Danielle Perkins delivered a strong performance to win the world title by defeating Che Kenneally and capturing the World Boxing Association light heavyweight championship.
The 43-year-old boxer from Houston, Texas, was coming into the fight after a loss in a previous world title challenge. However, she moved down to the light heavyweight division after competing near the 175-178 pound range in her recent matches. The change in weight class helped her compete more comfortably.
Early Rounds Were Competitive
Both fighters began the match by trying to figure out how the other fought.
Kenneally has built up an impressive record with many victories early in her professional career, so she remained calm and utilised counter punching. She landed her first punch when Perkins pushed forward in round one to show that she could handle fighting under pressure.
In round two, Danielle Perkins slowly started to find her rhythm and was able to land more precise punches while getting closer to Kenneally.
In round three, Perkins is using her left cross effectively. Although Kenneally did land some combos as well, Perkins was making an effort to move Kenneally and take control of the fight.
Danielle Perkins Took Control With Pressure Fighting
Perkins put her focus, beginning in the later rounds, on the physical pressure (putting all the weight she could behind her punches) and continuing to move forward, all the time putting off-balance Kenneally by changing up both punching rhythm and punching angles.
Feeds of Danielle Perkins’ movement were likened to slick or trick style, with her changing speeds and/or angles for each round, making it difficult for Kenneally to keep her confidence.
A significant moment came in Round 6 as Perkins landed an effective power punch that knocked Kenneally down; therefore, the referee began the count, and Kenneally was unable to recover before the ten-count ended.
The knockout occurred approximately one minute and forty-five seconds into Round 6.
Champion’s Goal: Unifying the Division
After winning the title, Danielle Perkins spoke about her future aim of unifying the light heavyweight division.
Women’s boxing has some differences in how weight classes are defined by sanctioning bodies. For example, not all organisations maintain the same division structure above the super middleweight limit. Because of this, the talent pool in the light heavyweight category is relatively small.
Danielle Perkins said she wants bigger challenges and more championship fights. One possible opponent mentioned in discussions is Sarah Scheurich, an undefeated German boxer who holds a world title and has a strong knockout record.
What Happened in the Undercard Fight
The main card also featured young heavyweight prospect Pryce Taylor, who improved his professional record with a technical knockout victory.
Taylor dominated most of the bout by landing accurate punches and using his reach advantage. He knocked down his opponent multiple times before the referee stopped the match in the fifth round.
Perkins’ victory adds another chapter to her boxing career and strengthens her position in the light heavyweight division.
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