Cecilia Brækhus
First woman to hold all four major world titles simultaneously in boxing.
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Cecilia Carmen Linda Brækhus (born 28 September 1981) is a Colombian-born Norwegian former professional boxer and kickboxer. She reigned as the undisputed female welterweight boxing champion from 2014 to 2020, and is the first woman in any weight class to hold the WBA, WBC, IBF and WBO titles simultaneously.
Brækhus is also one of only 11 boxers in history, male or female, to hold all four major world titles simultaneously. She held the IBO title from 2016 to 2020. Brækhus won the WBC and WBO female super-welterweight titles in her final fight before retirement in October 2025.
Background
Born in Cartagena, Colombia, Brækhus was adopted as a two-year-old by Norwegian parents and raised in Sandviken, Bergen. She started kickboxing at the age of fourteen and soon began competing in amateur boxing competitions, achieving an amateur record of 75–5 before turning professional. In her amateur boxing career, she won a silver medal at the 2005 World Championships, a gold medal at the 2005 European Championships, and a silver medal at the 2004 European Championships.
Career statistics and honours
Medals
- Silver World Championships — 2005 Podolsk Light-welterweight
- Gold European Championships — 2005 Tønsberg Light-welterweight
- Silver European Championships — 2004 Riccione Light-welterweight
Tables copied from the source article, totals included as the source gives them: Wikipedia: Cecilia Brækhus (CC BY-SA 4.0). Wide tables scroll sideways.
Did You Know?
- In 2017, the Boxing Writers Association of America named Brækhus their inaugural Female Fighter of the Year.
- Brækhus held the WBC and WBA titles for 11 years and 154 days between 14 March 2009 and 15 August 2020.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Cecilia Brækhus?
Cecilia Brækhus is a Colombian-born Norwegian former professional boxer and kickboxer, born on September 28, 1981, in Cartagena, Colombia. She is most widely recognized for her landmark run as the undisputed female welterweight champion.
How long did Cecilia Brækhus hold the undisputed welterweight title?
She reigned as the undisputed female welterweight champion from 2014 through 2020, maintaining her four-belt status for roughly six years at the top of the division.
What weight class and disciplines did Cecilia Brækhus compete in?
She fought at welterweight in professional boxing, where she achieved her record-breaking four-belt unification. Before her boxing career took off, she also competed in kickboxing.
More in Boxing & Martial Arts
Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Cecilia Brækhus (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Statistics, medals and awards: the tables of the source article.
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