Claressa Shields has new opponent but the same plan: Kick ass
Undisputed women's middleweight champion defends vs. substitute challenger Maricela Cornejo on Saturday on DAZN
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Undisputed women’s middleweight champion Claressa Shields has spent a career making adjustments inside the ring, so when she got a curveball thrown her way of needing a new opponent on short notice she said she quickly adjusted to that as well.
So, instead of facing Hanna Gabriels in a rematch as planned, Shields will defend her belts against Maricela Cornejo on Saturday (DAZN, 9 p.m. ET) in the main event of the first boxing event to take place Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, which amounts to a home fight for the Flint, Michigan, native.
“I had to switch my mind set up when Maricela Cornejo became the opponent,” Shields said this week. “She’s tall, she’s fresh and she’s fought for the world title before. This chance to fight for undisputed is once in a lifetime for her. I’m excited to face an opponent who I know is ready to go.
“I’ve watched Cornejo on film and seen how she boxes. The thing is, I just feel like I’m a league above these girls, and I’m gonna show it on Saturday night.”
Shields (13-0, 2 KOs), the 28-year-old two-time Olympic gold medalist, who is viewed by most as No. 1 pound-for-pound in women’s boxing, was scheduled to defend the belts against three-division titleholder Gabriels. It was to have been a rematch of a 2018 bout in which Shields won the vacant IBF and WBA middleweight belts but suffered the only knockdown of her career (pro or amateur) in the first round.
However, last week Gabriels was dropped from the fight because she tested positive for the banned anabolic steroid Clostebol in a test conducted by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association under the WBC’s Clean Boxing Program.
Fortunately, Cornejo (16-5, 6 KOs), 36, of Los Angeles, who is ranked as Shields’ No. 1 contender by WBC, WBO and IBF, was already training and quickly accepted the bout when it was offered to her despite such short notice.
“When I got the call I was getting ready for another fight (scheduled for June 6), so we were coming to the end of camp anyway,” Cornejo said. “This isn’t a last-minute thing for me because I’m always ready. I’m always staying in the gym. I live, eat and breathe boxing.
“I’m ready for this opportunity and there’s no excuses come Saturday night. Claressa has done so much for the sport of boxing and everyone in this sport is trying to do our part. Our responsibility is just to make a difference in the sport and that’s what we’re trying to do. She needs a good dance partner to do that. When they called, I said I’m ready to dance.”
Cornejo, who for the first time trained using a strength and conditioning coach in Larry Wade, will be getting her fourth world title shot. She is 0-3, having lost a split decision to Kali Reiss for the vacant WBC belt in 2016, a majority decision to Franchon Crews-Dezurn for the vacant WBC super middleweight title in 2018 and a unanimous decision to Crews-Dezurn for the WBC and vacant WBO belts in a 2019 rematch.
“Being an underdog doesn’t affect me at all,” Cornejo said. “I’m gonna go put some money on myself. I knew I’d be the underdog. She’s got the titles, so I know what I have to do. I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that this is the perfect time for me to take this fight. Some might think that it’s short notice, but I’m in tip-top shape.”
In her last fight in October, in London, Shields outpointed Savannah Marshall — the only opponent to ever defeat her, doing so when they were amateurs — to reclaim the WBO belt she had previously vacated. The win also made Shields the two-time undisputed middleweight champion. She has also been undisputed at junior middleweight and a unified champion at super middleweight.
‘No matter who is fighting me on Saturday, they’re getting their ass kicked,’ — Shields
For all of her accomplishments, she is giving Cornejo the proper respect.
“I’m facing a younger, taller and more savvy opponent in Maricela Cornejo than I was in Hanna Gabriels,” said Shields, who said she turned down more money to fight in England again because she wanted to fight at home and open Little Caesars Arena to boxing. “I want to thank Maricela for accepting this challenge and coming here. I know that she’s always in shape. It’s gonna be a real throwdown in Motown. I know she said she wants to go out there and dance, but you’re gonna be dancing by yourself. Because I came to fight. She can salsa all she wants, but I came to throw down and show my skills.
“I might put the makeup and hair and nice clothes on, but I’m not doing anything but focusing on the fight. This is a big moment for Detroit and myself, but the most important thing right now is just winning this fight. No matter who is fighting me on Saturday, they’re getting their ass kicked. The same thing that was gonna happen to my previous opponent is what’s gonna happen to Cornejo.”
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