Claressa Shields successfully defended her undisputed women’s heavyweight championship on Saturday night with a dominant 10-round decision over Lani Daniels at Detroit’s Little Caesars Arena.
Backed by a sold-out crowd of over 15,000, the Flint native showcased her technical skill and unmatched composure, extending her undefeated record and further solidifying her place in boxing history.
Flanked by rappers Rick Ross and Papoose during her walk to the ring, Shields turned the title bout into a spectacle that blended sports and culture. Once the bell rang, however, she made clear the night belonged to her alone. Shields controlled every round, outclassing Daniels with precision and power. Judges scored the bout decisively in her favor—100-90, 99-91, and 99-91.
“I thought she wanted to fight,” Shields said post-fight. “But she didn’t really engage until the last three rounds—and even then, I was still outboxing her.”
Rick Ross & Claressa Shields
The win moved Shields to 17-0 as a professional, with three knockouts. She retained all five major titles—WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO, and The Ring—further extending her reign as the only undisputed champion across three divisions: middleweight, light middleweight, and heavyweight. No fighter, male or female, has achieved that feat in the modern era.
Shields also generated buzz ahead of the fight by revealing a new tattoo of Papoose’s name during Friday’s weigh-in. The rapper accompanied her to the ring alongside Rick Ross, adding a hip-hop flair to the evening’s pageantry.
Boxers and fans responded quickly to Shields’s performance, including former champion Shakur Stevenson. On X, he wrote: “Claressa is the best woman to ever lace up gloves. I’m so proud of you, T-Rex.”
Stevenson praised her Olympic success and dominance across multiple weight classes, calling her achievements “impossible” and historic.
With each title defense, Shields continues to reshape the conversation around greatness in boxing. Her victory in Detroit wasn’t just a win—it was a reminder of her singular place in the sport.
As the crowd roared and accolades poured in, Claressa Shields stood unshaken at the top—still undisputed, still undefeated, and still rewriting the record books.
