Ivana Habazin ended a ten-year drought between major title wins.

A hard-fought victory over Hungary’s Kinga Magyar saw the 14-year pro become a two-time welterweight titlist. Habazin sweated out a decision to claim the vacant WBC 147-pound title Saturday at KC Drazen Petrovic in Zagreb, Croatia.

An interim version of the WBA welterweight title was also on the line in their ten-round main event.

Habazin, The Ring’s No. 5-rated welterweight, relied on defense and straight punching to control the action in the early rounds. Magyar provided an inviting target, as she walked straight inside and fought behind a leaky guard.

A brief momentum shift came early in round four. Magyar connected with a right hand, which forced Habazin to back up and not offer return fire. A follow-up right badly missed the mark, but it didn’t discourage Magyar to take the lead for the balance of the round.

Habazin regained control and her desired distance in round five. The local favorite poked with a right and left, and then moved back to draw in Magyar. Habazin avoided a right hand along the ropes and countered with a left hook to the chin.

Both fighters targeted the body in a competitive seventh round. Magyar landed in combination downstairs, while Habazin also found success with her left hook up top.

Magyar missed the mark with most of her punches upstairs but often scored to the body in the eighth. Habazin tightened up her defense, stepped back and landed a straight left out of a southpaw stance. Magyar adjusted and landed chopping right hands at close quarters.

Habazin fought behind her jab to slow down Magyar’s offense in round nine. Magyar enjoyed modest success but was forced to fend off compact left hooks at close quarters.

The tenth and final round came with a touch of desperation from Magyar, who attempted a more assertive approach. Habazin was prepared and masterfully picked off her foe. Straight right hands by Magyar were effortlessly slipped by Habazin, who countered with combinations.

vHabazin (23-5, 7 knockouts) picked up her second consecutive victory—her longest win streak since 2018. Magyar (14-5, 4 KOs) snapped a 13-fight win after she stumbled out to a 1-4 career start.

The win saw Habazin earn the WBC title vacated by the opponent she expected to face on this date.

Jessica McCaskill relinquished the title to move forward with a more lucrative title defense versus Wales’ Lauren Price. Habazin was her mandatory challenger and her side won a purse bid to bring that fight to Zagreb but McCaskill’s team opted out of the fight.

McCaskill (12-3-1, 5 KOs) remains The Ring champ and the WBA titlist. Both will be at stake versus Price, No. 4 at 147, on May 11 in Cardiff, Wales.

It’s been ten years since Habazin last held a major title. She outpointed Sabrina Giuliani to win the vacant IBF welterweight title in March 2014. Her reign last just six months, until she lost the belt to Cecilia Braekhus, who won via shutout in their Sept. 2014 undisputed championship.

Habazin came up well short in three subsequent title fights.

She was stopped in the third round by Mikaela Lauren in their April 2016 WBC 154-pound title fight in Stockholm, Sweden. Nearly four years later, Habazin lost every round to Claressa Shields in a January 2020 WBC/WBA 154-pound title fight in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

A last-minute opportunity to face Terri Harper last May saw Habazin park her mandatory status to return to 154. Habazin replaced an ill Braekhus, but dropped a decision to Harper in their WBA 154-pound title fight in Manchester, England.

Habazin rebounded with a stay-busy win over a sub .500 opponent last September 29 in Hollywood, Florida. Saturday’s win marked her first fight back home since an October 2022 unanimous decision over Diana Prazak. The feat saw her become the mandatory challenger to the very belt now in her possession.

Jake Donovan is a senior writer for The Ring and vice president of the Boxing Writers Association of America.

Follow @JakeNDaBox

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