Claressa Shields made more history this past weekend, scoring three knockdowns en route to a R2 TKO win over Canada’s Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse in becoming a four-weight world champion. While the 29-year-old insisted she’d be open to staying at 175lbs going forward, she’s also open to floating between weight divisions as multiple names – including Natasha Jonas – call her name.
Shields strong at 175lbs after claiming WBC title
- Endless possibilities… “I felt super strong tonight, maybe I can stay at heavyweight if i can be this strong in the ring…” Shields’ post-fight interview ringside though true competition is difficult at higher weights
- Straight talking: 29-year-old double Olympic champion declared herself the cash cow of women’s boxing after reigning supreme in her 12th championship clash across four weight divisions: “160, 168… if I have to go to 154lbs to get the big fights, wherever the biggest and best are at.”
- IBF welterweight champion Natasha Jonas, undisputed super-featherweight titlist Alycia Baumgardner and rematch with longtime rival Savannah Marshall are among the most likely options for Shields as far as marquee fights but all three come with their own individual caveats
CLARESSA Shields claimed a world title in a four (and fifth) weight class early on Sunday, celebrating another welcome Detroit homecoming but one over far quicker than before to be crowned WBO light-heavy and WBC heavyweight world champion.
She made Canada’s Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse miss during a steady first-round, then scored a trio of second-round knockdowns before referee Benjamin Rodriguez wisely waved off the contest, just as the champion’s corner looked to do the same.
Shields’ clinical counters came to the fore and suddenly signalled the beginning of the end, having slipped four punches with her back to the ropes before landing a three-punch combination to drop Lepage-Joanisse 30 seconds into the round.
A big overhand right came next to floor the Quebec native again after she beat the initial count and this time, her coach stood on the ring apron with a surrendering towel in hand ready to step in. Shields threw a dismissive right and though it didn’t land clean on the chin, the Canadian was down again and the result beyond doubt.
Many have already suggested this – rather than previous performances – proves Shields has always been boiling herself down to a weight which doesn’t allow her the scope to flaunt punch power properly and judging by the landscape among the heavier women, she’ll have to make those same sacrifices again in future.
A reported showdown with Liverpool’s Natasha Jonas didn’t come to fruition, both champions unsurprisingly have different stories as to why it hasn’t materialised – whether that be financial demands, a catchweight stipulation or other factors.
Jonas, who retained her IBF welterweight world title with a disputed 10-round SD win over Mikaela Mayer in January, told BoxingScene while talks were concrete, the stipulated weight limit was a big stumbling block. She was quoted saying:
“I think it was at the end of last year – about me going back up to 154 pounds, her coming down. We were back-and-forth for ages. Her team said can we do 156 or 158lb catchweight, since she hadn’t made 154lbs for over a year.
I said not really… I’m weighing 148lbs with my clothes on, don’t really want to be any higher because I’m not gonna be there. There was other stuff as well, eventually couldn’t be done.”
Shields’ friendship with compatriot Alycia Baumgardner turned sour last year and the pair were arguing intensely ringside after Richardson Hitchins’ IBF light-welterweight title eliminator win over Gustavo Daniel Lemos at a DAZN show in April.
Baumgardner was there supporting a friend in training partner Skye Nicolson as the Australian became the new WBC world featherweight champion earlier that night with a shutout win over Sarah Mahfoud, while Shields was on commentary duty.
Jonas cited that flare-up, among others seen calling out champions in divisions below on social media recently, suggesting Shields can go down in weight after all.
“She said she’d come down to 147lbs and beat her [Baumgardner] there – if you can make it, come down. The ball’s in my court then, but I haven’t heard anything since the 154lb talks. There’s no pleasing her, they’re just the facts. It is easier to win [at higher weights], but she can only beat who’s in-front of her.
She’s at a point where she’s come over and beaten everyone, there’s no-one else for her to fight. She literally hasn’t got nowhere else to go then starts piping off at Lauren [Price, the WBA welterweight champion], me, Baumgardner… it’s because she needs to do that to talk her way into a fight, there’s nobody left.”
Following another foray into the MMA world under the PFL banner, Shields returned to boxing after a year out. Having outclassed former sparring partner Maricela Cornejo to a UD10 undisputed middleweight title defence last summer, it’s easy to forget she’s the right side of 30 and unlike Katie Taylor, decline isn’t an issue.
Unfortunately for her though, finding suitable opponents who will create intrigue and capture an audience’s imagination the same way Marshall once did is.
Picture source: Getty Images, quotes hyperlinked
Mo and Sports 