Claressa Shields floored Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse on three occasions in second round knockout win in Detroit; the American star stepped up two weight classes to fight for the WBO light-heavyweight title and also claimed Lepage-Joanisse’s WBC heavyweight belt
Claressa Shields knocked out Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse with ease in the second round to secure world titles in a fourth and fifth weight division.
Shields stepped up two weight classes to fight for the WBO light-heavyweight title and also claimed Lepage-Joanisse’s WBC heavyweight belt after flooring the Canadian on three occasions in Detroit.
Spiteful combinations from Shields troubled Lepage-Joanisse from the opening bell and she ruthlessly ended the fight in the following round.
With her back to the ropes, Shields unloaded a flurry of punches that sent Lepage-Joanisse crashing to the canvas.
Lepage-Joanisse rose unsteadily and was floored again by a follow up attack from Shields that ended with a short, sharp right hand.
Another overhand right sent Lepage-Joanisse down again and the referee waved it off, sparking celebrations from Shields and her hometown fans.
“Looking at Vanessa in her fights, she pushed girls back because her legs are very strong,” said Shields.
“We made sure I have the power in my legs to push her back, and not get pushed back, and also really worked on the strength in my arms.”
Shields, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, had previously won won titles at 154, 160 and 168 pounds.
On the undercard, Julian Smith, a deaf boxer from the Chicago area, improved to 9-2 with an upset split-decision victory over Shohjahon Ergashev at super-lightweight.
Claressa Shields, the self-proclaimed ‘GWOAT’ of women’s boxing, has hinted at her return to the squared circle. However, her announcement quickly became overshadowed by an online feud with rapper Cam’ron.
The heated exchange appears to have been sparked by discussions surrounding the recent Amanda Serrano vs. Katie Taylor rematch, adding an unexpected twist to the buzz around Shields’ comeback.
Serrano and Taylor created history on Friday, November 15th, during their 10-round super lightweight fight, which was reportedly watched by a whopping 50 million households across the globe. Shields alleged that she watched the rapper, Cam’ron say Serrano and Taylor’s first fight was the most watched women’s boxing match with 1.5 million viewers. Shields claimed she had the most watched women’s boxing match with 2 million viewers.
Cam’ron later on his ‘It Is What It Is’ podcast on YouTube, shared his DMs with Shields, where the exchange between them seems to have started. “Claressa Shields DM’d me yesterday and was like ‘Cam they trying to rewrite history..,” Cam’ron said. “I have the most watched fight in women’s history. Their 1st fight (Serrano vs Taylor) was 1.5 million (views), my fight was 2 million.”
The rapper claimed he wrote back, “That’s what’s up sis..the new numbers are 50 million (views for their rematch) you got some catching up to do.” This didn’t sit well with Shields, who responded to the clip, in a now-deleted tweet, “lol this boy so delusional 50 million tuned in to see the Main event!” According to her, the 50 million households that tuned in for the Taylor-Serrano fight, came for the Jake Paul-Mike Tyson fight. Whereas, in her case, she was the main event. So, the credit for pulling in the numbers is solely hers.
Regardless, since their feud online, Shields turned to Instagram today, where she shared a clip from her last bout with Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse. ‘T-Rex’ wrote in the caption, “…FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENT SOON…” It’s worth mentioning that Shields’ promoter Dmitriy Salita told Boxing Scene, “I think she’ll fight again in January or February.”
Salita explained Shields was busy with the upcoming movie, ‘The Fire Inside,’ based on her life, which is coming out on December 25th. Regardless, Shields later commented on her own fight announcement post, tagging Cam’ron. “@mr_camron why you said I need to be bowing down to you cause I have 15 wins & 3KOs! The girls I fight would eat you for dinner man.”
This seems to have rallied fans on her side., as they shared their thoughts in response.
Since the post went live on the platform, a flood of comments have come in to support Shields. One user blamed the entire thing on the rapper. “Facts cam a chump sucka,” the user wrote. However, the numbers from the Netflix show, 50 million people around the globe especially tuned in to watch Serrano and Taylor. By the time the main event started, the numbers were peaking at 65 million.
