Cecilia Braekhus Retires Victoriously, Leaving an Unforgettable Legacy
The undisputed former welterweight champion, Cecilia Braekhus, has brought her successful boxing career to a triumphant end. Braekhus (39-2-1, 9 KOs) defeated Ema Kozin (24-2-1, 12 KOs) by unanimous decision on Saturday, securing the WBC and WBO junior middleweight world titles at the Nova Spektrum in Norway, her home country. The judges scored the fight 97-93, 96-94 and 98-92 in favor of Braekhus, who becomes champion in a second weight category. At 44 years old, Braekhus had announced that this fight would be her farewell to professional boxing, although she proved that she still had a lot to offer in the ring. Kozin started with impetus, but the experienced Braekhus soon found her rhythm, punishing the body and head of her Slovenian opponent. Kozin, whose only previous defeat was against Claressa Shields, had difficulty deciphering Braekhus, receiving combinations in front of a crowd of 3,000 spectators who supported their compatriot.Braekhus debuted in 2007 and is considered an inspiration for many women in boxing. She played a crucial role in the revocation of the 33-year ban on professional boxing in Norway in 2014. In addition, she remained undefeated for 12 years and held the WBC and WBA welterweight titles for a Guinness World Record of 11 years and 154 days, from March 14, 2009 to August 15, 2020.“I want to thank the boxing community around the world, my friends in England, Los Angeles, everyone. I am very happy,” Braekhus declared after the fight.
Cecilia Braekhus
