Claressa Shields will return to the ring on Sunday, February 2, headlining a DAZN-streamed event in her hometown of Flint, Michigan. The undefeated champion (15-0, 3 KOs) will defend her WBC heavyweight title against 42-year-old Danielle Perkins (5-0, 2 KOs), a rising fighter who turned professional in 2020 at the age of 37.
Despite Perkins’ undefeated record, it’s hard to envision her posing a serious challenge to Shields, widely considered the greatest women’s boxer of all time. Unless an unlikely combination of injury or an extraordinary upset occurs, Shields is expected to continue her dominance in the sport with little difficulty.
This fight highlights the current state of Shields’ career, as she has already made history by becoming undisputed champion in the 154, 160, and 168-pound divisions. Now, at the heavyweight level, she is essentially fighting at a weight class of her own—what some might call “Claressaweight”—due to a lack of serious competition that remains unchallenged. With little left to prove, Shields has no pressing incentive to cut more weight and is fighting primarily for the sport’s continued evolution and her own legacy.
Shields’ most recent bout was on July 27 in Detroit, where she scored a second-round stoppage win over Vanessa Joanisse in a contest that featured both heavyweight and light heavyweight titles, despite the lack of a strong division for women in these weight classes. Perkins, who fought on the same undercard, secured a six-round decision over Christianne Fahey.
Standing at 6’0″ and weighing around 175 pounds for her last fight, Perkins is physically imposing, but the skill gap between her and Shields will likely be immense. Perkins has fought as heavy as just under 200 pounds, but Shields’ superior technique and experience will likely dominate the matchup.
As Shields prepares for another showcase in Flint, it’s clear that her next challenge will once again demonstrate the vast difference in skill level between her and the competition in women’s boxing.
