HISTORY-making female champion Claressa Shields returns to the ring this Saturday evening (July 26) in Detroit, aiming to pick up yet another title. As if Shields’ trophy cabinet wasn’t stacked enough, New Zealand foe Lani Daniels arrives in town with an IBF light-heavyweight strap primed for the taking.
‘The GWOAT’ brings her undisputed heavyweight titles to the party, and quite the party it is expected to be, with promoter Dmitriy Salita promising a star-studded cast of characters ringside at Little Caesars Arena. DAZN will televise the whole show.
“I told everyone last month that this fight is going to be sold out,” gloated Shields, 16-0 (3 KOs).
“I have a very scary opponent in front of me. I have not taken her (Lani Daniels) lightly and respect her. I have to rise to the occasion and bring out a different beast. I am not trying to break her strong spirit.”
Daniels will need every last ounce of spirit if she is to pull off a seismic shock and slice her opponent’s unbeaten record. The 37-year-old visitor is 11-2-2 (1 KOs) and has never faced anyone of the former Olympic gold medallist’s calibre. That does not appear to have impacted Daniels’ confidence.
“I am grateful to be here and have a voice. I am better at fighting than talking. I am about to fight the best woman on the planet. I am here for a reason and a purpose,” said ‘The Smiling Assassin’.
“It has always been more about boxing. It’s about my people (of New Zealand). I am here for a greater reason.”
Elsewhere on the card, former WBC super-welterweight world champion Tony Harrison makes his return to the ring. Having been spotted in fighters’ corners recently, following a damaging knockout loss to Tim Tszyu in Australia, fans may have been forgiven for thinking they’d seen the last of ‘Super Bad’. Not so, according to the loquacious Michigan man.
“It has been a long time coming since I’ve stood on a podium and talked some s**t,” buzzed Harrison.
“It’s time. I’ve been patiently waiting in the back of the wing for an opportunity to present itself. Salita gave me that opportunity. I’m not starving for money, but I love the sport of boxing.
“I didn’t want to be 48 years old before somebody gave me the opportunity to pick up those gloves again. Without Salita, I would still be on the couch figuring this thing out.”
Harrison has some high-profile support coming in behind him in the form of main eventer Shields: “I am so grateful to share a card with Tony Harrison. I watched him fight here in Detroit when I was 11 years old. He is just as outgoing and loud as he was back then,” she said.