Meanwhile, this user suggested Shields avoid engaging with Cam’ron. “Stop responding back to fools respond back to the real fans that rock with you,” the user wrote. Only time will tell whether 50 million people would tune in to watch Shields’ next fight or any fight for that matter.
The next user had similar views on the situation. “Camron is NOT worth your time. Don’t give that dude attention,” the user commented. But it appears Shields texted the rapper first, which sparked the feud.
The next user simply threw an insult at Cam’ron. “Cam a clown,” the user wrote. Since Shields’ post, the rapper has also commented on the post, writing, “I got upset in a Saturday boo..😂😘 I hear that. But ain’t nobody “Eating” that!!! Nasty a** box. No pun intended.”
While everyone was bashing the rapper, this user praised Shields. “I believe she can beat a couple of the Male boxers up,” the user wrote. However, last year a sparring clip between Shields and Arturs Ahmetovs was leaked by the latter, where Ahmetovs had dropped Shields pretty viciously.
That said, Claressa Shields doesn’t seem too pleased with Cam’ron downplaying her achievement of hosting the most-watched women’s boxing match. However, this record was surpassed by the rematch between Amanda Serrano and Katie Taylor.
On Friday, November 19, 2024, the event between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson drew a lot of attention, but it was the fight between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano that stole the night.
Although the men’s bout attracted controversy, the female fighters put on a great show in the rematch that defined the evening.
Katie Taylor defeated Amanda Serrano in a rematch that sparked debates. The decision was controversial, as many believed the fight was too evenly matched to be decided by points. Taylor took the victory, but the fight left a bittersweet feeling among fans.
Claressa Shields, one of the most prominent figures in women’s boxing, shared her opinion on the fight in a recent interview with Fight Hub TV. According to Shields, the fight was extremely close, with both fighters showcasing their best skills.
“I think the fight was very, very close,” she said. “I thought Katie played from the back foot with great counters and fast hands. I think that’s what won her the fight.”
Shields explained that her approach to scoring fights is round by round, without focusing too much on the overall stance of the fighters or who advanced more in the ring.
In her opinion, the fight was so tight that, if it hadn’t been for the one-point penalty on Katie Taylor, the victory could have gone to Amanda Serrano or the fight could have ended in a draw.
“I don’t really score based on overall things like body language or who’s stepping forward. I score round by round, and that’s how I saw it. But it was very, very close, and when they took the point from Katie, I definitely thought Amanda was going to win or it would be a draw,” said Shields.
The world champion noted that, in her opinion, both fighters showed their strengths but also made mistakes. Shields particularly pointed out the factors she believes worked against Serrano during the fight.
“I think Katie fought her best, and Amanda showed her punching power,” said Shields.
“There were things Amanda didn’t do well. She didn’t cut the ring off properly, she missed a lot of big shots, and she didn’t have upper-body defense,” Shields pointed out.
Katie Taylor’s speed and footwork were crucial, according to Shields, who emphasized that her quick punches and combinations of four or five shots were decisive. Additionally, Shields highlighted how the cut on Amanda Serrano’s eyebrow was a direct result of Katie Taylor’s continuous punches.
Regarding Serrano’s strategy, Shields mentioned that the Puerto Rican fighter didn’t know how to cut the ring effectively and couldn’t close the distances like she had in their first encounter.
“She even got cut here. Katie was throwing with both hands, and Amanda’s shots were hard too. But you can’t just march forward. You’ve got to cut the ring off, you’ve got to set traps. And Amanda didn’t do that tonight,” Shields explained.
Despite the criticism and the controversial decision, Shields also highlighted the impact of the fight on women’s boxing. According to Shields, the women were the real stars of the night. In contrast, the fight between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson, although relevant to many, didn’t have the same impact on traditional boxing fans.
“Listen, women’s boxing won tonight. Being here in front of 60,000 fans, that’s amazing! It’s a dream. And to me, the girls stole the show tonight. Mike Tyson and Jake Paul, well, it was what it was, but the girls absolutely stole the show tonight,” Shields concluded.
