Claressa Shields Undisputed and Other Results from Flint, Michigan
By David A. Avila
Claressa Shields showed that neither a pandemic nor undefeated Marie Eve Dicaire could block her from becoming the undisputed super welterweight world champion for a record second division on Friday.
“It ain’t been done,” said Shields. “It’s just me.”
Shields (11-0) rewarded her hometown Flint, Michigan crowd with a second undisputed world championship after a convincing win over Canada’s Dicaire (17-1). The blonde southpaw was simply out-gunned on the Salita Promotions card at Dort Federal Event Center.
With Dicaire using her bouncy southpaw style, Shields countered and measured almost statuesque, simply waiting for a moment to pounce. A check left hook and right cross counter scored for Shields. Dicaire also scored with a right and the fight was on.
Dicaire scored with double lefts in the second round but once again Shields used her speed and angles to counter with several pinpoint rights and attacked with several jabs to end the second round.
In the third round Shields seemed to find her distance and rhythm and patiently closed in for the attack. During an exchange of punches Shields followed with a four-punch barrage. Both exchanged in the corner post with heads colliding and blows flying.
“I can’t get mad about it, but she kept headbutting me and elbowing me,” said Shields.
Dicaire never seemed perplexed but kept trying to find an antidote for Shields speed and skill. The left-handed Canadian fighter tried diving in behind punches and also tried hitting and holding, but nothing seemed to be able to slow down Shields.
In the fifth round Dicaire moved even more than before looking to make Shields more the aggressor. And though Shields did move in to attack she did it in measured steps and never lunged. Dicaire scored with a right and a left cross and followed with a one-two combination. But Shields connected with a check left hook and a three-punch combination.
Nothing seemed to work for the Canadian.
Shields took over the fight from the sixth round on with measured pressure and pinpoint combinations. Dicaire seemed content to fight for survival for the next few rounds as Shields moved into attack mode. The Canadian held whenever possible and that led to clash of heads and elbows to the face. But it was the only way for Dicaire to survive especially after a right cross and right uppercut stunned the Canadian.
Perhaps knowing the fight could not be won on the score cards, Dicaire tried her best to punch with Shields in the ninth round. A double left cross and another left cross scored for the Canadian. Shields countered with a sharp one-two combination and scored with winging rights and hammering lefts. Dicaire took the blows in her best round of the fight but could not win the round.
After touching gloves for the 10th and final round, both unleashed combinations but Shields seemed to pack more impact. Dicaire tried her best to match Shields but the speed and accuracy were not on par. Shields fired a three-punch combination and was met with a one-two Dicaire combination. It was a close round but after 10 rounds all three judges gave Shields the decision 100-90.
Shields becomes the first woman or man to become undisputed world champion in two weight divisions since the advent of four major sanctioning organizations. She now holds the WBA, WBC, WBO and IBF super welterweight world titles.
“I’m happy but I still wanted the KO. But I’m the new undisputed champion in two weight classes. And I’m doing it here in Flint, Michigan,” said Shields. “I did it.”
Dicaire was optimistic despite the loss.
“I think Claressa did a good job tonight,” said Dicaire. “Tonight, she was the best. Sometimes you win and sometimes you learn. Tonight, I learned. I think this is just going to allow me to grow stronger. I don’t box to protect my record or keep my record at 0 losses. I box to beat champions. Tonight, I had the chance to fight the real champion. She won this time but count on me to go back to the gym and work hard and be world champion again for sure.
Shields is the undisputed super welterweight world champion.
Perkins Wins Title
Danielle Perkins (3-0) shut out Monika Harrison (2-2-1) to win the vacant WBC Silver heavyweight title by unanimous decision after eight rounds.
It was a rematch between the heavyweights. Perkins won the first encounter by decision but felt she should have knocked out Georgia’s Harrison and found out why it didn’t happen. Once again Harrison proved to be made of sturdy stuff and absorbed the incoming blows and kept going.
But surviving big blows doesn’t win fights and Perkins kept firing and kept firing and kept the stream of punches going for all eight rounds. No knockdowns were scored between the heavyweights and all three judges scored it the same way 80-72 for Perkins.
“I do apologize for not getting a KO,” said Perkins after the fight. “I hit her with some solid hammers.”
Marlen Wins
Marlen Esparza (9-1) assessed the speed of Shelly “Machine Gun” Barnett (4-4-2) and simply beat her to the punch in each and every round to win by unanimous decision in a bantamweight fight.
Though Esparza is already scheduled to fight for the WBC flyweight world title against Ibeth “La Roca” Zamora in April, the Olympic bronze medalist accepted the fight within 10 days at the heavier bantamweight division. It made no difference.
“We know she was tough. She was bigger,” said Esparza about liked fighting Barnett because she is a bantamweight. “We really wanted that weight.”
Esparza erupted out of the corner in the first round with combinations to the head and body. Barnett tried to keep up and exchanged but Esparza was able to nimbly slip out of range.
From the second round on Esparza simply beat Barnett to the punch during each and every exchange and used her combinations to win each frame. Left hooks were plenty to the body and head and she used jabs to set up powerful overhand rights. To Barnett’s credit she was able to take the blows.
After six quick rounds one judge scored it 60-54 and two others 60-53 for Esparza.
“I’m definitely happy with it,” said Esparza. “We really worked hard on those shots.”
Bantamweights
A bantamweight fight saw Jamie Mitchell (6-0-2) fire up the punches and stopped Noemi Bosques (12-16-3) in the fifth round to win by technical knockout.
Mitchell had not fought in almost two years and barely needed a round before getting into a groove and dominating veteran Bosques with quick combinations.
In the fourth round Mitchell turned on the after burners and unleashed a five-punch combination followed by several more sharp blows. It looked like the referee was going to stop the pummeling but he allowed it to continue.
Mitchell led off the fifth round with back-to-back hammering rights and the referee stepped in and stopped the fight at 1:49 of the round. Mitchell was declared the winner by technical knockout.
“I was just zoned out. That’s how I got the win and knockout,” Mitchell said. “Whoever wants it, come get it.”
(Photo by Silvia Jones)