Well that was just a bit weird.
Kissing is typically viewed as a display of affection and is seldom used as an act of intimidation but Swedish boxer Mikaela Lauren felt it was the perfect way to get into her opponent’s head ahead of their rematch this weekend.
On Saturday night, Norwegian unified welterweight world champion Cecilia Braekhus will hope to successfully defend her title against the woman she stopped back in 2010.
Braekhus, who holds a perfect professional record of 31-0, handed Lauren her first ever defeat and it’s clear that this weekend’s challenger felt like she had to do things a little different for the second meeting.
At a press conference to promote the bout, the fighters came face to face for one of the final times before they share the ring with one another and Lauren shocked Braekhus by leaning in and kissing her.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=22&v=kq2vQEje708
While she didn’t return the kiss, Braekhus definitely saw the funny side as she laughed in disbelief with her team.
It’s an unusual psychological tactic but not an unprecedented one as we’re sure you’ll remember one very infamous example of lips locking in the world of mixed martial arts.
Heath Herring knocked opponent Yoshihiro Nakao unconscious after the Japanese fighter planted one on him while the referee delivered his pre-fight instructions to the pair at a K-1 Hero’s event in 2005.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIYO_Nh2vRc
