Flint, Michigan – Claressa Shields cemented her legacy as one of boxing’s greatest by capturing the undisputed heavyweight championship with a unanimous decision victory over Danielle Perkins on Sunday night.
The undefeated Shields (16-0, 3 KOs) dominated the fight despite fighting through a torn labrum, which limited her ability to use her left arm effectively. She closed the show in style, dropping Perkins (5-1, 2 KOs) with a powerful right hook in the final seconds of the 10th round.
Shields Overcomes Injury to Secure Victory
The 29-year-old champion revealed after the fight that she nearly withdrew due to a shoulder injury sustained during training.
“I actually think I’m going to have to have surgery on my left arm,” Shields admitted. “I tore my labrum last week, so the fight almost didn’t happen. I didn’t want to let Flint down, so I iced it, did therapy, and pushed through. But I couldn’t use my jab the way I wanted to.”
Despite the injury, Shields outlanded Perkins significantly, connecting on 29% of her total punches and 36% of her power shots, according to CompuBox. Perkins, in contrast, landed just 19% of her punches. The judges scored the bout 97-92, 99-90, and 100-89, all in favor of Shields.
A Historic Achievement
With this victory, Shields becomes the first boxer—male or female—in the four-belt era to be undisputed champion in three different weight classes (junior middleweight, middleweight, and now heavyweight). She now holds the WBC, WBA, IBF, and WBO heavyweight titles—a division that begins at 175 pounds for women’s boxing.
The fight marked Shields’ second heavyweight contest, following a July 27 TKO victory over Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse in Detroit. Perkins was on the undercard of that event.
A Tough Challenge from Perkins
Shields acknowledged the physicality of her opponent:
“I felt strong in there, but Danielle Perkins was strong as hell. She was definitely a problem,” Shields said. “My experience and skills got me through it. I’ve been in plenty of street fights with bigger opponents, and I had to use some of those skills today, too.”
While Shields landed the only knockdown of the fight in the 10th round, she also had Perkins reeling in the third with a sharp overhand right. The Flint crowd erupted in support, chanting “Whoop that trick”, a nod to the Hustle & Flow soundtrack.
A Special Homecoming
Shields chose to fight in Michigan over an opportunity at New York’s Barclays Center, returning home for a homecoming bout at Dort Financial Center in Flint. Her entrance was accompanied by rapper Papoose, and among those in attendance was undisputed welterweight champion Terence Crawford.
Crawford praised Shields’ performance, calling it a historic moment for the sport.
“It was a great fight. Perkins came to fight—she was big, she was strong. But Claressa had the speed, timing, and experience. When it came down to making it a dogfight, she won those exchanges,” Crawford told ESPN.
The Fire Still Burns
Despite her achievements, Shields remains hungry for more.
“It ain’t enough,” she said. “For years, I didn’t get my flowers. Even though I’m getting them now, it still doesn’t feel like enough. I’m fighting for a million dollars—I should be getting five. This ain’t it. That’s where my fire comes from.”
The fight also marked Shields’ first ring appearance since the December release of her biopic, The Fire Inside.
With her status as the G.W.O.A.T. (Greatest Woman of All Time) now firmly solidified, the question remains: What’s next for the three-division undisputed champion?
Leave a Reply