It’s important to note that, although Amanda Serrano initially questioned the outcome of her fight with Katie Taylor on social media, she later retracted her comments.
On the other hand, Claressa Shields, on her official ‘X’ account, wrote about the possibility of facing Katie Taylor in the future. The self-proclaimed ‘GWOAT’ pointed out that she has the skills to defeat Taylor.
However, she mentioned that she might have difficulty making a weight between 140 or 147lbs, but also suggested that for a good amount of money, she would take on the challenge.
‘Omg, it’s 1,000s of DMs telling me to go beat Katie 😂😂😂 listen, skillwise, I can do it! But Idk how I can make 140 or 147, y’all gotta call Alycia for this one ☝🏾 or Caroline! Now if they pay GWOAT 6 million! Hell, my strong, Lucious 🍑 will get down there! 🤣,’ Shields wrote on “X”.
Though it may be all about Mike Tyson and Jake Paul, the upcoming MVP-Netflix card at the Cowboys Stadium promises to make it a night to remember for boxing purists as well.
The crowd and millions of viewers across the world will be treated to a historic duel. Two years after leaving their marks at Madison Square Garden, Amanda Serrano and Katie Taylor are poised to create yet another magic.
Serrano and Taylor will face off for the latter’s undisputed light welterweight title. Ahead of their match, the two champions had a chance to meet face-to-face and share their thoughts on their rematch. The discussion covered several topics, including a callout from undisputed champion Claressa Shields. The two-time Olympic gold medalist had issued an open challenge to settle the much debated ‘Greatest Woman of All Time’ (GWOAT) title. As their conversation unfolded, it became clear the matter could be viewed from different angles.
Did Amanda Serrano’s response spark the ‘GWOAT’ issue? When asked for the reasons behind moving up a division to chase the 140-pound undisputed title, ‘The Real Deal’ replied, “I want to be great. I’m chasing greatness, and that’s what I want to do. Fighting Katie Taylor is just that, and you know, becoming a two-division undisputed champion would be amazing.”
Addressing Taylor, the host asked, “So Clarissa Shields actually challenged both of you females to see who’s the best woman’s fighter on Earth. What do you have to say about that, Katie?” The London Olympic gold medalist laughed it off. For her, the entire focus was on what lay ahead—the fight against Amanda Serrano. But Katie Taylor seemed a bit perplexed. Given the sheer weight difference, why Claressa Shields should call them out?
Nevertheless, she stressed that both she and Serrano were fighters who were willing to go against anyone. “I don’t understand how there can’t be just more than one great. You know, we’re all great in our own ways. We all bring different things to the women’s boxing. We’re bringing more eyes to the sport of women’s boxing, and I’m just so proud to always have been in the top three pound-for-pound.” Amanda Serrano made her pitch. Katie Taylor couldn’t have agreed more.
Highlighting Claressa Shields’ achievements in women’s boxing, ‘The Bray Bomber’ suggested that perhaps picking the best pound-for-pound best among the three of them would be highly subjective. Still, Katie Taylor felt honored to be included in such a pivotal conversation.
On July 27, Claressa Shields stepped into the ring to face Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse. Their light heavyweight duel occurred at the Little Caesars Arena in Detroit. It appears she wasn’t too pleased with Amanda Serrano’s usage of the term ‘GWOAT’.
At the pre-fight press conference, Shields took the opportunity to clear the air. Who deserves the ‘GWOAT’ status—all Amanda Serrano, Katie Taylor, and Alycia Baumgardner need to do is fight her. Highlighting how she can enter any weight class and win, Shields said, “Everybody talking about ‘who’s the GWOAT.’ Who’s undefeated?! Who got the most belts?! Who made the million dollars the last couple times she fought without a promoter giving her a handout?! That’s who the GWOAT is. Who fights the best?! Who doesn’t struggle in fights no matter what style?”
