Terri Harper will be making the first defense of her WBO lightweight title. She faces the previously unbeaten but otherwise untested Natalie Zimmerman.
When is Terri Harper vs. Natalie Zimmermann?
Terri Harper vs. Natalie Zimmerman is on Friday, May 23. The broadcast will begin at 1 p.m. Eastern Time (6 p.m. BST).
What channel is Terri Harper vs. Natalie Zimmermann on?
Harper vs. Zimmerman will stream on DAZN.
Where is Terri Harper vs. Natalie Zimmermann?
The fight is taking place at Eco-Power Stadium in Harper’s hometown of Doncaster, England.
Who is Terri Harper?
Harper, 15-2-2 (6 KOs), is a 28-year-old who won the WBO lightweight title in September with a unanimous decision over Rhiannon Dixon. Harper has also held world titles in two other weight classes.
Harper won the WBC junior lightweight belt in February 2020 with a wide decision over Eva Wahlstrom, defended it with a draw against Natasha Jonas, fought through a broken hand for several rounds before stopping the 13-0 Katharina Thanderz, and then was dispatched herself in four rounds by Alycia Baumgardner in November 2021.
By September 2022, Harper was up at junior middleweight, where she outpointed Hannah Rankin for the WBA belt. Harper then won a decision over Ivana Habazin and fought to a draw with Cecilia Braekhus in a 2023 bout that also had the vacant WBO title on the line. Harper then started her downward move on the scales, losing to then-welterweight titleholder Sandy Ryan in March 2024 before subsequently moving down to 135lbs.
Who is Natalie Zimmermann?
Zimmermann, 13-0 (3 KOs), is a 42-year-old from Hamburg, Germany. On paper at least, this should be a huge step up in level of competition for Zimmermann, who has never faced an opponent with more wins than losses.
What other fights are on the undercard of Terri Harper vs. Natalie Zimmermann?
The undercard includes a lightweight bout between Maxi Hughes, 28-7-2 (6 KOs), and Archie Sharp, 25-1 (9 KOs).
Hughes has won two straight since suffering back-to-back defeats, one of them controversial (a majority decision loss to George Kambosos Jnr in 2023) and one of them clear (stopped after four rounds with William Zepeda in March 2024).
Sharp is coming off a decision loss to the 15-0 Ryan Garner last July.
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