The WBC will hold a purse bid ceremony on Monday January 30th, at noon for a fight between world welterweight champion Jessica McCaskill (pictured) against WBC mandatory contender Ivana Habazin. [The IBF had previously scheduled a purse bid for this fight but cancelled it earlier this week]. McCaskill (12-3, 5 KOs) comes into this bout after losing a decision to Chantelle Cameron in November in a junior welterweight bout in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Habazin (21-4, 7 KOs) from Croatia, in her most recent bout, defeated Australia's Diana Prazak last October.
DEC. 15, 2022: Jessica McCaskill will retain WBO recognition as the 147-pound (welterweight) champion despite her unanimous decision loss to Chantelle Cameron on November 5th in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. That fight was contested at 140 pounds (junior welterweight). McCaskill entered the Cameron fight with all four major belts. According to the sanctioning body's websites, she is also still recognized as champion by the WBC and WBA. The IBF lists its world title as vacant, with McCaskill and Ivana Habazin rated in its top two.
Three days later, the WBO issued a notice to show cause why the WBO welterweight championship should not be declared vacant considering McCaskill's defeat and the provisions set forth in the McCaskill-Cameron sanction letter.
But on Wednesday, the WBO decided that McCaskill had shown sufficient cause to retain her title. The WBO made this decision based on the following reasoning:
It is the opinion of this Committee that retaining McCaskill’s status as world champion serves the best interests of the sport, the WBO, and the female welterweight division. In support of our reasoning, we highlight that McCaskill is a former undisputed champion, which exemplifies the most significant milestone in professional boxing since the four-belt era [began].
Such accomplishment was produced against then-former undisputed champion Cecilia Braekhus, [who was] considered at the time the number one pound-for-pound female boxer. Most notably, McCaskill defeated the latter champion [after] only ten professional fights and thereafter won the rematch via unanimous decision.
Further, McCaskill is a two-division champion (140 and 147 pounds) as well as contested for the lightweight (135 pounds) championship against current undisputed champion and pound-for-pound star Katie Taylor. Her level of opposition with only 15 total fights is outstanding, facing the likes of Taylor, Cameron (undisputed junior welterweight champion), Braekhus (former undisputed welterweight champion), Erica Farias (former champion) and Anahi Ester Sanchez (former champion) among others.
Lastly, this Committee strongly supports the pursuit of undisputed champion status by all WBO champions or prospective champions. We are sure that McCaskill as the Unified WBO, WBA & IBF champion will strive to regain her status of welterweight supremacy. If we had ruled otherwise, it would deprive her of such possibilities and the championships would be fragmented. Therefore, considering that McCaskill is a former undisputed champion, it is in the best interests of the sport, the WBO and the female welterweight division that McCaskill retains her status as WBO world champion.
