Today’s bout for the women’s heavyweight title is a chance for Claressa Shields to walk among some of her idols. She could become the undisputed heavyweight champion in the women’s division.
To do that she has to defeat Danielle Perkins at the Dort Financial Center in Flint, Michigan in a bout streamed on DAZN.
The fight is also another first in a career full of them for the 29-year-old Shields. She will look to become a three-division undisputed champion, only four fighters in the four-belt era have become two division undisputed champions, Terence Crawford, Oleksandr Usyk, Naoya Inoue, and Claressa herself. This will add to her resume which already lists championships in multiple weight classes and two Olympic gold medals.
“I’ll be the first woman in women’s boxing history to ever do this,” Shields told BoxingScene. “I’ve never looked at boxing as men and women. I look at it as just a sport. Now I can be mentioned with names like Muhammad Ali, Usyk and Evander Holyfield. I’m super happy to just add my name as a heavyweight undisputed champion alongside them. They are the greats.”
Shields brought up an interesting point at her first media workout to promote the fight with Perkins. While some wonder if Shields is overlooking Perkins, Shields wonders if Perkins is underestimating her.
“She’s undefeated, but she has five fights. In all her interviews she’s talking about how she’s surprised I came to heavyweight,” Shields, 15-0 (3 KOs), said. “I’m listening to her interviews and her comments make me wonder if she understands that I am skilled. Like, just because you’re bigger and you’re maybe a little bit stronger or you can lift more weights, you think you can come in here and beat the GWOAT?”
Shields’ nickname of “GWOAT” stands for Greatest Woman of All Time. In terms of achievements, Shields is indeed in a class of her own.
Perkins, the 42-year-old from Houston, holds a record of 5-0 (2 KOs), but beyond that has a good amateur pedigree. Perkins last fought in July on Shields’ undercard in Detroit where she won a six-round unanimous decision over Christianne Fahey.
“She’s in for the fight of her life,” Shields said. “She’s been in there with girls who back down when they get hit hard. In this fight, she’s in with somebody who she may not be able to hit. But, even if she does hit me and it hurts, I’m going to hurt her back. I’m going to get my lick back.”
Shields also referenced her experience compared to Perkins. Perkins has only gone eight rounds once. Perkins has never been in or fought in a 10-round bout. In comparison, this will be Shields’ 13th time fighting in a 10-round bout. In Shields’ last fight she knocked out Vanesa Lepage-Joanisse in the second round. Lepage-Joanisse held the WBC women’s heavyweight title.
“She’s underestimating my power up at heavyweight because she looked at my record. I’m 15-0 with three knockouts. Those are three big knockouts and my last fight was a very big knockout,” Shields said. “I’m as strong as I’ve ever been fighting at heavyweight. She needs to have some respect. In every interview she acts surprised I took the fight with her. I’m supposed to be scared of her or something? I’m not Hannah Gabriels. I’m not scared of you.”
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