She added further, “I’ll be winning Saturday night, and any of those girls who want to be the GWOAT, all you got to do is make a fight with me: Alycia Baumgardner, Amanda Serrano, and Katie Taylor. All you got to do is make a fight with me, and then I can show you you’re not the GWOAT for many reasons.“
Perhaps Amanda Serrano’s response best sums it all up: Women’s boxing has come a long way. Given where it stands today, there’s definitely a space for a few contemporary greats to stand together and collectively inspire the new generation.
In so many ways, in so many interviews, in so many fights, Claressa Shields has been trying to get her point across.
Whether the listener wanted to hear it, whether the principled message was being delivered correctly, or whether Shields was saying things that made the status quo uncomfortable, there has remained a divide keeping the masses from comprehending the greatest women’s boxer in history.
Now, as her life story, captured in the film “The Fire Inside,” heads to movie theaters in late December, Shields is hopeful her journey from Flint, Michigan, to two gold medals and world titles from junior middleweight to heavyweight will provide the needed perspective to illustrate where she’s coming from.
“I want people to understand when they watch my film that they understand what they haven’t before: that my boxing is a passion for me,” Shields said. “I’m not being forced to box, and I don’t have to box to heal. It has helped me grow into the person I was supposed to be.”
Shields, 29, sat down with BoxingScene during the recent Saul “Canelo” Alvarez fight week in Las Vegas, playing the trailer from her film written by Barry Jenkins and fighting tears knowing that her full story will be out there around Christmas, along with her return to the ring following her July second-round TKO of Vanessa Lepage-Joannise to capture the WBC heavyweight and WBO light heavyweight belts.
“By December-January, I’d like to have another fight. I’m all about history. I want the biggest and best challenges,” she said. “Right now, the heavyweight girls are calling me out. They want to fight me. I know them all, and undisputed at heavyweight will put me at the tops with Muhammad Ali and [Oleksandr] Usyk, Evander Holyfield. I’ll be able to talk to those guys.”
Before heading to training camp, Shields is savoring this experience of knowing her life story is heading to the silver screen, where so many amazing real-life and fictional works – “Raging Bull,” “Rocky,” “Ali,” “When We Were Kings” and “Million Dollar Baby” – have moved the world.
After learning a movie studio was picking up the rights to the documentary, “T-Rex,” that depicted three years of her life before and after the 2016 Olympics, Shields was contacted by Jenkins.
They met in person for four hours, with Shields maintaining her typically unfiltered, candid demeanor.
“I wanted to meet him to know I could actually trust him to do the storytelling,” she said.
She asked Jenkins, “What do you think my life story is? How do you see me? What is your perception?”
She listened to his response and replied, “OK, we’re somewhere near the same thing. This is my perception of it, and this is what I want to be included that I know you wouldn’t include in regular movies.”
About two months later, Jenkins sent Shields the script before any actors had been retained.
“Anything you want taken out, anything you want moved, anything you don’t want mentioned, let me know,” Jenkins told Shields.
She made one cut, declining to divulge what it was.
“He did a great job writing the story. Some of the stuff he included was great … because a lot of times, my story has been misconstrued,” Shields said.
It’s been known that Shields was sexually assaulted as a 5-year-old, that her mother battled alcohol abuse in Shields’ youth, and that she didn’t connect with her formerly incarcerated father until the age of 9 before taking up boxing at 11.
“People have written things that are not true or made it worse than what it was, or what I was focused on,” Shields said. “I had a very hard upbringing. But I also had boxing, and boxing saved my life.
“The story before was that I was some kind of angry black woman who got raped when I was a kid and I hate all men, so I learned how to box to fight men … that’s not my story. But that’s how it was depicted for a long time.
“So I wanted to make sure we didn’t go down that road, that we actually got it right and make it clear how I’m passionate about boxing. I love boxing. It’s what I chose to do. God chose me to box. And I’m the person who’s supposed to change the whole sport – not just with women’s boxing. But boxing, period. I’ve been able to do that.”
