Braekhus vs Cornejo Predictions: ‘First Lady’ launches one last campaign

Living legend Cecilia Braekhus returns to the ring this Saturday, August 10 to take on Maricela Cornejo. The vacant WBC interim super welterweight championship will be on the line at the Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas. The former Mandalay Bay Events Center plays host to a card headlined by Vergil Ortiz Jr. vs Serhii Bohachuk. DAZN will screen a great night of fights.

Here are my Braekhus vs Cornejo predictions ahead of this super welterweight 10-rounder.

Cornejo steps into this one as a late replacement, after WBC and WBO champion Ema Kozin pulled out due to visa issues. Braekhus will be frustrated that an opportunity to add to her packed cabinet of genuine world titles will have to wait. But the interim WBC trinket available here will at least put a belated Kozin fight on track.

Braekhus is a true first-ballot Hall of Famer. The first four-belt undisputed champion in women’s boxing history; the Norwegian hero also holds the record for the longest world title reign by a female boxer. 

Braekhus held the WBC and WBA welterweight titles for over 11 years, making a staggering 25 defences. This equalled the record set by the great ‘Brown Bomber’ Joe Louis seven decades ago. Louis is also the only boxer in history to hold a world title longer than Braekhus, with the heavyweight legend ruling his division for a mere three months longer than the ‘First Lady’.

Given her astonishing career achievements, it is a crying shame that Braekhus’ name is not uttered as often as it should be. In an era where Katie Taylor, Claressa Shields and Amanda Serrano are rightly held up as trailblazers and icons, surely there is room for Braekhus’ face on this figurative Mount Rushmore?

Were it not for Jessica McCaskill, even the great Louis’ name would sit one rung below Braekhus, in one metric at least. It was ‘CasKILLA’ who snapped the Norwegian’s streak at 25 title defences, winning the undisputed welterweight championship from our subject back in 2020. 

Braekhus tried to avenge that majority decision defeat in a rematch the following year. But McCaskill outpointed her again, this time unanimously. It appeared that the era of the ‘First Lady’ might be at an end.

21 months out of the ring followed, leading to speculation the legend might call it quits. Braekhus had retired in the immediate aftermath of the first McCaskill fight, before reversing her decision. But Braekhus returned once more, scoring a six-round points win over journeywoman Marisa Portillo.

This exercise in cobweb-removal gave way to another title shot, as Braekhus clashed with Britain’s Terri Harper for the WBA and WBO super welterweight titles. A 10-round draw showed that Braekhus still had what it takes to compete at world level. It also showed that she was no longer the fighter she once was.

Kozin would have been a robust test of that theory. The reigning WBC and WBO world champion is coming off an upset win over Hannah Rankin in her opponent’s home country. Kozin has also held world championships at middleweight and would have thoroughly stretched Braekhus.

Cornejo is a decent replacement at this sort of notice. She holds solid recent wins over the likes of Kandi Wyatt and Cynthia Lozano. But ‘La Diva’ has usually been found wanting at a higher level. Cornejo has lost to Claressa Shields, Franchon Crews Dezurn and Kali Reis amongst others.

But that experience against some of boxing’s biggest names will stand her in good stead. She is unlikely to be fazed by facing Braekhus. Competing against the elite is something Cornejo is used to. Beating them, however, is not.

Braekhus may have caught a break here. She gets a run-out in a winnable fight and a chance to bank valuable rounds before facing Kozin. Considering the fact this is just her third fight in three years, that is perhaps a better scenario than an immediate Kozin bout.

Braekhus vs Cornejo Fight Odds

Braekhus is your favourite at odds of 4/5. You can get 1/1 on an upset win for Cornejo. The draw is a 14/1 shot.

Braekhus vs Cornejo Full Card

Vergil Ortiz Jr. vs. Serhii Bohachuk; For Bohachuk's interim WBC world super welterweight title Charles Conwell vs. Khiary Gray; Super welterweight 

Kenneth Sims Jr. vs. Jair Valtierra; Super lightweight 

Gabriela Fundora vs. Daniela Ansenjo; For Fundora's IBF women's world flyweight title 

Joel Iriarte vs. TBA; Welterweight 

Maricela Cornejo vs. Cecelia Braekhus; WBA women’s interim super welterweight

Eric Priest vs. Luka Lozo; Middleweight 

Johnny Canas vs. TBA; Lightweight 

Jordan Fuentes vs. James Mulder; Super bantamweight 

Figo Gonzalez vs. Jose Gonzalez; Bantamweight Jennah Creason vs. Kelsey Wickstrum; Women's welterweight

Braekhus vs Cornejo Prediction

I do think that Braekhus is coming to the end of what has been a wonderful road. Not exactly groundbreaking thinking considering the ‘First Lady’ is 42 now and has won one of her last four fights.

But with that being said, I do think the Norwegian icon has enough left to negotiate this test. It might be heavy going at times, but I think she will prevail on points. I’m picking Braekhus by decision at 6/5.

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