Tag: Women’s Boxing

Good, bad, worse: Cecilia Braekhus picture of grace after greatest disappointment

Cecilia Braekhus will be remembered as one of the best woman fighters ever and, more important to her, a wonderful ambassador for boxing.

GOOD

Jessica McCaskill’s upset of Cecilia Braekhus could’ve fallen into the “bad” category here because it’s always sad to see a legend fall, but Braekhus wouldn’t want that.

First, McCaskill deserves all the accolades that are coming her way. She overcame a horrendous childhood to become a successful boxer. She lost her first title fight to lightweight champ Katie Taylor in 2017 but bounced back to reign as a junior welterweight titleholder.

And on Saturday she fought with fire and skill to take down the previously unbeaten “First Lady” of boxing by a majority decision, thus assuming an important position in women’s boxing history.

Immediately afterward, Braekhus was asked whether she thought she had done enough to get the decision but she would have none of it. She didn’t want to detract from McCaskill’s glory or shed negative light on women’s boxing.

“I don’t want to talk about that right now,” she said. “I want to congratulate Jessica, she really wanted it. She did a great match. I am proud and happy to pass the torch to her. I have to say, I am so proud to be part of women’s boxing right now.

“If this is my last fight, I am proud that I was part of taking women’s boxing to this level. That will be my biggest achievement.”

Braekhus (36-1, 9 KOs) will be remembered as one of the greatest woman fighters of all time – she made her 26th title defense on Saturday – and, more important to her, a wonderful ambassador for the sport.

Claressa Shields, the two-time Olympic champion and rising professional star, echoed the thoughts of everyone who watched Braekhus’ post-fight interview when she tweeted:

“Damn [Cecilia], you are classy!” What a champion. Gracious in defeat as you are in winning. That speech just made me tear up. Good role model for women’s boxing.”

Amen.

 

BAD

David Benavidez committed a cardinal sin: He failed to make weight for his fight against Roamer Alexis Angulo on Saturday in Uncasville, Conn., which cost him his super middleweight title and a lot of respect.

I think it’s reasonable to cut him a little bit of slack because of the coronavirus pandemic and give him credit for acknowledging his mistake. Still, it’s inexcusable.

Benavidez should’ve been celebrating a dominating victory over Angulo in his first title defense immediately after his 10th-round stoppage. Instead, after the fight, he was still answering questions about the fact he came in 2.8 pounds overweight.

And remember: This was the second time he lost his title on the scale. He was stripped of the same belt after testing positive for cocaine in 2018.

Let’s hope that Benavidez, 23, continues to grow as a professional boxer and a man because he has a hell of a future in the sport, as we saw once again on Saturday night at the Mohegan Sun bubble.

The Phoenix fighter delivered a horrific beating, starting with his long, hard jab and ending with crazy combinations to all parts of Angulo’s body. Angulo’s trainer was wise – and merciful – to end the assault after the 10th round. Angulo didn’t complain.

Benavidez is one of the most-dominating fighters in the world, not just at 168 pounds but pound-for-pound. And, being so young, he’s only going to get better.

I can’t see any super middleweight beating him, including titleholder Caleb Plant. And I think there might a be reason why Canelo Alvarez never reached out to Benavidez in his search for his next opponent when everyone else near the weight seemed to get a call.

I wouldn’t pick Benavidez to beat Alvarez, at least not now. However, that could change in the next year or two.

All Benavidez has to do is stay focused, work hard and, for God’s sake, make weight.

 

WORSE

I still don’t understand the thought process of referee Gary Ritter and other Oklahoma officials during the Israil Madrimov-Eric Walker fight on the Cecilia Braekhus-Jessica McCaskill card.

In the ninth round, Madrimov, a gifted, physically imposing junior middleweight prospect, landed a hard left hand to Walker’s head and Madrimov’s momentum carried him into Walker as he went down.

Ritter ruled that it wasn’t a knockdown because it was Madrimov’s body, not the punch, that put him on the canvas. It seemed clear live and on replays that the punch caused the knockdown but, OK, that’s what Ritter saw from his line of vision.

What followed was a bigger problem. Walker was badly hurt as he lay on the canvas for almost a minute, definitely in no condition to continue fighting. He managed to get to his feet but staggered and fell again, an unmistakable sign that it was over.

And then it wasn’t. Walker was allowed to continue and took undue punishment the remainder of the 12-round fight.

Someone – Walker’s cornermen, the referee, the ring doctor, a commission official, anyone – should’ve jumped in when he was down and struggling and said, “No, no, no. That’s it. He can’t go on.” No one did.

“It was over,” Hall of Famer referee Steve Smoger told SI.com. “There was no recovering. When you are hit like a shot like that, you’re done. When you see someone [lying] like that, you stop the fight.”

Where was the common sense? Where was the compassion? Once again, boxing needs to a better job in protecting its fighters