Two-time Olympic Gold Medalist and unified 168-pound champion Claressa Shields isn’t lacking in confidence as she begins fight week preparing to take on unified 154-pound titleholder Hanna Gabriels for the vacant IBF and WBA Middleweight World Championships this Friday night LIVE on SHOWTIME® (10 p.m. ET/PT).
“As great as she is being a three-time world champion at 154, she’s coming up [in weight],” said Shields, in the video feature. “I’m faster than Hanna Gabriels, I’m bigger. I’m coming down in weight. I’m stronger, I’m taller, and I’m better skilled.”
Shields added: ““I box better than a lot of men… I have to get in there, look good and make them like women’s boxing…I have to perform at Claressa Shields level, and that is GWOAT: Greatest Woman of All-Time.”
In the co-feature bout, women’s unified WBC and WBO Middleweight World Champion Christina Hammer will defend against former world champion Tori Nelson as all four women’s middleweight world titles will be at stake. Also, light heavyweight prospects Umar Salamov and Brian Howard who will meet in a 10-round matchup that will open the tripleheader from Masonic Temple in Detroit.
Tickets for the event, which is promoted by Salita Promotions, are available at Ticketmaster.com or at the Masonic Temple Box Office at (313) 832-7100. VIP tickets are priced at $300, ringside tickets at $125, and remaining tickets at $75, $50 and $35.