Shields is portrayed by actress Ryan Destiny, the boxer comparing the integrity of Destiny’s work to that of Will Smith’s in “Ali.” Rachel Morrison directed “The Fire Inside.”
“Everybody will understand that it’s always been about my passion for boxing. They think when you have trauma and then you box that it’s all about trauma, anger and boxing. That you’re angry,” Shields explained.
“I’m not angry to box. It’s something I’ve taken the most joy in my life from doing. I’m passionate about boxing.”
It’s why she’s had no problem calling out fighters like Gervonta Davis for his domestic violence, Ryan Garcia over his erratic behavior and Jake Paul over comments that he’s helped grow women’s boxing by putting multi-division champion Amanda Serrano on his cards.
“When you see a guy come talking trash to me and hear me say, ‘I’ll kick his ass,’ I really mean that – in the most humble way,” Shields said. “I’ve done that. I do that. I train very hard.”
She even took Alvarez to task, responding to his comment that he accepted the Sept. 14 date against big underdog Edgar Berlanga because Canelo had “fought everyone else.”
“Canelo hasn’t fought everyone. We still haven’t seen (David) Benavidez. Benavidez and (Dmitrii) Bivol. There’s people for him to fight, and there’s people for me to fight, too,” Shields said.
“When you can go as low as 154 and go all the way to heavyweight, there’s always going to be someone very good who can challenge you. There’s girls at 154 who I think can challenge me. They’re just scared. I think they’re good!”
By sparring against men for most of her boxing career, Shields said she has developed a toughness and grit that has contributed greatly to her 15-0 pro record.
“Me boxing – having to rise to these occasions, having to be on TV, having desires outside the ring – has helped me grow into the woman I am today,” she said. “It was all from my passion of fighting. It’s why I did MMA. I didn’t do MMA because I’m angry. I did it because I’m a great ass kicker. I can kick ass in MMA and boxing.”
Shields made it clear in her conversation with BoxingScene that she relishes being a woman.
“I can go to 147 (pounds), but I told (promoters and networks), ‘I need a couple million for that. Because my butt’s going to get little. And I don’t want that,’” Shields said, adding in her present-day weight of 178 pounds. “I like how I look. That means a lot. I’m a woman. These other girls out there looking all strong … I look strong, but I look feminine. That’s very important to me. I’m a woman boxer – woman first. I need to keep my curves and my looks. You want me to go to 147, I will. Just pay me my money.”
And while Alvarez, at 34, has expressed some fatigue with the business of boxing, Shields says she’s continually enthused by the sport.
“I’m always excited to fight. That’s the difference between me and other people. I’m in the back room dancing before a fight, they’re telling me, ‘Claressa, sit down, save your energy,’” she said.
“I’ve already put myself through the hard work, the brutal stress and the roadwork. Now, I get to eat, drink my water and juice and now I get to fight with no restraints.
“In sparring, you don’t want to knock your partners out. When you’ve got a fight, hey, it’s all or nothing. I love when I get to be as mean as I want to be, punch as hard as I want to punch, with nobody saying, ‘Hey, taper it down some.’ No, it’s, ‘Keep turning it up.’ I’m excited about that every time. And the buildup, too. These girls saying I don’t have power, that I haven’t fought nobody. It’s just, ‘Back it up when we get in there.’ When they can’t do that, I beat ‘em up real bad.”
Watching those scenes of her life play out on the big screen at the film’s screening in Toronto recently was powerful, leaving the strong-minded champion fighter reduced to a puddle of tears at times.
“God has done some miraculous things with my life that I can’t put into words. I’m grateful and thankful to see what God has done with this little Black girl from Flint,” Shields said.
She said she’s always been touched by a Biblical passage urging the faithful to maintain hope for the future, where prosperity awaits. Shields did so and was rewarded.
Asked what scenes made her weep, she said, “You have to come and see it, and you will know why I cry. Reliving it on film … you usually don’t get to do that with your life. You may get to watch a couple family videos. For me, to have a movie of my life is tear-worthy by itself.
“Happy tears, sad tears, all over the place. But you will leave feeling like you can conquer the world.”
