Claressa Shields Seeks ‘New Challenges’ With Leap To Fight For Heavyweight Titles
Claressa Shields says her massive climb up to heavyweight to challenge WBC champion Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse is motivated by her desire to seek “new challenges”.
Shields (14-0-0 2 KO) has won world titles in three divisions and is currently the undisputed middleweight and junior-middleweight world champion.
Having conquered all before her in the boxing ring, the American made the transition to mixed martial arts and took her professional MMA career to 2-1 with a split decision victory over Kelsey De Santis in February in the first female MMA bout in Saudi Arabia.
Shields is now back in her natural boxing habitat and is preparing for the next challenge of her career by climbing three divisions to fight Lepage-Joanisse (7-1-0 2 KO).
“I can’t say that there’s not girls to fight at 160 pounds. I just beat them all and I beat them early in my career. There were girls – I’ve just taken them out,” Shields said in an interview with BoxingScene.
Shields Ready To ‘Test Myself’
“I’ve been undisputed at 154 pounds and undisputed twice at 160 pounds. I’ve been a champion with two belts at 168 pounds. I’ve literally fought the best girls already. That’s why I have to find new challenges for myself and test myself. I don’t want to get in the ring and everybody already know what the outcome of the fight will be.”
Shields makes a good point. So dominant has she’s been throughout her career that while watching her ease past opponents is praised, there is rarely any jeopardy, meaning she could become a victim of her own success.
It also doesn’t help that she rarely knocks out opponents. Powerful fighters and knockout artists are far better positioned to capture the attention of casual fans, which will broadens their appeal and leads to more lucrative fights.
The likes of WBC lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson and before him former two-weight world champion and Hall of Famer Andre Ward have suffered from being highly-skilled fighters whose styles failed to resonate with casual fans.
In an era of ever-shortening attention spans and in a business as unforgiving as boxing – where retaining the interest of fans is vital for fighters to maximize their earnings – Shields’ move to heavyweight has provided a new and exciting reason to tune in for her next bout.
Huge Turnout Expected In Detroit
The move to heavyweight has already proved to be a shrewd move; organizers of the bout at Little Ceasars Arena, Detroit in Shields’ home state are expecting 18,000 to attend.
“Boxing fans have not changed. They wanna see people get hurt. They wanna see close fights. They wanna see Rock ‘Em, Sock ‘Em Robots,” Shields said. “I think I’m cursed with it and I think Shakur is cursed with it, where you just make everybody look like amateurs.
“You win, and in some fights you add some power and are hurting your opponent. Some fights you win, but you’re not getting the drops. You’re not hurting your opponents, so people try to find ways to discredit what you’re doing.
“I think I’m a very entertaining fighter and that’s why people show up and buy tickets to watch me fight,” she added. “I’m hurting my opponent constantly throughout the fight, and if I have to trade, I do.
“I just go out there and dominate, and everybody loves to see a dominant performance and at least they see I’m actually going for the knockout. But with two minutes and 10 rounds, it’s hard to do.”
