa Monica.
“She’s big” said Braekhus “she was the champion at middleweight and is coming down to welterweight, she wants what I have and I have to be at my best to stop her.”
Braekhus has been a world champion for nine years and has already headlined big fights on television in Europe and her home country of Norway. “In Europe in general its pretty advanced we have girls fighting in big arenas on main cards. Not only in Europe but also in Russia, Latin America, and Mexico”
The US has warmed in the past few years to women’s boxing. Not since the days of knockout machine Christy Martin who was inducted into the National Boxing Hall of Fame this weekend has there been such an interest in the female divisions.
Two-time Olympic gold medalist Claressa Shields has re-opened doors to women’s boxing in America bringing big attention from sponsors and advertisers. Shields became the first woman in America to headline a televised card on Showtime earlier this year.
On the prospect of contributing to the highly publicized and often politicized women’s movement in the states Braekhus only commented.
“Hopefully we can break some more barriers here in America”
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