Claressa Shields Wins the Heavyweight Women’s Title After Defeating Danielle Perkins

Claressa Shields solidified her place as one of the most accomplished female fighters in history by adding another knockout to her resume.G.

In the tenth and final round of the championship fight, Shields defeated Danielle Perkins with less than 20 seconds remaining, capping a commanding victory by unanimous decision (100-89, 97-92, 99-90). Shields (16-0, 3 KOs) became the first boxer to win uncontested belts in three different weight classes on Sunday night in front of a boisterous, cheering audience at the Dort Financial Centre in her hometown of Flint, Michigan. Despite fighting until the very finish, Perkins (5-1, 2 KOs) concluded the bout on the ground.

Shields applied early pressure and got off to a strong start. Shields continuously got in range to hurl a barrage of right hooks and overhands, along with a nearly constant left jab, while using her speed advantage to shorten the distance between herself and the larger Perkins.

Perkins resisted the attack and appeared to have more stamina in the last three rounds, when he began to hit Shields with strong uppercuts and jabs, but the aggression eventually returned to haunt him. Perkins was looking for a late finish, but in the last seconds, she was downed by a powerful right hook that she had left open.

Nine bouts, including four women’s bouts, took place at the “Vehicle City” on the evening that Shields-Perkins was the main attraction. For the open USBA men’s heavyweight title, Brandon Moore defeated Skylar Lacy via disqualification to win the co-main event. Three additional Michigan fighters, Leon Lawson III, Joseph Hicks, and Joshua James Pagan, also prevailed in their bouts; Lawson and Hicks were defeated by technical knockout.

Since Riddick Bowe in 1992, Shields is the first American heavyweight, male or female, to earn an uncontested title. Shields added another championship title in a fifth weight class and kept her undefeated record.