By Robert Coster
Female superstar Claressa Shields famously said awhile back that she thinks she could beat up Keith Thurman and would give Gennady Golovkin a run for his money. While no one expects those fights will ever take place, a battle of the sexes in the ring literally has happened. Twice.
The first time was the highly publicized October 1999 man vs. woman boxing match between female boxer Margaret MacGregor and male boxer Loi Chow in Seattle’s Mercer Arena that drew worldwide media attention.
The second time it happened was four years later, October 11, 2003, on the tiny island nation of Curacao.
WIBA jr welterweight champion Ana Pascal of Panama tells the story. “My original opponent didn’t show up and Jose Espanol was in the crowd. The promoter asked him if he would fight me. He said ‘OK, why not?’ As for the fight, I really think I won it.”
After six rounds, Espanol (9-6, 8 KOs) of Venezuela was declared the winner on points but the Curacao Boxing Commission then changed the verdict to a no contest. Unfortunately, there are no videos of that historic encounter.
Pascal went on to win five more fights before facing Anne Sophie Mathis of France for the WBC, WBA, IBF world titles. “I caught a cold when I went to France. I lost the fight on a TKO because I couldn’t breathe,” she said. After that bout, Pascal retired with an 11-1, 5 KO mark and nowadays trains both males and females in her native Panama.
As for Espanol, he had one more fight, which he won. He says that the night he fought Pascal he was happy to prove he was “the real man in ring.”
Clarissa Shields needs a CT Scan of her head to make sure her brain is intact. Maybe Shields ought to fight one of her camp members for assaulting an old man in her last possible matchup. In the art of legal jurisdiction, a legal contract separating one’s self from the governing bodies of boxing could actually allow this fight to occur. However, Shields needs to take note that her life is on the line with the possibility of severe head trauma. Folks, sit thru a few collegiate anatomy classes and tell me if their is a difference between man and woman. Yep, last I checked. Testosterone is far more powerful than estrogen.
Shields knows that no elite male boxer would want to really hit her. If they would ever hit her with full power, they would be accused of beating up and permanently injuring a woman. That’s why she is calling them out – its just a ploy to get attention and to possibly make more cash than she could by fighting any female.
If Shields, however, seriously thinks that she can challenge a Thurman or GGG, she is beyond delusional.
and its not ever april fools day.
Nice joke, Claressa. Maybe you could try Jerry Springer show if they bring it back and showcase your talent on there.
Well… don’t act like a man unless you want to get treated like one!!!
This doesn’t surprise me one bit that psychopath would bring something like this up. She once came across as humble and good natured but since winning 2 gold metals over inferior opposition in the unpaid ranks she now thinks she’s the best thing since the pet rock but that’s about all her head is filled with today. It’s so fitting that her brother would sucker punch someone and send them to the hospital. The apple does not fall very far from the tree. A mediocre male boxer would bust her up and send her packing let alone a world class boxer like Keith Thurman. She needs a serious mental health evaluation.
Not those guys or most any other world class figher.
But, a good could matchmaker could find someone that she can or may beat
I am pretty sure Clarissa could beat prime Mike Tyson, George Foreman, Wladimir Klitschko ect….I kid. But maybe Clarissa could beat a smaller man like a washed up Junior Jones.
It would depend on how much he’d deteriorated since his ring days. He’d have to be pretty far gone.
She couldn’t beat decent open amateur fighters, forty -seven and above, let alone a decent Pro.
Shield’s efforts to call out a male boxer is as lame as Nancy Pelosi with her impeachment nonsense.
Very Cowardly Of Shields.
You are a broken man my friend
Shields would get battered and brutally KO’d by Golovkin.
Not battered because she would fall uncounsious after the first GGG power punch on the head !
Chavez Jr. will be healed up soon from that broken hand, or nose, pretty soon.He might make it competitive for a couple of rounds, before retiring on his stool.
Clarissa shields fighting Thurman and ggg what weed is she smoking.
I wish she come down in weight and fight Amanda serrano she will be beat.
Being the best woman fighter is like being the smartest person with Down syndrome…..
I remember the fight in Washington, but the Curacao one was new to me. Interesting!
She should fight the UFC Chris Cyborg and cut the crap about beating up men. Lucia Rijker had the same inflated ego until she was KO’d in a match against a male kickboxer so many years ago. I use to like her until her head grew bigger than her body.