Local 4’s Isaiah Hall talks with Flint native Claressa Shields ahead of her bout against Light Heavyweight World Champion Lani Daniels on July 26 at Little Caesar’s Arena.
Full interview:
Recommended Videos
Flint native Claressa Shields will put her Undisputed Heavyweight World Championship on the line on July 26 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit against reigning Light Heavyweight World Champion from New Zealand, Lani Daniels.
Shields vs. Daniels will air live on boxing streaming service, DAZN.
Shields made headlines earlier this year by becoming the first woman ever to claim the Undisputed Heavyweight World Championship—and the first boxer, male or female, to achieve undisputed status in three weight divisions.
Shields put on a dominant performance in February, where she dismantled the towering and dangerous Danielle Perkins in front of a roaring hometown crowd at the Dort Financial Center in Flint. With the win, Shields cemented her place as undisputed women’s heavyweight champ.
Shields now looks to extend her reign against Daniels.
“I am so excited to be defending my Undisputed Heavyweight World Championship in Detroit at Little Caesars Arena,” said Shields. “My fights continue to get bigger and better. My opponent, Lani from New Zealand is coming to bring all the smoke, or so she says! This fight will be a sellout of 19,000 so get your tickets and be there to witness herstory on July 26 with the GWOAT.”
Daniels, coined “The Smiling Assassin,” is the former IBF Heavyweight World Champion and looks to regain her crown and add three more world title belts to her collection in July.
Recently signed to Salita Promotions, Daniels made history of her own when she became the first New Zealand-born fighter to win two world titles, and the first to win world titles in two different divisions when she defeated Desley Robinson in 2023.
Tickets for the event at Little Caesars Arena go on sale Friday, May 9 and can be purchased online on ’313 Presents’ and ‘Ticketmaster’ websites or in person at The XFINITY Box Office at Little Caesars Arena.
“Women’s boxing has grown by leaps and bounds since Claressa Shields headlined the very first women’s main event on a nationally televised card,” said Dmitriy Salita, President of Salita Promotions. “Now, she stands atop the mountain, defending the undisputed women’s heavyweight world title for the first time. Over a century ago, Jack Johnson traveled to Australia to become the first African American heavyweight champion of the world. On July 26, Claressa Shields writes her own chapter in that on-going legacy—bringing the fight home to Detroit and facing a significant challenge in the reigning light heavyweight world champion, Lani Daniels. This is more than a fight—it is a defining moment in the evolution of boxing and women’s sport. Claressa is linking generations, breaking barriers, and etching her name deeper into the fabric of the sport’s history.”