Amelia Moore warns skeptics not to underestimate Danielle Perkins

Women’s lightweight Amelia Moore is a long-time friend of heavyweight Danielle Perkins. When Perkins got an opportunity to fight heavyweight titleholder Claressa Shields, Moore was first in line to champion her case.

Perkins will fight Shields on February 2 at the Dort Financial Center in Shields’ hometown of Flint, Michigan. Moore, 1-0, will return to action soon herself, on February 15, against Michelle Cook, who will be making her second professional fight, at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut.

A common criticism of Perkins, 5-0 (2 KOs), has been her age. A basketball player turned boxer, Perkins is 42 and, according to skeptics, can’t possibly make a competitive fight against Shields, who is 15-0 (3 KOs), 29 years old and in her prime. Moore, a 34-year-old late bloomer who recently turned professional after a long and extensive amateur career, doesn’t believe age will be a factor for Perkins.

“It is a great fight because Danielle is truly a heavyweight,” Moore said. “The size difference in terms of height is crazy between the two. Danielle is a naturally bigger person.”

Moore was unwilling to give a prediction of the outcome, but she believes Perkins will earn a lot of respect from the fight and that those counting her out will be surprised. Perkins fought twice in 2024 – her most active year since 2020.

“Danielle was one of the best amateurs of her era,” Moore said. “She didn’t get as many opportunities because they don’t have many women in her weight class. I know she is going to make the most of it, and it would not shock me if she wins.”

Yet Moore isn’t oblivious to the significance of the challenge for Perkins.

“At the same time, this is what makes Claressa great,” Moore said. “She is championing the sport and taking fights like this to move women’s boxing forward.”

Lucas Ketelle took an unconventional path to boxing, eventually finding his stride in gyms and media. For the past decade, he has hosted the “Lukie Boxing” podcast, filmed training camps for fighters like Arnold Barboza Jnr, Mikey Garcia and Caleb Plant, and worked with top professionals such as Mike Bazzel. Ketelle is also an author of “Inside the Ropes of Boxing,” a guide for young fighters, a writer for ProBox TV, BoxingScene and a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. Find him on X at @LukieBoxing.