There aren’t many major boxing matches remaining for Claressa Shields.
That’s why Shields (15-0, 3 KOs) has hopped up and down in weight classes, recently jumping up to 175-pounds to capture a pair of world titles after previously being a titleholder at 168 and the undisputed champion at 160 and 154.
Otherwise, there’s just not enough depth at the heavier weight classes where Shields competes. What, then, can her promoter do to bring his fighter the attention and paydays she’s seeking?
“For Claressa, because of where she stands and what she represents for women in the United States and all around the world, it’s as important where she fights as who she fights,” Dmitriy Salita said on the Boxing with Chris Mannix podcast.
One potential choice in the “who” category is Savannah Marshall, who gave Shields her only amateur loss. But when they met in the pros in October 2022, it was Shields winning via unanimous decision. Marshall has since moved up to super middleweight, defeating Franchon Crews-Dezurn via majority decision to become that division’s new undisputed champion.
“Certainly the rematch with Savannah Marshall is always interesting,” Salita said.
But what about the “where” category Salita mentioned?
“We’ll fight in the Middle East. We’ll fight in Africa,” he said. “I believe that would be very significant and very special and something that can transcend sports. It’d be a human interest story that goes above and beyond the sport of boxing. That would be something I would aim to do. That would be significant and historic.”
Shields, a 29-year-old from Flint, Michigan, has fought outside of the United States before, of course during the amateurs and the Olympics but also twice as a pro, performing in London and Cardiff. In mixed martial arts, Shields competed this February at an event in Saudi Arabia.
For Shields, doing what brings attention isn’t just about marketing herself, but her sport as well.
“There’s been a lot of debate online about who the greatest woman is, and without a doubt it’s Claressa Shields. The only reason this conversation takes place is, most important, because of Claressa’s accomplishments but also because of her personality and because she puts herself out there,” Salita said. “She not only walks the walk, but also talks the talk, which is very important because women’s boxing is much better than it ever was, but it’s still going through birthing pains, and it takes a personality and a fighter like Claressa Shields to push the interest forward.”
The 2024 Paris Olympics was a wild ride for boxing.
Algerian female boxer Imane Khelif clinched gold in the women’s 66 kg division despite becoming a target of hate and widespread misinformation campaign online. And now, two-time Olympic gold medalist Claressa Shields has suggested that one of Imane’s opponents, Angela Carini, in the Paris Games, was “soft” for complaining after their fight. Let’s start things from the top.
After being disqualified from the World Championships last year for failing an unspecified gender identity test, the IOC permitted the 25-year-old boxer to compete in this year’s games because she was born a biological female. However, the hate began after she defeated Angela Carini of Italy in the round of 16, where Carini quit 46 seconds into the fight, claiming that Khelif’s punches impacted her more than ever before.
Soon popular internet personalities began hitting out at the IOC over Khelif’s participation in the women’s category, claiming that the IOC was allowing a biological man to fight a female boxer. This included celebrities like Harry Potter author J. K. Rowling, Elon Musk, and even former President Donald Trump. Interestingly, even Claressa Shields had initially joined the chorus against Khelif, writing, “Women should fight against women, men fight against men and transgenders fight against transgenders,” adding Khelif fighting women was “ridiculous” and that she was “heartbroken” for the women competing in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
However, after realizing she had been the victim of misinformation on social media, Claressa Shields appeared in an interview with TMZ Sports to state, “I wish I would’ve [done] my research before, because now I couldn’t imagine being at the Olympics, winning these fights.” She added, “I just feel really bad about that, and I want to clear it up on my end that I have found out that these two women were born women, and I don’t know what this testosterone stuff is about.”
Following her win, Khelif filed a lawsuit in France against J. K. Rowling, Elon Musk, Donald Trump, and everyone else who attacked her on social media while she was competing in the games. Meanwhile, Shields appeared in The Breakfast Club Podcast, where she seems to have turned her criticism stick on Angela Carini of Italy.
