Claressa Shields challenges for the WBC heavyweight title this weekend in a bid for glory that would be unprecedented in women’s boxing.
The self-proclaimed ‘GWOAT’ [Greatest Woman Of All Time] aims to build on her previous undisputed status at middleweight by moving up two weight classes for a shot at the top division. The two-time Olympic gold medalist challenges World Boxing Council heavyweight champion Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.
Joanisse won the title by defeating Argentina’s Abril Vidal on points in March. However, the 29-year-old Canadian’s journey to winning the crown comes with an almost sixty-pound weight drop.
The Quebec native turned professional at 183 pounds but piled on fifty pounds to challenge Alejandra Jimenez for the crown in 2017. Jimenez had little competition during her spell as heavyweight champion, as many of the handful of contenders didn’t weigh over 200 pounds. Joanisse managed to bulk up for the clash at Grand Oasis Arena in Cancun but still lost via three-round stoppage.
After that fight, and due to controversy surrounding Jimenez, the WBC crown at 200 pounds went on hiatus. When it returned in 2021, the weight limit stipulation had dropped dramatically.
Former Shields opponent Hanna Gabriels, weighing 177 pounds, then stopped Martha Gaytan at Fiesta Casino in San Jose, Costa Rica. That triumph had begun the dawn of a new era for the heavyweight division despite a three-year gap due to a failed drug test. It would be another three years until Joanisse picked up the vacant belt.
The seismic shift in weight has since allowed fighters like Shields, who campaign at 160 and 168, to target a run as heavyweight champion.
Therefore, on Saturday night, Shields looks to build on her 14-0 record against Lepage-Joanisse [7-1] in front of an expected crowd of more than ten thousand in her home city. If Shields can take home the WBC heavyweight crown, she’d be a three-weight world titleholder and one of the greatest woman boxers of all time, with the emphasis on ‘one of’ until further notice.
Shields, speaking during fight week, is in a confident mood.
“Vanessa did not train hard enough for this fight. I saw her hitting the pads at the media workout yesterday, trying to impress me. But I was not impressed. I sparred against bears for this camp. She’s sparring with girls I beat up already. I’m happy she’s here. I hope she hits like a heavyweight because if she’s not punching like a heavyweight, she’s going to sleep,” said Shields.
On Friday, the pair weighed in with Lepage-Joanisse at 174.6 pounds and Shields scaling 174.8.
Read all articles and exclusive interviews by Phil Jay. Learn more about the author, experienced boxing writer, and World Boxing News Editor since 2010. Follow on Twitter @PhilJWBN.
