Renowned boxer Claressa Shields made history on Saturday when she defeated WBC heavyweight champion Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse in the second round, winning championship titles in her fourth and fifth weight classes.
Two-time Olympic gold medallist Shields advanced two weight classes to compete at 175 pounds, winning the heavyweight and lightweight titles. She had previously won titles at 154, 160, and 168 pounds. The 29-year-old joined Roy Jones Jr. as the only two boxers in more than 100 years to win middleweight and heavyweight titles, according to the Associated Press.
She told the outlet, “What I’ve been able to do in my career, from the amateur to the pros, I’m definitely top five. If you want to put me up there next to Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Serena Williams, Muhammad Ali—I’m definitely in that conversation.”
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Shields returned to the boxing ring following a 14-month break, during which she defended her undisputed middleweight title with a unanimous decision over Maricela Cornejo, according to SI.
She also experimented with mixed martial arts during this time, recording a 2-1 record, and made considerable changes to her training schedule. Preserving her speed and power, she added 15 pounds before dropping five to weigh in just under the 175-pound limit.
Shields humorously remarked, “I was able to eat a lot of pho. Usually, I have to be careful with noodles in camp because of the carbs.”
To ensure she could battle against the powerful Lepage-Joanisse of Canada, she prepared by enhancing her strength and conditioning program and sparring with men, some of whom weighed as much as 190 pounds.
In her strategy, Shields highlighted the significance of leg strength, saying, “When I watch Vanessa fight, her strong legs push girls back. We made sure I have the power in my legs to push her back and not get pushed back, and also really worked on the strength in my arms.”
AP News reported that Shields became the first American boxer to win consecutive Olympic medals in 2012 and 2016 when she won gold in the women’s middleweight division. She was awarded Sportswoman of the Year by the Women’s Sports Foundation in October of last year, and she is the only American to have won an Olympic gold medal in boxing since 2004.
