Claressa Shields makes more women’s history at heavyweight

Claressa Shields says she is yet to decide whether to stay at the heavyweight division despite recording an explosive second round knockout win over WBC women’s heavyweight champion Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse.

Shields (15-0, 3 KOs) made history yet again last Saturday night at Detroit’s Little Caesars Arena when the reigning undisputed middleweight titlist moved up two weight classes to dethrone WBC Women’s heavyweight champion Lepage-Joanisse (7-2, 2 KOs) of Canada.

Shields also won the vacant WBO light heavyweight world title in the process.

“You have so many world champions at heavyweight, but I’m the cash cow,” said Shields. “Wherever I campaign, I can find a fight. I’m going to talk to my team and decide if we want to go down and defend my middleweight titles or stay at heavyweight and chase more world titles.”

Shields, an Olympic gold medalist in 2012 and 2016, needed just two rounds to prove why she is regarded the best female fighter ever against Lepage-Joanisse, the defending WBC champion from Quebec, Canada. 

A left hook in the opening round took the champion to the mat, prompting Shields to unleash a furious flurry to finish the round. Shields continued from where she left off in the second when he dropped Lepage-Joanisse again with a right hand. She forced a stoppage after sending her opponent to the canvas for the third time.

“I saw her corner stand up after the knockdown,” said Shields. “The fight was over, but I guess the referee wanted me to throw one more right hand to put her down. I put her down three times. The ‘GWOAT’ stays.

“I only hit her with two punches in the first round, and I remember a hook hit her, and I said, ‘Know what, I knew I was strong in camp, but I’m super strong tonight.’ Maybe I can stay at heavyweight if I’m going to be this strong in the ring.”

Shields was making a return to the ring for the first time in over a year when she successfully defended his four middleweight belts against Maricela Cornejo. The Michigan fighter earned a unanimous decision against Cornejo.

In a co-feature of the event which was presented by Salita Promotions, junior welterweight Michel Rivera (26-1, 14 KOs) defeated Argentina’s Hugo Alberto Roldan (22-3-1, 7 KOs). 

After controlling the majority of the fight by utilizing his range, Rivera scored a knockdown in the 10th round to seal a split decision and, perhaps, set himself up for another world title opportunity in the stacked 140-pound division.