Female middleweight champion Claressa “G.W.O.A.T.” Shields held a media workout in Detroit on Tuesday as she nears her WBC/WBA/IBF middleweight title defense against #1 ranked challenger Ema Kozin on February 5 live on PPV in the co-main event from Motorpoint Arena Cardiff in Wales.
“The boxing world has forgotten who the best female fighter is since I’ve been doing MMA. The other girls like Amanda Serrano and Katie Taylor have been showcasing some great skills, but I’m planning to showcase even better skills in my fight February 5.
“I hope Savannah Marshall shows up at the fight. She can jump up in the ring after I win and talk some stuff. But talking doesn’t win fights, training does. She’s going to see a great performance and I’m going to prove that I haven’t been running from her. We’ve been chasing her.
“When you fight in a different country, you have to do your research on a lot of things and start doing things differently. We’re going to train in Las Vegas for a week so that I can get used to the altitude in Cardiff.
“I’m looking forward to coming back and showcasing my skills. In my last fight, I was coming off over a year layoff and I didn’t perform how I wanted to. When I watch back the film, I wasn’t sharp. I didn’t have the speed and the timing that I normally have.
“I feel like I have to dominate in every fight. Not only am I in her territory, but I have the mentality that everyone wants me to lose. That’s why I go out and smash these girls and make them hold on for dear life.
“This is my first time fighting in another country professionally, but I’ve fought in at least 10 different countries already. I won gold medals in London and in Rio. I’ve been everywhere.
“She’s got a lot of pro experience. I like it. I’ve already dethroned fighters with a lot of experience anyway. I give her credit for working her way up from the bottom to become my mandatory. I’m going to show her that she hasn’t fought anyone like me.”
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Promoter Dmitriy Salita added, “It was great to see Claressa and her longtime coach John David Jackson putting in the work and looking sharp at Downtown Boxing Gym in Detroit today. This place is a light for the Detroit boxing community, just like Claressa is. She grew up in nearby Flint, one of the most challenging place in the world and has become one of the best fighters in our sport and is doing things no one has done before.
“This fight on February 5 is leading toward the biggest women’s boxing match of all time between Claressa and Savannah Marshall. It was great to have media support both locally and nationally today and looking forward to a great night on February 5.
“Claressa has fought in sold out venues here in Michigan and now she’s going overseas, but fans in Michigan and throughout the U.S. and Canada will be able to see her on pay-per-view. It’s a perfect opportunity for sports fans to continue to follow Claressa on her journey of greatness.
“Claressa is going to be up against a very tough, skilled and undefeated number one contender in Ema Kozin. She’s young and hungry and she’s going to bring her very best to the table. It’s a very stern test for Claressa before she gets in there with Marshall.”
Shields has always fought the best competition available in multiple weight classes but will never get the credit until she retires or dead and gone. Dominating does nothing if you dont add to a convenient narrative.
Good point!
I would say her narrative is very convenient, but very annoying at the same time. Plus, nobody is buying her narrative or any other sad excuse for a human who is using the same one. Here’s a little factual tidbit for you, the overwhelming majority of ethnic groups on this planet have suffered some sort of oppression.
WTF are you talking about?
That garbage has absolutely NOTHING to do with Shields upcoming fight
I respect what she’s trying to accomplish but unfortunately for her she doesn’t have a Anne Wolfe, Layla Ali, Lucia Rjyker, Christy Martin type of rival to draw interest in women’s boxing. I just get annoyed when she starts acting like she can beat male boxers. If she strongly feels this way she maybe she can advocate for transgender boxers facing confident women such as herself. Me personally I’m not for it.
She’s a bum. She got beat bad in mma & will lose worse in her next match.
do not know shields weight she always looks bigger than her opponents she packs a lot of weight
I like Shields, but she has a long way to even come a little bit close to Amanda Serrano’s career.
Amanda IS the GOAT!!!!!