“SUPERWOMEN: SHIELDS VS. DICAIRE” pay-per-view boxing event, featuring the 10-round 154-pound unification showdown between undefeated three-division and current WBC/WBO Super Welterweight World champion Claressa Shields and also unbeaten IBF Super Welterweight World Champion Marie-Eve Dicaire from the Dort Financial Center in Flint, Mich.
*** Watch SHIELDS vs DICAIRE LIVE on FITE TV on Friday at 9pm EST (click here) ***
The historic all-women’s boxing event will be live-streamed at 9 pm EST | 8 pm CST | 6 pm PST on FITE.TV and VIVE NETWORK and distributed by InDemand through their existing cable, satellite, and telco providers for just $29.95.
Shields and Dicaire were joined on the event’s press conference stage, and Shields promoter Dmitriy Salita and Dicaire’s promoter Yvon Michel. Here is what they all had to say:
Claressa Shields
I want to thank all my fans who bought the pay-per-view—this a huge moment for Marie-Eve Dicaire and me. I’ve never been off boxing for 13 months ad I’ve never wanted to get back in the ring so much. Training is ok, and sparring is cool, but I don’t have the same intensity as the fight, and the belts are on the line, and I’m fighting against a whole other country.
Some of my hardest fights in the amateurs came from girls that were from Canada, even though I was very victorious in those fights. 77-1 in the amateurs. Canada has a strong background in boxing. I’m excited to be in the ring with someone like Marie-Eve Dicaire, who I feel wants to win as much me and can accept how big this moment is.
Everybody is in for a good fight, and this is just a great moment.
Thank you to all my friends and fans who reached out to me. I don’t box for a hobby. It’s not a hobby. It’s my career, and I feel like people underestimate me when I speak about how great I am. But if I didn’t say how great I am, no one in this room would have ever called me great because they don’t recognize it. Only the greats know that they’re great.
Like Muhammad Ali. Nobody called him the greatest of all time. They actually called him the ‘Louisville Lip’ because he talked too much. If he had never said he was the greatest of all time, he would have never been considered the greatest. No matter what boxer comes along, nobody can get in front of Muhammad Ali. That’s how I feel about myself.
Muhammad Ali is the greatest of all time, and Claressa Shields is second. I am the greatest woman of all time, and 98% of men in the world can’t beat me.
I want you to know I’m not taking prisoners. This is a new era for me. My name from now on is Claressa “The Wolf” Shields. T-Rex has long gone. T-Rex was aggressive, but the greatest of all time has so much more. She possesses poise, power, and punch placement.
In an interview, I saw she’s not worried about the outcome; she’s worried about the task. Well, I’m worried about the outcome. I’ve known what the task is for the last 13 months. I’m concerned about the outcome because I don’t particularly appreciate losing. When I lost my first fight when I was 17, I didn’t sleep until I was 21 when I won my second Olympics. That’s how personally I take this fight. I’m hoping she can bring out a different side of me because many girls haven’t been able to take me to level three. I’m hoping she can take me to level 10.
Marie-Eve Dicaire
Honestly, I don’t know with the context we are in right now with the world if it’s a good thing to be contagious, but I’ll take it as a compliment.
I’m happy and thrilled to hear. Like Dmitriy and Yvon said before, it’s been a hell of a year, a year of postponement and disappointment, but now it’s finally on. I’m here, and I’m enjoying every moment of this adventure. When I became a world champion, I was like, is that it? Is there something more? This was when I started focusing on being an undisputed champion.
Facing Claressa Shields is, for me, the opportunity of a lifetime. I worked all my life to get here. My work, my sweat, and my blood got me here, so for sure, I’m going to be 100% in the ring. I’m looking forward to Friday.
Dmitriy Salita
We specifically scheduled this event for March 5, on the weekend of international women’s day, so that the best female fight of the year happens at an appropriate time that highlights the work of incredible women worldwide.
This fight won’t only be broadcast in the United States. It’ll also be seen in China, Argentina, Panama, Canada, Africa, Poland, Russia, The Philippines, and several other countries.
This event has been a year in the making. Literally, a year ago, we were first supposed to have a press conference to announce this fight, and then the pandemic came. The initial date of May 9 was canceled. Shortly thereafter, we tried to reschedule the fight several times to no fruition. In December, we decided the best way to do this fight was to do it ourselves on pay-per-view.
Marie-Eve Dicaire could have said no and not taken this fight, but she is a real-world champion.
Claressa Shields vs. Marie-Eve Dicaire is truly one of the biggest fights of the year.
Claressa is not only known as ‘The GWOAT’ because she’s the only two-time medalist from the United States. She’s not only known as ‘The GWOAT’ because she’s a multi-time amateur champion, multi-time amateur world champion, multi-time professional world champion, or because she’s the fastest man or woman in the sport to become a three-division champion. She is the GWOAT because she uses her talent for boxing as a tool to grapple with social issues of significance. Claressa understands that her talent is God’s gift. She uses it in every way possible to push forward important issues in our culture like equality, women’s empowerment and take the sports world to a new level. That’s what March 5 is about.
If Marie is contagious, I want to remind you that they just announced a one-shot vaccine, and her name is Claressa Shields.
Yvon Michel
I can’t believe how thrilled we are to be here today. Thank you to everyone involved.
Thank you to Dmitriy Salita and Mark Taffet. It has been challenging, we know. You had to have a lot of determination to put on this historical event, and we have a lot of respect and admiration for you.
We have a lot of respect and admiration for Claressa Shields. Also, she did everything she had to do to have this event special for women. One day the women’s fights will be equal to any men’s fight because the athletes’ quality is nothing to be ashamed of compared to men.
I want to apologize for my strong French accent. I can’t deny my roots, and I’m proud of them. I think Claressa probably misunderstood me the other day when I spoke about Roy Jones Jr. I didn’t mean comparing Marie-Eve to Roy Jones’ skill or athleticism or what she has done. My comparison was about her commitment, her dedication, and her desire to get better at everything.
You will find about Marie-Eve Dicaire… I tried to find the words to describe Marie-Eve, and I know she’s quick and dedicated and strong. But the best word I found… and forgive me… but she’s contagious. She beautifies everything she touches. She has the enthusiasm for everybody who works with her. She can convince the most skeptical of her cause. And in the ring, she can persuade. She always convinces her opponents that she’s the best in the group. Be careful, Claressa, when she touches you in the ring. She’s very contagious.
The night’s co-main event will feature undefeated former amateur world champion Danielle Perkins (2-0, 1 KO) of Houston, Texas, fighting an eight-round rematch to her exciting non-stop slugfest with Waycross, Georgia’s Monika “Lay Em Down” Harrison (2-1, 1 KO) for the WBC Silver Heavyweight Championship.
The broadcast will also be women’s star, former amateur world champion, and 2012 Olympic bronze medalist Marlen Esparza (8-1, 1 KO) of Houston returning to action against Canadian veteran Shelly Barnett (3-1-2, 2 KO) in a six-round bantamweight special attraction. In the broadcast opener, undefeated bantamweight Jamie “The Miracle” Mitchell (5-0-2, 3 KO) of Pacific Grove, California, will look to continue her climb up the 118-pound rankings against tough Florida-based veteran Noemi “La Rebelde / No-No” Bosques (12-15-3, 2 KO) over six rounds.
SUPERWOMEN: SHIELDS VS. DICAIRE is dedicated to this year’s International Women’s Day (Monday, March 8, 2021) and presented by Salita Promotions in association with Groupe Yvon Michel.
