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Tarrian Rodgers

Claressa Shields wins heavyweight championship by stunning TKO

They don’t call her the GWOAT for no reason as new heavyweight champion Claressa Shields put on a thrilling performance. As she captured the vacant WBO light heavyweight title and the WBC heavyweight championship at the 1:09 mark in the second round with a TKO victory over Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse on Saturday night.


Shields (15-0, 3 KOs) moved up to capture a world title in a fourth and fifth weight class.  Shields got off to a fast start, landing a flurry of combinations. Shields dropped Lepage-Joanisse (22-3-1) for the third and final time with an overhand right before the fight was stopped. Shields' speed and power were too much for Lepage-Joanisse, who was making her first WBC title defense. 


"I've had some great performances, but is it my best knockout? Absolutely," Shields said. "But is it my best performance? I have fought so many great fighters, and I have looked very, very good. Maybe. I have to go look. The way that I grade myself and how y'all grade me is completely different."


After the dominant performance Shields said she is unsure whether she will remain in the heavyweight division after becoming the fourth woman fighter to win titles in at least four weight classes and the third with titles in five or more divisions. Shields is also the first woman ever to simultaneously hold the middleweight and heavyweight titles. Shields said the new belt will prompt decisions as to whether she decides to stay in the heavyweight division.


"We've got 10 days to decide," Shields said. "Of course, I think I can campaign at any weight class, and it is some tough challenges at heavyweight. So, I'm going to let me and my team put our minds together to see what's the best choice and what makes the best sense."






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