(This story first appeared on BoxingJunkie.com.)
Claressa Shields may want to compete exclusively in mixed martial arts if she cares about challenges. No one in boxing can touch her.
Shields made the previously undefeated Marie-Eve Dicaire look like she had nothing to do with her, dominating nearly every second of every round to win a shutout decision in a 10-round junior middleweight bout on Friday in her hometown of Flint , Mich.
In the process, the two-time Olympic champion also became the first fighter of both sexes to become the undisputed champion in two divisions in the four-band era.
Shields’ only disappointment was that she couldn’t stop Dicaire, which can be partly attributed to the two-minute rounds imposed on female boxers and the Canadian’s reluctance to exchange punches.
“I was trying for the knockout,” said Shields. That’s what I wanted. And I almost had it a few times. … At the end of the day, I’m the new undisputed 154-pound champion – the first boxer to do it in history. And I did it here in Flint, Mich. “
Shields (11-0, 2 KOs) is no stranger to making history.
She became a three division defending champion in 10 bouts, faster than any other fighter. And she made additional history before stepping into the ring on Friday, becoming the first woman to headline an all-women pay-per-view card.
The fight itself was almost anti-climactic, given Shields’ total dominance.
Dicaire, who entered the fight as the IBF bell holder, didn’t feel like confusing it with Shields. And who can blame her? Each time she did, she was greeted with hard, precise punches that won round after round for Shields.
And when Dicaire (17-1.0 KOs) let go of her hands, she rarely found the target. One element of Shields’ game that may be underestimated is her defense.
Dicaire got 31 of the 263 punches thrown, which is a connection speed of 11.8 percent, according to CompuBox. That’s a meager average of 3.1 punches per round. Shields landed 128 or 409 (28.4 percent).
All Dicaire did well was survive, which she did by holding on incessantly and applying rough tactics at close range. She hardly gave herself a chance to win the fight.
Almost. Dicaire accelerated the pace in the last two rounds in a desperate attempt to get something done. But even then, it was Shields who landed the cleaner, eye-catching shots.
The official score was no surprise: all three judges had the same thing, a 100-90 shutout. Boxing Junkie also scored it 100-90.
Shields retained her WBC and WBO titles, took the IBF belt from Dicaire and captured the recently set WBA title.
“I’m just glad I can do it here,” said Shields. “I started boxing here at the Dort Event Center when I was 11 years old. Never in a million years did I think I’d be on pay-per-view and then be uncontroversial twice and just be one of the biggest boxing stars in the world.
“I just wanted to win an Olympic gold medal, that’s all I wanted. I won two. I now have, I think, 12 championships. I am undisputed twice. It’s strange to say uncontroversial twice. It’s weird.”
Shields, who recently signed with the Professional Fighters League, has said she plans to alternate between boxing and competing in mixed martial arts. She said on Friday after the fight that she expects to make her debut in mid-June, although apparently that is not yet complete.
That doesn’t give her much time to enjoy her victory.
“My birthday is March 17th,” said Shields, who turns 26. “Then it’s right back to the gym.”