Claressa Shields attempts to further enhance her legacy this Sunday, as she goes for the undisputed world heavyweight title against Danielle Perkins on home turf at Dort Financial Centre in Flint, Michigan.
DAZN televise Shields vs Perkins live.
Shields (15-0, 3 KOs) is the reigning WBC and WBF champion, and the vacant IBF and WBO belts are also up for grabs here. The WBA don’t recognise heavyweight as a weight class in the female side of boxing, so this one will be for all available marbles.
After cleaning out the super welterweight division, ‘T-Rex’ Shields then did the same at middleweight, with a clear points win over amateur rival Savannah Marshall completing the set at 160 pounds.
She dabbled in MMA, winning twice and losing once, with her last bout coming last February before Shields returned to boxing last July to win the WBC and WBF heavyweight titles, as well as, curiously, the vacant WBO light heavyweight crown with a rare stoppage win, a second round halting of Vanessa Lapage-Joanisse in Detroit.
Perkins (5-0, KO2) will be the next to attempt to crack the Shields code, but at 42 and having never been past eight rounds or at world level, it looks a tall order.
None of Perkins’ opponents to date have had more than five fights experience, and the Houston native was last out in July 2024 on the same bill as Shields, winning a six rounder on points against Christianne Fahey.
Prediction: Shields should encounter little resistance here as she adds more belts to her collection, and I think she can do it by winning every round in this one in another dominant points success.
Undercard preview
A ten rounder at heavyweight heads the undercard. Brandon Moore (16-1, 10 KOs) has won twice since being knocked out in five by Richard Torrez Jr in May last year, resurfacing with two early wins in Columbia, and he should take an inside schedule win against Skylar Lacy (8-0-2, 6 KOs), who has two draws in his last three outings.
In eight round attractions, welterweight hope Joseph Hicks (11-0, 7 KOs) can record a points win over fellow unbeaten Keon Papillion (10-0-1, 7 KOs), and at middleweight, Leon Lawson III (16-1, 9 KOs) can do the same against Christopher Thompson (9-2, 6 KOs).
At lightweight, Joshua James Pagan (11-0, 4 KOs) can outscore Ronal Ron (16-7, 13 KOs) in their meeting, and Samantha Worthington (10-0, 7 KOs) will likely need the scorecards to get past Vaida Masiokaite (10-26-6, 1 KO) at super lightweight.
Here is one of my Boxing Quick hit videos. This one about excellent women’s boxer Samantha Worthington. pic.twitter.com/0PlZXLKhLq
— Al Bernstein (@AlBernstein) November 29, 2024
In six rounders, Caroline Veyre (8-1, 0 KOs) can win once again on the cards in her featherweight showdown with Carmen Vargas (5-2-1, 0 KOs), and heavyweight novice Pryce Taylor (5-0, 3 KOs) can score an early win against Jerell Nettles (4-10, 1 KO). Debutant Ashleyann Lozada can be a points winner against Denise Moran (3-0, 0 KOs) at super bantamweight.
The only four rounder is at middleweight, where Jaquan McElroy (2-0, 1 KO) can defeat debutant Joseph Starks on points