Reflecting on the entire fiasco, Shields suggested that everyone was trapped in the vicious cycle of misinformation, and claimed, “she’s right to sue whoever” started the misinformation about her. Shields said, “Yeah girl, get that money,” reacting to Khelif suing Musk and Rowling for their posts about her gender. She also congratulated the Algerian for winning gold.
However, when she turned to Carini, Shields didn’t have very nice things to say about the Italian boxer, stating, “But to the girl who [was] like, ‘Oh she hit me harder than I’ve ever been hit before’. Soft. Soft.”
Shields didn’t stop there, as she asked Carini to retire from the sport altogether, stating, “Hang it up, you shouldn’t even be in the ring. I spar against men. I ain’t never been hit that hard, where I’m like ‘Let me get the hell up out of here’. Ever. And I’ve been hit to where I couldn’t chew for three days with, like, a hook.” Regardless, even Carini had apologized to Khelif after the hate campaign began and revealed that she felt sad for her opponent.
According to a report, Angela Carini issued a heartfelt apology to Imane Khelif after their Olympic boxing match. Carini, who was pretty bummed about the short fight, said, “All this drama definitely got me down, and I also felt bad for my opponent. She didn’t do anything wrong and, like me, was just here to fight.”
She explained that not shaking Khelif’s hand was just a result of her frustration and not a comment on Khelif herself. “It wasn’t intentional at all, and I’m really sorry to her and everyone else,” Carini added. “If I run into her again, I’d definitely give her a hug.” Carini’s apology highlights the personal toll of the controversy surrounding Imane Khelif, who’s been facing unwanted attention over her gender and biological status.
Having said that, Claressa Shields seems to have also become a victim of misinformation, just like most others. While she has corrected her mistake and withdrawn her statements about Khelif, her recent statements show the change of tide that has occurred in the minds of many about the entire fiasco.
Is there anyone who can stop the Claressa Shields juggernaut?
Yet again, the ‘GWOAT’ has added to her long list of achievements by becoming the heavyweight champion, beating Canadian boxer Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse. With the win, Shields has now become a five-division champion, picking up the vacant WBO world light-heavyweight title as well. It was light work for Shields as she got the job done in the second round. Backed against the ropes by Joanisse, the Michigan native ducked underneath a hook thrown by her opponent, and countered with a combination of punches that knocked the Canadian boxer down on the canvas. From then on, it was curtains for the Quebec native.
Although Joanisse staggered back up to her feet, Shields went on the offensive and delivered two more knockdowns, which ultimately forced the referee to stop the fight. Shields won with one minute and nine seconds left in the round.
The two-time Olympic gold medalist moved up two weight classes to 175 (light-heavyweight) and also challenged Vanessa for her WBC belt. In the closing seconds of the first round itself, the Canadian was stunned by the power punches Shields threw at her. There was a definite upgrade in the power that came with the weight gain.
The dominant win put her in the esteemed company of Roy Jones Jr. as they are the only two boxers in more than 100 years to win middleweight and heavyweight titles. Previously she has picked up titles in light-middleweight, middleweight, and super-middleweight divisions.
After the win, stunned by her own performance, she revealed her plans to stay put at heavyweight. “Maybe I can stay at heavyweight if I’m going to be this strong inside the ring. I put her down three times, so hey, the GWOAT stays.”
Shields has now picked up the WBC heavyweight title, and the vacant WBO World Light Heavyweight title. This was also a special night for Shields because this was her first TKO since beating Nikki Adler in 2017. This is only the two-time undisputed champion’s third knockout win in her entire professional career. Meanwhile, the fans flooded the comment section to give Shields the credit she deserves.
One fan was sure of the fact that there wasn’t any woman on earth who could beat Claressa Shields. Her undefeated boxing record and the titles she has won are a testament to the fact that she is deserving of the moniker ‘GWOAT’.
CLARESSA SHIELDS GETS THE TKO VICTORY IN ROUND 2‼️‼️‼️
Another fan was disappointed with Shields’ opponent. They couldn’t believe that the Canadian boxer was a heavyweight champion. Safe to say, the fight wasn’t competitive at all, with Shields delivering a beatdown and ending the fight sooner than expected.
