Claressa Shields: Dominating the Ring Across Divisions

Olympic champion Claressa Shields secures historic heavyweight knockout victory

Claressa Shields lands a decisive punch on Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse, showcasing her dominance at heavyweight /

By Mohamed Bahaa

Claressa Shields continues to redefine women's boxing history, delivering an electrifying second-round knockout against WBC heavyweight champion Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse. Despite this remarkable achievement, Shields remains undecided about her future in the heavyweight division.

Shields (15-0, 3 KOs) once again showcased her unparalleled talent last Saturday night at Detroit’s Little Caesars Arena. The reigning undisputed middleweight champion jumped two weight classes to dethrone Canada’s WBC Women’s heavyweight titleholder, Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse (7-2, 2 KOs). Additionally, Shields claimed the vacant WBO light heavyweight world title, further cementing her status as a boxing icon.

“You have so many world champions at heavyweight, but I’m the cash cow,” Shields confidently stated. “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.”

As a two-time Olympic gold medalist (2012 and 2016), Shields needed only two rounds to demonstrate why she is considered the greatest female fighter ever. She faced Lepage-Joanisse, the defending WBC champion from Quebec, Canada, with unmatched skill and power. A devastating left hook in the first round sent Lepage-Joanisse to the canvas, prompting Shields to unleash a relentless series of punches to conclude the round. Shields maintained her aggression in the second round, flooring Lepage-Joanisse again with a powerful right hand. The fight ended decisively as Shields sent her opponent to the mat for the third time, prompting a stoppage.

“I saw her corner stand up after the knockdown,” Shields said. “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.

This victory marked Shields’ return to the ring after more than a year. Her previous fight saw her successfully defending her four middleweight titles against Maricela Cornejo in a unanimous decision.

In the co-main event presented by Salita Promotions, junior welterweight Michel Rivera (26-1, 14 KOs) triumphed over Argentina’s Hugo Alberto Roldan (22-3-1, 7 KOs). Rivera's superior reach and strategy allowed him to dominate most of the fight, culminating in a knockdown in the 10th round. His performance secured a split decision victory, positioning him for a potential world title shot in the highly competitive 140-pound division.

Shields’ incredible performance in the heavyweight division has once again proven her adaptability and prowess, leaving fans eagerly awaiting her next move in the ring.