By Mark Eisner: Undisputed female middleweight champion Claressa Shields (14-0, 2 KOs) easily defeated the badly over-matched substitute opponent Maricela Cornejo (16-6, 6 KOs) by a shutout 10 round unanimous decision on Saturday night at the Little Ceasars Arena in Detroit. The scores were 100-89, 100-90, and 100-90.
Undercard results:
- Junior middleweight Ardreal Holmes Jr (14-0, 5 KOs) defeated Wendy Toussaint (14-2, 6 KOs) by an eight round technical decision to win the vacant IBF USBAA 154-lb title in the co-feature bout. The scores were 77-74, 76-75 for Holmes Jr, and 77-74 for the 31-year-old Toussaint. Toussaint was docked a point in round four for a rabbit punch. In the eighth round, a clash of heads opened up a massive cut on the forehead of Toussaint. The ringside doctor examined the cut and allowed the fight to continue. Moments later, the referee, Gerald White, chose to stop the action due to the amount of blood that was leaking from Toussaint’s cut. The fight then went to the cards. Interestingly, when the results of the fight were announced, Holmes was booed by the crowd, which was strange because he’s from Flint, Michigan, that’s only an hour’s drive from Detroit. Toussaint was coming on in the middle and late rounds, landing numerous flurries each time Holmes would back up to the ropes, shelling up. Between the 7th and 8th rounds, Holmes’ corner told him that he’d given away too many rounds and needed a knockout to win. Before that, he’d been lackadaisical, fighting in a passive way, giving up his height and fighting with his back to the ropes.
- Unbeaten middleweight prospect Joseph Hicks (7-0, 5 KOs) won an easy eight round unanimous decision over the gunshy Antonio Todd (14-8, 8 KOs) to win the WBC Americas silver 160-lb title. The judges scored 80-72, 80-72, and 80-72.
Preview: Maricela Cornejo predicts knockout win
“When I got the phone call, I was asleep. I returned the phone call, and I started negotiating. I said, ‘Well, it sounds like they have a problem, so make them make sense, and then we can move forward with that,” said Maricela Cornejo to Secondsout when asked what it was like when she got the phone call out of the blue about the Claressa Shields fight.
“Yeah, so we worked out a deal, and I had the schedule site. Like I said, so I gave that other promoter a call, and he said, ‘Hey, this is a lifetime opportunity. So we’re not mad at that. So go ahead and take it.
“Correct, I was in preparation for a fight that was scheduled for June
6th in Costa Rica, which was going to be Tuesday night fights.
“The preparations that I had to do. I was ready to fight. It’s just the
opponent change. Yes, but the goal is still the same. Go in there
and win.
“We did; we changed a little bit because I was going to be fighting a Southpaw. So yes, there was a change with that, and then the game plan that my trainers set up, I’m ready to execute the outcome on Saturday night.
“I can’t tell you,” said Cornejo when asked about the game plan for her fight against Shields. “Tune in Saturday night.
“All I’m saying is for those who want to make some money, go out and put your money on me because come Saturday night, send me a percentage after as well. I won’t be mad at that, but I love it, and I was aware of it. It doesn’t come as a surprise, and I’m okay with it. I love it because it doesn’t affect it.
“Nothing is expected, so it’s going to be a rude awakening. I win on points, or I could see I see a knockout. Truly, I see a knockout. Will I force it? Absolutely not. That’s the dumbest thing any boxer can do. If I see an opportunity, which there are many opportunities with her, I’m going to capitalize on it,” said Cornejo.
Claressa Shields faces replacement opponent Maricela Cornejo (16-5, 6 KOs) tonight in a 10 round bout at the Little Ceasars Arena in Detroit and LIVE on DAZN. Shields (13-0, 2 KOss) will defend her undisputed female middleweight championship against the 36-year-old Cornejo (16-5, 6 KOs) in an event on DAZN that starts at 9:00 p.m. ET.