Claressa Shields added to her glittering CV by outpointing Danielle Perkins to become female boxing’s first undisputed heavyweight world champion.
Shields is also the first boxer, female or male, to achieve undisputed status across three different divisions in the four-belt era (heavyweight, middleweight, light-middleweight) after her win over the previously unbeaten Perkins.
Shields, boxing in her native Flint, took her unblemished record as a pro to 16-0 after flooring Perkins with a right hook in the 10th and final round, ahead of the judges scoring the fight 97-92, 99-90, and 100-89 in her favour.
The 29-year-old later revealed a shoulder problem she sustained last week meant the fight almost did not take place.
“I actually think I’m going to have to have surgery on my left arm. I tore my labrum last week, so the fight almost didn’t happen,” Shields said.
“I didn’t want to let Flint down, but I really couldn’t use my jab the way that I wanted to. I iced it, I did therapy and now I think I’m going to have a shoulder surgery.”
