DETROIT (AP) — Claressa Shields knocked out WBC heavyweight champion Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse early within the second spherical Saturday evening, incomes titles in a fourth and fifth division.
Shields, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, moved up two weight courses to combat at 175 kilos as a lightweight heavyweight and in addition claimed Lepage-Joanisse’s heavyweight belt. Her earlier titles have been at 154, 160 and 168 kilos.
She joined Roy Jones Jr. as the one two boxers in additional than 100 years to win middleweight and heavyweight titles. That’s one other feat that makes her one of many biggest athletes of all time in any sport, based on Shields.
“What I’ve been capable of do in my profession, from the novice to the professionals, I’m positively high 5,” Protect mentioned. “If you wish to put me up there subsequent to Michael Jordan, Kobe (Bryant), Serena Williams, Muhammad Ali. I’m positively in that dialog.”
Shields (15-0, 3 KOs) ended the primary spherical with a collection of mixtures and began the second with extra, barely breaking a sweat, and landed a flurry of photographs that despatched Lepage-Joanisse down for the third and ultimate time 1:09 into the spherical.
Lepage-Joanisse (22-3-1) was on protection from the beginning of her quick evening.
Shields boxed for the primary time since defending her undisputed middleweight title with a lopsided unanimous choice over Maricela Cornejo almost 14 months in the past.
In between bouts, she improved to 2-1 as a MMA fighter in February.
Shields gained 15 kilos, then misplaced 5 kilos, earlier than weighing in at slightly below 175 kilos.
“I used to be capable of eat a number of pho,” she mentioned. “Often, I’ve to watch out with noodles in camp due to the carbs.”
She sparred in opposition to males, together with one who weighs 190 kilos, and made some modifications to her power and conditioning program.
“Taking a look at Vanessa in her fights, she pushed ladies again as a result of her legs are very sturdy,” Shields mentioned whereas selling the combat throughout a go to to Detroit Lions coaching camp on Thursday, when Hulk Hogan additionally was there for a go to. “We made certain I’ve the facility in my legs to push her again, and never get pushed again, and in addition actually labored on the power in my arms.”
Shields gained gold medals within the girls’s middleweight division on the 2012 and 2016 Olympics, making her the first boxer from america to win consecutive Olympic medals. She is the one American to win Olympic gold in boxing since 2004 and was named Sportswoman of the Yr by the Girls’s Sports activities Basis final October.
Shields was a sufficiently big title to attract boxing to Little Caesars Area for the primary time final 12 months and did it once more, headlining a card with up-and-coming fighters with seats offered out on the ground and a decrease degree that was principally full.
Thomas Hearns, the revered fighter often called “The Hitman,” watched from a front-row seat subsequent to Jackie Kallen, who grew to become the first feminine supervisor inducted into the Worldwide Boxing Corridor of Fame
Michel Rivera (26-1) of the Dominican Republic, ranked thirtieth at 140 kilos, gained with a cut up choice in opposition to Hugo Alberto Roldan of Argentina.
Julian Smith improved to 9-2 with a split-decision victory over Thirty fourth-ranked tremendous light-weight Shohjahon Ergashev (24-1) of Uzbekistan.
Smith, a deaf boxer from the Chicago space, hopes his efficiency exhibits listening to loss isn’t an impediment within the ring.
“It evokes me to point out the world that folks can do it, given the precise entry,” he mentioned by way of an American Signal Language interpreter.
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AP Boxing: https://apnews.com/hub/boxing