Claressa Shields defended her middleweight title and remained undefeated after defeating Maricela Cornejo by unanimous decision at Detroit’s Little Caesars Arena. Shields landed massive punches every round, dominating the fight from start to finish. Cornejo absorbed many power punches but very rarely landed her own. Shields was supposed to fight Hanna Gabriels, but she tested positive for a banned substance, and Cornejo stepped in to replace her. The fight was the culmination of a big night for Shields, who wanted to take championship-level boxing back to Detroit, once one of the biggest cities for the sport in the United States.
As mentioned in a news article on ESPN Staff Writer Michael Rothstein, Claressa Shields successfully defended her middleweight title against challenger Maricela Cornejo at Detroit’s Little Caesars Arena on Saturday night. Shields dominated the fight from start to finish, landing massive punches every round and ultimately winning by unanimous decision with scores of 100-89, 100-90, and 100-90.
Shields, who hails from Flint, Michigan, was originally scheduled to fight Hanna Gabriels, the only fighter to knock Shields down in her pro career. However, Gabriels tested positive for a banned substance, and Cornejo stepped in to replace her. Cornejo, who took the fight on less than two weeks’ notice, absorbed the many power punches Shields threw throughout the fight but very rarely landed her own.
Despite her dominance, Shields expressed disappointment that she was unable to secure a knockout. “I went for the knockout I don’t know how many times in the fight. Maricela was just tough,” Shields said in the ring after the fight. “It was like, I could land most of my shots, but some of them were curving that landed pretty good also. But the straight rights were money, and when I would hit her and hurt her, she would just take off.”
Saturday’s bout was the culmination of a big night for Shields, who wanted to take championship-level boxing back to Detroit, once one of the biggest cities for the sport in the United States. Undisputed junior lightweight champion Alycia Baumgardner, who will defend her titles in Detroit next month, was among the fighters in attendance.
The event was also a Detroit-themed night, with rapper Kash Doll walking Shields out to the ring and performing along the way. The Four Tops performed the national anthem, each wearing a different jersey of Detroit’s four major sports teams.
Shields left her options open for her next opponent, but it’s clear that she has her sights set on continuing to dominate the middleweight division. With a record of 14-0 and 2 KO, Shields is one of the most dominant fighters in the sport today, and her performance on Saturday night only cemented her status as a force to be reckoned with.
To end, Claressa Shields’ dominant victory over Maricela Cornejo on Saturday night was a testament to her skill and determination as a fighter. With her eyes set on continuing to dominate the middleweight division, Shields is sure to be a force to be reckoned with in the world of boxing for years to come.
