The homecoming championship bout for Flint boxer Claressa Shields almost didn’t happen.
Shields, who organized the fight for the undisputed women’s heavyweight championship, tore the labrum in her left shoulder last week, leaving the status of her match against top-ranked contender Danielle Perkins in doubt. After being treated at the UFC treatment center, Shields could not raise her arm for a couple of days last week.
“I really didn’t want to let Flint down,” Shields said Sunday night after the fight. “I couldn’t really use my jab the way that I wanted to but I did the best that I could. I iced it, did therapy, and now I think I may have to have surgery.”
Shields showed no signs of injury inside the ring. After coming out with a show-stopping entrance, featuring a marching band and rapper Papoose, that brought the Flint crowd to their feet at Dort Financial Center, Shields took control of the championship bout early.
FIGHT NIGHT IN FLINT:Claressa Shields vs Danielle Perkins: Shields wins heavyweight women’s title
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Primarily relying on constant right hooks and right overhands out of an orthodox stance, Shields danced around the bigger Perkins and stayed out of her longer reach. She used her speed to get inside before letting her right hand free to show off her new power at heavyweight.
She won her first heavyweight fight by technical knockout in July and showed off that power against Perkins through the final round. Perkins had started battling back with stalemates in Rounds 4 and 5, before landing some powerful strikes the next few rounds that damaged Shields’ face. The two kept trading big blows until Shields landed a right hook with less than 20 seconds left to score the fight’s only knockdown, clinching a victory by unanimous decision.
Shields became the first boxer, male or female, to win undisputed titles in three different weight classes, the first female boxer to win an undisputed heavyweight championship and the first American, male or female, to unify the heavyweight crown since 1992.
“That girl was strong as hell,” Shields said, sporting a blackened left eye. “She’s super-strong. She was definitely a problem. My experience and my skills got me over. And listen, I’ve been in plenty of street fights and I had to use some of my skills in that too.”
The packed crowd spent most of the fight on its feet egging on Shields to finish Perkins off. Each time Shields landed a hit, whether it was a clean shot or just brushing Perkins’ arm, the crowd got loud. They also used the temporary breaks in action to chant “whoop that trick” as an ode to one of the songs Shields used to enter the arena.
“Flint is a different type of place, I can tell you that,” Shields said with a wide smile. “Like the people that we have here, they are fight fans for one, they’re so supportive and they just take you for who you are.”
After having her arm raised to name her champion, Shields remained in the ring to take pictures with members of the Flint community, such as Mayor Sheldon Neeley, and anyone who asked for one. As she slowly made her way out of the arena to her locker room, she continued to stop for pictures and autographs for the hometown crowd.
“When I buzzed her in the third round, I think it was the third, and then when I dropped her in the 10th I heard — it was like fireworks going off all over the ring,” Shields said. “It was just crazy. I’ve fought many places, but there is nowhere like fighting in Detroit or fighting in Flint. Fighting up in Detroit or Flint, they got the best fans in the world to me.”
She opted to host the fight night in her hometown rather than New York or Las Vegas, she said, because she wanted to give back to the community that has supported her throughout the journey to 16-0, championships at five weight classes (including the three undisputed) and two Olympic gold medals.
She described it as the “perfect time” to return home due to her biographic movie, “The Fire Inside,” being released in December.
“I knew and wanted to have a historical fight — to fight for the heavyweight undisputed championship and the first woman to ever do it — this is definitely a big moment for me and I’m really excited and I’m happy I was able to bring it back home,” Shields said.
Shields moved up to heavyweight to pursue a championship in her fifth weight class last summer. After accomplishing that in Detroit in July, she decided “it ain’t enough” and returned to fight for the undisputed title in her pursuit to become the greatest boxer ever. So, she wanted to schedule the fight with Perkins, who came in as an avoided heavyweight because of her power.
Despite her left shoulder injury, Shields’ punches had more power thanks to the extra time spent at a heavier weight. Though Perkins’ strength was evident on every punch, Shields was confident she left a mark on each hit too, not just the last hook that dropped her.
“I put her down and let her know like you talking about that stuff like I ain’t got no power,” Shields said. “I’m the only one with power that got power in here. You’re just big and strong.”
Shields’ emotions took over when she was asked about where her pursuit of the “Greatest Of All Time” title stands after the latest championship victory.
“I’m 16-0 — that’s my first time saying that since it happened, 16-0,” Shields said. “Tried to pick up my fourth knockout today. I didn’t, so I’m 16-0 with three knockouts. But I really couldn’t be prouder, and I’m just happy to be advocating for women’s boxing and just pushing the game forward.”
