Terri Harper’s new opponent for the first defense of her WBA junior middleweight title is another former world champion.
Ivana Habazin, the former IBF welterweight champion and four-time challenger for other titles, will face Harper on Saturday on the Mauricio Lara-Leigh Wood undercard. Harper was initially supposed to fight former No. 1 pound-for-pound star Cecilia Braekhus, but Braekhus had to pull out early on May 20 due to illness.
Matchroom pushed Harper back a week in the aftermath and found her a suitable opponent within 24 hours in Habazin (21-4, 7 KO). Habazin last fought in October against Diana Prazak and before that had over a two-year layoff after losing a challenge for the WBC and WBO junior middleweight belts to Claressa Shields.
Harper (13-1-1, 6 KO), ESPN’s No. 2 junior middleweight, last fought in September, when the 26-year-old beat Hannah Rankin by unanimous decision to become the WBA champion.
Natasha Jonas holds the WBC, WBO and IBF titles in the division.
Source: espn.com