CLARESSA SHIELDS GETS THE TKO VICTORY IN ROUND 2‼️‼️‼️
Another fan pointed out that it was Shields’ first knockout victory in 2017. Although Shields is an excellent boxer, she is far from a knockout artist. Out of the fifteen opponents she has faced, the undisputed middleweight champion could only KO three of them. Her last knockout win came against Nikki Adler in 2017.
CLARESSA SHIELDS GETS THE TKO VICTORY IN ROUND 2‼️‼️‼️
The headline event at Little Caesars Arena got a mixed reaction from fans. A spectacular KO finish from Shields was more than what the fans expected, but, on the other hand, they were disappointed by the quality of boxing on display by the opponent.
Claressa Shields TKO’s Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse to land WBC heavyweight title & WBO light heavyweight belt
Claressa Shields took a dominant win against Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse on Saturday, July 27 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. The contest saw Flint’s three-division world champion challenging the newly crowned WBC heavyweight champion of Canada. The vacant WBO light heavyweight title was also on the line.
The scheduled for 10 rounds world championship bout, contested at 175 lbs, didn’t go the distance. Shields overwhelmed Joanisse dropping her three times with a big right hand in the second round. The referee waved the fight off to save the latter from further punishment.
Earlier in her career, Claressa Shields held world titles at super welterweight, middleweight and super middleweight, which includes a pair of the undisputed crowns at 160 lbs and 168 lbs. In addition to the victory, the 29-year-old two-time Olympic Gold Medalist improved her pro boxing record to 15-0, 3 KOs and remained undefeated.
Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse didn’t succeed in her first title defense, which was also her debut in the U.S. The 29-year-old native of Mont-Laurier, Quebec dropped to 7-2, 2 KOs, and got her four-fight winning streak snapped.
In the co-feature on the card, Miami-based Michel Rivera (25-1, 14 KOs) of the Dominican Republic defeated Hugo Alberto Roldan (22-2-1, 7 KOs) of Argentina by split decision, securing a knockdown a long the way. After 10 rounds at super lightweight, the scores were 99-90, 94-95 and 98-91.
Among other Shields vs Joanisse results, Julian Smith (9-2, 5 KOs) upset Detroit-based Shohjahon Ergashev (24-2, 21 KOs) of Uzbekistan. On his way to victory also by split decision, the junior welterweight of Country Club Hills, Illinois dropped the former world title challenger twice. The first knockdown on the bell was not counted. The second knockdown in the fifth round was official. The 10-round bout ended with the scores 94-95, 95-94 and 95-94.
Claressa Shields said she would have more power behind her shots on Saturday night and proved true to her word as she stepped up in weight, dropping and stopping Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse in the second round and adding the WBC heavyweight and WBO light heavyweight titles to her overflowing collection at the Little Caesars Arena in Detroit. The fight was fought at 175 pounds, which the WBC refers to as heavyweight for women.
Shields (15-0, 3 KOs), an Olympic gold medalist in 2012 and 2016, needed little time to impose herself against the defending champion from Quebec, Canada. A left hook buzzed Lepage-Joanisse (7-2, 2 KOs) in the first, prompting Shields to unleash a furious flurry to finish the round.
Lepage-Joanisse attempted to push Shields backward in the second, but a counter right hand off the ropes dropped her hard onto her back. After Lepage-Joanisse rose to her feet, Shields immediately went on the attack, dropping her opponent again with another right hand. Lepage-Joanisse’s corner stood on the ring apron, apparently ready to throw in the towel, but Shields kept going, dropping her foe a third time and prompting the stoppage.
“I shocked myself, I’m not gonna lie,” Shields said afterward. “I went in there real slow in the first round because I’m no dummy.” But, she told interviewer Al Bernstein, once she felt she hurt her opponent with that first-round left hook, she went for the finish.
“I knew I was strong in camp, but I was super-strong tonight,” she said. “Maybe I’ll stay at heavyweight.”
