Boxing
Cecilia Braekhus vs. Jessica McCaskill new main event of Matchroom's Tulsa card
The women's welterweight title fight between undisputed champion Cecilia Braekhus and super lightweight champion Jessica McCaskill is the new main event for Matchroom Boxing's Aug. 15 card from the streets of Tulsa, Okla., and live on DAZN, Matchroom Boxing USA announced Wednesday.
The bout was elevated to take the place of the WBC flyweight championship bout between Julio Cesar Martinez and McWilliams Arroyo, which was postponed after Martinez developed an illness not related to COVID-19.
Braekhus (36-0, nine KOs) has been a champion for more than 11 years since winning the WBA and WBC belts in March 2009. McCaskill (8-2, three KOs) holds the WBA and WBC super lightweight titles.
"Braekhus-McCaskill is a fight fit to top any bill and while it's sad to lose (Martinez) from the show, Cecilia and Jessica more than deserve their spot as the main event — especially at a time when women's boxing is on fire and in the spotlight," Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn said in a press release. Hearn added that the winner would be looking to take on the winner of the Aug. 22 Katie Taylor-Delfine Persoon lightweight title rematch.
Matchroom added a super welterweight fight between undefeated Israil Madrimov and Eric Walker to replace Martinez-McWilliams on the card. Madrimov is 5-0 with five KOs; Walker is 20-2 with nine KOs.
"I'm very excited to fight on Aug. 15 against such a formidable opponent in Eric Walker," Madrimov said.
Promoter Lou DiBella said Walker "is a legitimate 154-pound contender and will be the best fighter that Israil Madrimov has ever faced."
Matchroom will conduct the card at E. 5th Street and S. Boston Avenue in downtown Tulsa. The ring will be set up in the intersection. Hearn said in the initial announcement of the card that Matchroom was taking championship boxing to the streets for its return to the U.S.
