CSAC Cancelled Cohen-Bradley Due to "Large Weight Disparity"

The Jewish Boxing Blog has learned that the Stefi Cohen/Kedra Bradley fight scheduled for this past Friday "was canceled due to a large weight disparity between the two fighters on the night of the event," according to a California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) official.

The CSAC official told The JBB that Cohen officially weighed 129.4 pounds on Friday, a gain of 11.8 pounds from Thursday's weigh-in. Bradley officially weighed 109.8 pounds on fight day, a loss of 4.2 pounds. The weight disparity on the day of the event was 19.6 pounds, or 17.9% of Bradley's bodyweight. Both had made the bantamweight limit at the weigh-in. The official confirmed, "Losing weight after the weigh-in isn’t very common," and there are no CSAC regulations on losing weight, only on gaining too much.

Bradley was four pounds below the contracted weight of 118 pounds during the weigh-in on Thursday and dropped to 8.2 pounds below the limit on the day of the fight. CSAC only has regulations in place to prevent too much weight gain because, with few exceptions, fighters add weight after the weigh-in. Being heavier is considered an advantage in boxing. Thus, they rarely lose weight.

"Our inspectors make sure the differences in weight between the fighters fall within the regulated weight spread both on the day of the weigh-in and on the event day," the CSAC official explained. "In cases like these, where the weight difference is larger than the limit, our executive officer and our Medical Advisory Committee doctors are called immediately to discuss the weight spread and cancellation of the bout."

Together, they decided the fight should be cancelled. While a frustrating decision for the fighters and the fans, it was the right decision for the safety of the lighter fighter.

After the cancellation, Cohen got into the ring to announce her next fight is scheduled for February 23.

More Information on Cohen-Bradley Cancellation

The Stefi Cohen-Kedra Bradley fight, scheduled for last night in Montebello, California, was cancelled a short while before the fight was set to begin. Both fighters claim a large difference in weight on the day of the fight was the cause for the cancellation. Both Cohen and Bradley say their hands had been wrapped when they heard the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) had cancelled the bout. Both boxers are frustrated.

Cohen and Bradley both made the 118-pound bantamweight limit during Thursday's weigh-in. Bradley claims Cohen weighed 131 pounds during the day-of weigh-in. CSAC automatically cancels any bout in which a fighter is 15% above the contracted weight on the day of the fight. For bantamweights, a fighter would need to weigh 17.7 pounds more than the limit or 135.7 pounds. Even by Bradley's number, Cohen's weight-gain was within rules.

If Bradley's claim is correct, Cohen put on 13 pounds overnight which is within a normal range for bantamweights, albeit on the higher side of that range. Boxing is so decentralized that there is no sport-wide regulation for weigh-ins. California typically has a day-before weigh-in and then re-weighs the fighters the day of the fight. This is to prevent dramatic weight-cuts and mismatches based on weight differences.

Both fighters claim Bradley lost weight overnight. Cohen says Bradley weighed 109, or five pounds lighter than at Thursday's weigh-in. Bradley says she dropped to 110.8 pounds after losing 3.5 pounds. Dropping weight isn't against the rules or a breach of conduct, but it doesn't make much sense. Fighters lose weight for the weigh-in and then put on weight to give them the best chance to win.

A fighter losing weight after the weigh-in is highly unusual and can be a cause for concern. There's a reason for different weight classes: more weight is viewed as an advantage in boxing. So losing weight after the weigh-in can be an indication of a potentially dangerous issue.

Ultimately, the 20.2 pound difference, or 18% of Bradley's bodyweight, was reason enough to nix the fight. That a fighter was four pounds under the limit and then lost three and half more pounds, should be viewed as a red flag and cause to cancel the fight regardless of the opponent's weight gain.

Cohen announced that she is now scheduled to fight on February 23.

Update: CSAC's explanation of the cancellation with the fighter's official event-day weights.

Stefi Cohen's Fight against Kedra Bradley Cancelled

Dr. Stefi Cohen was scheduled to face Kedra Bradley tonight at the Quiet Cannon Country Club in Montebello, California, USA. That fight was cancelled today.

Ring announcer Joe Martinez described the reason for the cancellation as "an unforeseen weight issue." Cohen came in the lightest of her career while Bradley was the second lightest. Both made the bantamweight limit yesterday.

Cohen got into the ring to thank her fans for supporting her. "I was excited to put on an amazing performance for you guys," she told the crowd. A native of Venezuela, Stefi recently relocated to Los Angeles, California from Miami, Florida.

Cohen had been scheduled to face Bradley in October, but that fight was cancelled the day before. At the time, Cohen said Bradley backed out.

The California State Athletic Commission passed a law in 2019 that automatically cancelled any bout in which one competitor weighed 15% or more above the contracted weight at the time of the fight. For a bantamweight match, that's 17.7 pounds. This law was designed to prevent dramatic weight cutting. The exact "unforeseen weight issue" is unknown at this time though.

Stefi Cohen last fought in July. A world record holding powerlifted, she is 2-1-1 as a pro boxer and has shown tremendous improvement in a short period of time.

Update: fighter's takes on cancellation
Update: CSAC's explanation of cancellation

Weights for Stefi Cohen-Kedra Bradley

Dr. Stefi Cohen (2-1-1, one KO) and Kedra Bradley (1-5-1) weighed in for their four-rounder tomorrow at Quiet Canyon Country Club in Montebello, California, USA. Cohen came in at 117.6 pounds while Bradley was 114.

By a fraction of a pound, this is the lightest weight of Cohen's career. She weighed 117.8 pounds against Karla Valenzuela last February. This is the third time Cohen has made the bantamweight limit of 118. Her heaviest weight happened in her second fight when she was 125.3 pounds.

Bradley came in the second lightest of her career. She weighed 112.5 pounds in her last fight back in November, which was called a split draw. It was an impressive showing against an undefeated fighter who outweighed Bradley by nearly five pounds. This is the sixth time she has made the bantamweight limit and the third time she has come under the super flyweight limit of 115. Bradley's heaviest weight was 122.5 pounds in her debut over two years ago.

Both women played other sports at a high level before becoming boxers. Cohen was a college soccer player and then a world record setting powerlifter while Bradley was a college basketball player. There have been a few basketball players to make the transition to boxing because a long lean frame can be an advantage in both sports. Soccer can help with boxing's footwork. For those new to following boxing, they might be surprised to learn that powerlifting experience doesn't translate particularly well to boxing except to learn how to cut weight. Boxers typically want fast-twitch muscular development, not bulky muscles.

As for her transition to boxing, Cohen wrote a few months back, "I never imagined I'd be doing this at 30 years old. At this rate I won't be surprised if I become like... a 52 year old carpenter living in Arkansas with 3 kids that aren't mine."

This fight is on the undercard of Bohachuck-Gallimore and will be aired on UFCFightPass. A preview of the fight can be found here.