A nightmare 12 months for Yorkshire’s Terri Harper ended in disaster
last night when she lost her World Boxing Council super-featherweight
title.
Harper suffered her first career defeat when she was knocked out on
her feet by a brutal right hand in the fourth round by American Alycia
Baumgardner at the Sheffield Arena.
Harper, 25, making a third defence of the title, was returning to the
ring for the first time in a year having broken her hand in her
previous performance.
She looked off the pace from the opening bell, losing the first three
rounds and being troubled by the challenger’s timing and power.
Baumgardner, who came in with six knockouts in her 11 professional
fights, said: “I’ve dreamed of this moment, I put it in my head and
looked at myself in the mirror every day and told myself I’d be world
champion. Coming here I saw her energy. When I came over here as the
challenger, my confidence was 100 per cent and I didn’t see that in
her. I know a lot of people haven’t seen me but I was given a platform
to show that I can box and fight.
“I want to showcase what women’s boxing has been doing and give a
different look on what a lot of boxing fans haven’t seen from me.”
Harper had enjoyed the build up last week, celebrating being back at
the arena in Sheffield where she first won the WBC crown in February
2020.
As she had explained: “I’ve never shied away from a tough fight since
I turned professional. Not just for me, but for the fans. Alycia is a
tough and respectable opponent, I want to be out there making a
statement and showing everyone I’m back.”
In another shock defeat in Sheffield, Kid Galahad lost his IBF
featherweight title to Kiko Martinez – flattened by a huge right hand
in the fifth round.
Spaniard Martinez became a two weight world champion in his 55th career fight.