How ‘First Lady’ Braekhus ended Norway’s boxing ban

Few athletes have earned the same slang as celebs like Cecilia “The First Lady” Braekhus.

She is the first woman in history to combine all four belts, the first to host a professional show there, and the first fighter whose influence led to the end of a 33-year sport-for both men and women’s, in her native country.

The 44-year-old trailblazer will face Slovenia’s Ema Kozin for the WBC and WBO light-middleweight titles in Lillestrom on Saturday.

Braekhus will retire from a career that has transformed both Norwegian and female boxing.

She tells BBC Sport that Norway had to be the location of the final bell.

The country and the people who removed the ban from boxing for professional purposes have been my backbone throughout my career.

Braekhus, a Colombian born and raised in Norway, has overcome all obstacles in her career, from exposing misogyny to silencing criticism in the process of becoming the sport’s undisputed queen.

She will leave with three Guinness World Records, including the longest reigning female champion (11 years, 154 days), the longest unbroken streak of a female champion (15 years, 337 days), and the longest unbeaten streak (36 fights).

At the age of two, Braekhus was taken from a Cartagena orphanage and raised in the Bergen town Sandviken.

She began kickboxing at age 21 against the advice of her parents, and at age 21 she switched to boxing.

Before making the decision to become a professional boxer, she had only lost five of her 80 amateur matches, which had been illegal in Norway since 1981 and could have resulted in a three-month jail term.

In order to pursue a career abroad, she unapologetically moved to Germany in her 20s. The only woman in the gym was her.

“We had 30 to 40 fighters, all men, and one woman in our promotional company.” And I had to be better than everyone else, she says.

“At that time, there was the notion that women couldn’t box or sell boxing unless they could remove their seductive clothing.”

The desire to fight in Norway persisted even as she made her home in Germany.

Week after week, she spent a week training before returning to camp to meet politicians and journalists.

She claims that it was a lot of work. I also had belts from world championships to defend. I was just laser-focused, which is where the discipline comes in.

At first, the Norwegian public opposed her. She explains that boxing was initially firmly opposed to.

The turning point came in Copenhagen in September 2014, when Braekhus faced Ivana Habazin for the chance to become the first undisputed women’s world champion.

Every fight involves pressure, but this one was unique. The future of Norwegian boxing itself was in jeopardy for Braekhus.

She claims that “that win was unquestionably a significant component of the puzzle.” That desire to fight in Norway was gone if I didn’t have those belts. Unfortunately, that’s exactly how it is.

The training, the mindset, and the discipline were immediately apparent to the audience.

Three months later, the parliament voted to end it with a vote of 54 to 48.

There was Braekhus. She says, “I was in the basement.” Up until the last vote, it was close, very close.

“The decision was made then.” We reached the top and ate some cake. That was pretty amazing.

She made headlines in Norway in 2016. The arena was sold out. The crowd included the Prime Minister.

In her 19th fight for the world title, Braekhus defeated Anne Sophie Mathis in two rounds to maintain her undisputed victory.

Braekhus pioneered the sport by returning it to a whole country while pioneers like Jane Couch, the first female boxer to be licensed in the UK, fought to make it accessible.

She is now aware that she needs to step aside. She has no regrets and is excited to see women’s boxing expand because Amanda Serrano and Katie Taylor both have six-figure pay raises.

According to Braekhus, “I’m incredibly proud of my story, so I wouldn’t want anything else.”

When I first started boxing, we didn’t receive anything back. It was just the love.

“I’m so proud of what I did, and I’m so proud.” Unbelievable . No one was becoming wealthy, just everyone had jobs.

She continues, “I’ve spent time in both camps.”

“I’ve been there when the road was paved, and I’ve been here today when it’s essentially paved for the next generation.”

Braekhus, who is already in the Hall of Fame, wants to retire as a two-weight world champion on Saturday.

The line has two belts, it says. Ema Kozin will fight unbrokenly. She claims that this must set the standard for everything she has gone through.

And that comes next”? She acknowledges that I’m a little done. While I’m still young and healthy, I want to see the world as well outside of the boxing ring.

However, the transition won’t be straightforward.

“First, I’ll take a break,” Braekhus says. You just need some distance, just like a breakup. We can become friends after that.

It’s going to be difficult to say goodbye, he said.

Perhaps the most difficult fight for someone who has lived her life fighting odds will be learning to live without a boxer.