Claressa Shields Seeks To Write Different Ending With Gabriels

Coming up June 3rd in Detroit, Claressa Shields will be looking at what she considers unfinished business in the first defense of her women’s undisputed middleweight titles. This, as she fights Hanna Gabriels, who is the only woman to have knocked her down in a pro bout.

On Wednesday, Salita Promotions updated Shields’ mindset heading into the rematch with Gabriels, whom she did go on to defeat by decision five years ago.

From their release:

“Boxing superstar Claressa “G.W.O.A.T.” Shields has set her sights squarely on an emphatic victory in her rematch against four-division champion Hanna Gabriels, even having her trainer John David Jackson paste a photo of her upcoming foe on their pads, as they near their showdown on Saturday, June 3 from Little Caesars Arena in Detroit and streaming live on DAZN in the U.S. and Canada.

EYES ON THE UNDISPUTED PRIZE JUNE 3RD LIVE ON @dazn THE #GWOAT @Claressashields MAKES HER INAUGURAL HOMECOMING AT @LCArena_Detroit IN #Detroit pic.twitter.com/mUCs1cjxCt

— Salita Promotions (@SalitaProm) May 10, 2023

“My goal is to knock her out as soon as the chance comes,” said Shields. “I don’t want to be in the ring with her for 10 rounds. That’s respect to her. My goal is to train to catch her with a shot or multiple shots, and get the fight over with. I’m always in shape for 10 rounds, but I’m calculating where I’m gonna land those shots so that I can get her out of there,” said Shields recently.

“I have a very tough opponent in front of me. This is different from every other fight. I’ve gone in there and dominated almost everybody, except Hanna Gabriels. That’s why this fight is more important to me. She’s the only one who’s possessed the power to knock me down, and she knows that.

“She had moments in the first fight and she believes that she can win the fight. I’ve never gone into a fight against an opponent who knows they have the power to actually hurt me. This is a very serious training camp and I’m not taking her lightly. I’m going to fix my mistakes and make this fight easier for myself,” Shields continued.

“There’s something about people doubting me that really turns me up. Marshall had been bragging about winning an amateur fight for 10 years. I enjoyed going over there and showing her and all her people that she can’t do anything to me.

“If I was a man, I’d be the face of boxing. I’ve got more accomplishments than everybody. I’m just gonna keep continuing to build myself and let the world accept me and women’s boxing. This next fight is a big next step for me.” 

Shields, 13-0, 2 KOS, referenced defeating Savannah Marshall back in October and doing so on her home turf in England. Now, the self proclaimed “G.W.O.A.T.” is ready to fight in front our home region fans, as she hails from nearby Flint, MI.

Shields-Gabriels comes up Saturday, June 3 in First Boxing Event at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit & will stream on DAZN.