TERRI HARPER enters this weekend’s showdown with one-time pound-for-pound chief Cecelia Brækhus in the information {that a} resounding victory will elevate her to the elite pay bracket.
“Big fights mean big money! It puts that extra fire in your belly,” says Harper, a former chip store employee who has battered 14 of her 16 professional foes up to now (one draw).
“I grew up on a council estate; I’d be lying if I didn’t say money motivated me. It’s not because I’m materialistic. I just like to be able to treat my family and loved ones, have a comfortable life and a nice home – that’s all I want.”
In addition to bolstering her financial institution stability, scalping the 41-year-old Norway-based Columbian – a victor in 26 of 28 world championship contests down at 147 kilos – will see humble Harper’s standing soar, even when the embellished veteran would seem to be on the decline.
“A lot more people will be talking about me after the fight with Cecilia,” predicts proficient technician Terri, who triumphed in two WBC super-feather title fights earlier than springboarding 4 divisions to bag a WBA belt at 154lbs final September.
“But additionally, it’s about utilizing this huge stage and social media platform to encourage the subsequent technology to go on the market and chase their goals. I’m honoured to have individuals say I’m their position mannequin.
“I wanna be viewed as one of the best in the world. To do that, you’ve got to beat the best and collect all the belts.”
Harper beats Ivana Habazin (Dave Thompson Matchroom Boxing)
For the showdown with Brækhus, the 26-year-old returns to the Sheffield Arena in her house county for the first time since she conceded her 130lbs belts to the United States’ Alycia Baumgardner after being ‘frozen’ by a single proper hand in October 2021.
“I feel like I’ve put the demons to bed. Sheffield Arena is also where I won my first world title – the WBC, against Eva Wahlström – so there are good and bad memories,” continues the darling of Denaby Main, who believes she is now higher outfitted for international domination.
“I’m working with John Wattam, who does my energy and conditioning classes. But he’s additionally a mindset coach. He’s filled with little methods. I’ve observed a sample in my final couple of camps.
“With the fights getting bigger, I’ve caught myself getting anxious – the anxiety starts creeping in a couple of weeks before the bout. John gives me tips on how to deal with it, change my mindset and stay positive, and makes me aware that it’s normal to have these thoughts and feelings and how to embrace them and use them to your advantage. We’re just human, aren’t we? Everyone experiences these feelings.”
Harper-Brækhus was initially meant as an hors d’oeuvre to Katie Taylor’s smudged homecoming towards Chantelle Cameron in Dublin final May, just for the feted ‘First Lady’ to fall sick simply hours earlier than the ring stroll.
Four months on, Terri has the recent benefit of being again in her Yorkshire parish, with the vacant WBO trinket additional elevating the stakes.
“In hindsight, Cecilia pulling out of the first fight was probably a blessing in disguise because I’ve studied her a lot more second time around. We’ve got a really good game plan for this fight,” claims the 5 ft 8½ins Steffy Bull-managed champion.
“It’s about not overcooking my brain now. I’m not underestimating Cecilia, and I’m expecting the best version of her. But Father Time catches up with everyone; there’s no avoiding it. That’s why I’ve got to go out there and use youth to my advantage; I’m gonna stick it on her from round one.”
Despite her commendable readiness to contend throughout the weights, Harper’s craving to win all the titles and embark on ‘big money’ fixtures has been routinely obstructed.
A fractured proper hand incurred in her ultimate spar scuppered a May 2021 unification contest with North Korean-born Hyun Mi Choi. Now, with Boxxer-promoted Scouse southpaw Natasha Jonas occupying the remaining items of the 154lbs puzzle and a 147lbs portion, all routes pointed in direction of a rematch to their 2020 ‘Fight of the Year’ 10-round tie.
With each Amazonians since advancing to develop into two-weight title holders and 39-year-old ‘Tasha’ seizing final 12 months’s British Boxing Board of Control ‘Boxer of the Year’ Award – the first lady to achieve this – the sequel’s field workplace earnings ought to rightly eclipse the authentic.
Terri has quickly misplaced endurance in securing ‘Miss GB’ Jonas’ companies for one more home dust-up. However, ought to she surpass Brækhus, choices seem plentiful.
“Jonas is daft for not taking the fight,” claims Harper. “She says she’ll by no means give me the rematch, however that’s down to them. I informed Steffy (Bull, Harper’s Manager) I’m not gonna discuss it in interviews anymore; we seem like we’re begging for fights.
“If there aren’t any huge fights at 154, I would like to go down and blend with the champions at the decrease weights, 147, even most likely as little as 140(lb), however that’ll be as little as I’m going. The huge fights are on the horizon; I’m at that stage in my profession the place that’s all I’m . I can’t simply be combating anybody.
“I at all times bear in mind getting down to 9st 4lbs once I was sparring, however my greatest spars have been round 10st 5lbs to 10st 7lbs. That’s the place I used to be performing greatest in the ring. At 147-154(lbs), I may be targeted on my coaching and fuelled for my classes. At 9st 4lb, I used to be drained earlier than I even educated!
“Sandy Ryan is a superb champion. Chantelle Cameron has the rematch with Katie Taylor; that’s bought to occur first.
“It’s funny; I remember (Mikaela) Mayer giving me grief online for years – I used to let her get in my head. But I watched her the other day and thought, ‘I can beat Mayer all day long!’ So that’s another fight that I’d like to happen.”
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