Two-Time Olympic Gold Medalist Claressa Shields Makes History and Captures the Undisputed Heavyweight Title at Super Brawl Sunday in Flint, Mich.
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 04 Feb 2025
FLINT, MICH. – Feb. 3, 2025. – Flint, Michigan’s undefeated, reigning WBC Champion Claressa Shields (16-0, 3 KOs) became the first boxer in history to earn the coveted title of Undisputed World Champion in three different weight classes by registering a unanimous decision (100-89, 99-90, and 97-92) over No. 1 contender Danielle Perkins (5-1, 2 KOs) in a thrilling “SUPER FIGHT SUNDAY” main event from the Dort Financial Center in Flint and on DAZN. With the momentous victory, Shields added the WBA, WBC, and IBF heavyweight belts to a growing collection of accolades.
Following an epic ring walk featuring the “GWOAT” rapping along to the live rhymes of Papoose and thrilling the boisterous, partisan crowd with the dominant beats of “Whoop That Trick” and “The Champ is Here,” Shields wasted little time once the opening bell sounded.
Furious, non-stop, back-and-forth fisticuffs dominated the early rounds as each fighter engaged in a Hagler vs. Hearns-esque battle of wills. Perkins survived the initial onslaught and fought courageously throughout the 10-round battle.
With 12 seconds remaining in the final round, Shields capped an unforgettable evening and sent her opponent to the canvas for the first time. As Perkins rose to her feet, the final bell sounded, and the two friendly foes engaged in a genuine embrace, displaying the respect that each has shown toward the other throughout the promotion.
In the co-feature matchup of colossal combatants, 6’6” former Golden Gloves champion Brandon Moore (17-1, 10 KOs) survived a tackle by 6’7” former NCAA offensive lineman Skylar Lacy (8-1-2, 6 KOs) that saw both fighters fall through the ropes and land on the concrete floor to capture the USBA heavyweight crown by eighth-round disqualification.
Lacy, who clinched through much of the title bout and had a point deducted early in the eighth round, leaned in, grabbed Moore one final time and forced both fighters to fall through the ropes and land near the DAZN broadcast team.
With Lacy laying on top of Moore and showing no signs of moving, referee Steve Willis put an end to matters and disqualified the previously unbeaten Indianapolis fighter at 51 seconds of the eighth round.
Prior to the mammoth matchup, undefeated Joseph Hicks (12-0, 7 KOs) became the second Grand Rapids fighter of the night to defeat his 12th consecutive opponent by registering a seventh-round TKO over Keon Papillion (10-1-1, 7 KOs). Hicks, who previously was named captain of the U.S. Olympic Boxing team before COVID forced the cancellation of the 2020 Games and derailed his dreams of gold, peppered his previously unbeaten opponent with a barrage of unanswered punches late in the eighth causing referee Ansel Stewart to stop the contest at 1:37 of the seventh.
In the first of two consecutive bouts featuring undefeated Michiganders, NABF Lightweight Champion Joseph James Pagan (12-0, 4 KOs) of Grand Rapids, overcame a cut over his left eye in the second round to earn an eight-round unanimous decision (79-73 and 78-74 twice) over Venezuelan Ronal Ron (16-8, 13 KOs) in a non-title bout. The undefeated 135-pound Pagan, who headlined a DAZN card and recorded a near-shutout over Haskell Rhodes in his last bout from San Juan, Puerto Rico, stood toe to toe against his more experienced foe throughout to defeat his 12th opponent in as many contests.
Prior to the two victories from Grand Rapids brawlers, Caroline Veyre (9-1, 0 KOs) pitched an eight-round shutout (80-72 on all three scorecards) and captured the Women’s WBA Intercontinental Featherweight Championship over Carmen Vargas (5-3-1, 0 KOs); Ashleyann Lozada (1-0, 0 KOs) won her pro debut by winning every round on the judges scorecards (40-36 three times) over Denise Moran (3-1, 0 KOs); Flint’s own Leon Lawson III (17-1, 10 KOs) thrilled the hometown fans by stopping Christopher Thompson (9-3, 6 KOs) at 0:34 of the fourth round; Samantha Worthington (11-0, 7 KOs) remained undefeated by recording an eight-round unanimous decision (79-73, 78-74, and 77-75) over Vaida Masiokaite (10-27-6, 1 KO), and Pryce Taylor (6-0, 4 KOs) opened “Super Fight Sunday” by knocking out Jerell Nettles (4-11, 1 KO).
See below for more on the DAZN fights and what the fighters had to say:
UNDISPUTED HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE MAIN EVENT – 10 ROUNDS
Claressa Shields (16-0, 3 KOs) defeated Danielle Perkins (5-1, 2 KOs) via unanimous decision
Scorecards: 100-89, 99-90, 97-92
Shields: “I felt strong in there. Danielle Perkins is very strong. She was definitely a problem. My skills and experience got me over it. In the last round when I scored the knockout, she got greedy. I have power. Danielle was just big and strong.”
“I was so happy to perform at home. I couldn’t believe it when I walked out and saw the amount of people who came out to support me. I was so excited. Between my walkout and everything, it was too much. I had to calm myself down and focus on the fight and on Danielle. It was an amazing homecoming.”
“Whenever I hit Danielle, especially in the third round when I stunned her and in the 10th round when I dropped her, it was like fireworks going off all over the ring. Fighting in Flint shows me that the best fans in the world are here. They make a lot of noise, and there is never a quiet round.”
USBA HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE CO-FEATURE – 10 ROUNDS
Brandon Moore (17-1, 10 KOs) defeated Skylar Lacy (8-1-2, 6 KOs) via eighth-round disqualification (0:51)
Moore: “This was all crazy because the camera man fell off the ring first and then he (Lacy) threw me out of the ring. That has never happened to me. He was holding me down, but I was able to push him off of me and jump back into the ring. I knew he wasn’t going to be able to go any more rounds against me.”
“It means everything to become champ. I know other fighters will watch this and think it was ugly, but it was because my opponent made it that way.”
SUPER WELTERWEIGHT – 8 ROUNDS
Joseph Hicks (12-0, 7 KOs) scored an eight-round TKO over Keon Papillion (10-1-1, 7 KOs)
Hicks: “I felt like I had the fight secured after the third round when he (Papillion) took a deep breath. It’s a dream come true to be able to fight in my home state. When you first start boxing, you dream of the crowd cheering you on while you perform doing what you love.”
LIGHTWEIGHT – 8 ROUNDS
Joshua James Pagan (12-0, 4 KOs) defeated Ronal Ron (16-8, 13 KOs) via unanimous decision
Scorecards: 79-73, 78-74, 78-74
Pagan: “It’s an honor to perform on a historic card like this. This is probably the biggest event in Flint in years, especially with Claressa Shields’ movie (“The Fire Inside”). Fights are only going to get tougher from here. You are only as good as your last fight.”
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