In front of a packed house at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, Claressa Shields lived up to the lofty expectations, overwhelming Australia’s Kaye Scott in six rounds in the main event of the card promoted by Salita Promotions. The victory allowed the American fighter to reclaim the WBC and WBA middleweight titles, which she had vacated two years ago when she moved up to heavyweight.
The enormous difference in speed between the two fighters became glaringly apparent from the opening round, with Shields landing almost at will, particularly with her right hook, causing noticeable swelling above her opponent’s left eye.
Having established her superiority, the American superstar comfortably and confidently managed the following two rounds, alternating periods of patience with sudden flurries of punches to which Scott consistently reacted a split second too late.
The Australian’s inability to read her opponent’s intentions in time, constantly being caught off guard before she could even begin to slip a punch, was the leitmotif of the fight through the end of the third round, before Scott finally managed to make some adjustments to her game plan.
The fourth round was the best one for the defending champion. Scott finally seemed to remember her excellent amateur pedigree and began consistently working her left jab, tightening up her defense and wisely moving backward to avoid, or at least take some of the sting out of, her opponent’s counterattacks. It probably wasn’t enough to win her the round on the scorecards, but at least it was a rational strategy that helped minimize and contain the damage.
Unfortunately for her, Scott chose not to continue down that path and in the fifth round she unwisely went back to engaging in open exchanges, paying the price for it. In the second half of the round, the Australian even tried to pin Shields against the ropes and impose herself physically, but the only result of this ill-advised tactic was to unleash the challenger’s fury. Shields defended herself with ease and resumed dictating the action with her lightning-fast combinations.
By the sixth round, the stage was set for a spectacular finish. Taking advantage of her opponent’s willingness to engage in exchanges at center ring, Claressa landed her left hook three times in succession, the last of which visibly staggered Scott. After being caught by another right hand to the face, the champion crashed into the ropes and was rightly given a count by the referee.
The referee decided to let the fight continue, but it was fairly obvious that Scott was no longer capable of defending herself. Sure enough, shortly afterward her corner threw in the towel, bringing the fight to an end and triggering celebrations from Shields and her supporters.
Once again, as in the vast majority of Claressa Shields’ professional fights, the contest proved to be completely one-sided. The 42-year-old Scott was vastly outmatched in every department and simply did not have the tools to compete. She only made matters worse by resorting to a tactically self-defeating strategy.
This systematic disparity in ability makes the American fighter’s capacity to fill arenas and generate such enthusiasm all the more impressive. Everyone knows that Claressa Shields is going to win comfortably, yet they still rush to buy tickets to watch her perform, generating revenues that many elite male fighters around the world would envy.
Now, for the American, who has dubbed herself the “GWOAT” (Greatest Woman of All Time), the most intriguing fight at 160 pounds could be a full unification bout against Canada’s Tamm Thibeault, who holds the IBF and WBO middleweight titles. It cannot be ruled out, however, that a fighter from one of the lower weight classes could move up to challenge Shields, lured by the purse on offer and the opportunity to make history. Among the leading candidates, keep an eye on Britain’s Lauren Price.