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Still no word on Luke Campbell vs. Javier Fortuna, but two intriguing fights have joined the April 17th Regis Prograis-Maurice Hooker card. Eddie Hearn confirmed a clash between undisputed welterweight champion Cecilia Braekhus and unified super lightweight champion Jessica McCaskill, while Mike Coppinger reports that 2016 Olympic gold medalist Daniyar Yeleussinov will take a step up against former super lightweight champion Julius Indongo.
All set for the #PrograisHooker card @1LadyCecilia v @jaydi_mac for the undisputed Welterweight World Championship! @dazn_usa @mgmnationalharbor pic.twitter.com/HOilsSWHVh
— Eddie Hearn (@EddieHearn) February 28, 2020
Boxing’s “First Lady “ (36-0, 9 KO) remains undaunted at 38 years old, though her recent move from Europe to the international scene hasn’t been without its bumps. She had to get up from a career-first knockdown to beat Kali Reis in her U.S. debut, but was characteristically dominant when she headlined the final HBO Boxing event in 2018 and when she made her Matchroom debut in November.
McCaskill (8-2, 3 KO) fell to Katie Taylor in her first bid at gold back in 2017, then moved up to 140 to take the WBC belt from Erica Farias. She would add the WBA belt to her collection with a decision over another Argentinian in Anahi Esther Sanchez before gritting her way past Farias in a rematch last October.
Yeleussinov (9-0, 5 KO) was a terrific amateur, claiming wins over the likes of Jamel Herring, Josh Taylor, and 2012 bronze medalist Vincenzo Magiacapre during his time in the unpaid ranks. The 28-year-old “Kazakh Thunder” hasn’t been terribly spectacular as a professional, though he’s riding a two-fight knockout streak, and faces something of a risky venture here.
Indongo (23-2, 12 KO) came out of nowhere to wipe out unbeaten Eduard Troyanovsky with one punch (officiated by my friend Mark Calo-oy, by the way), claiming the IBF title in the process, and handily outclassed Ricky Burns to add the WBA belt to his collection. An undisputed battle with Terence Crawford went poorly for the “Blue Machine,” as did a subsequent clash with Regis Prograis, and he quietly returned from a 17-month absence with a knockout last October.