Fight Week: Claressa Shields to return to ring against Maricela Cornejo

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May 29, 2023 9:31 pm ET

FIGHT WEEK

Date: Saturday, June 3
Time: 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
Where: Little Caesars Arena, Detroit
TV/Stream: DAZN
Division: Middleweight (160 pounds)
At stake: Shields’ undisputed championship
Odds: Shields 34-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
Also on the card: Ardreal Holmes vs. Wendy Toussaint, junior middleweights
Prediction: Shields UD
Background: The queen of women’s boxing returns to the ring after arguably her most important victory, a unanimous decision over the only woman to defeat her – Savannah Marshall – last October. She had been scheduled to fight Hanna Gabriels on Saturday but Gabriels was pulled from the card after she tested positive for a banned substance. Cornejo agreed to step in on Thursday, although she had been on Shields’ list of desired opponents for some time. Shields is considered by many to be the best female fighter pound-for-pound, particularly after rival Katie Taylor’s loss to Chantelle Cameron on May 20. The only flaw in her record is a lack of knockouts, which is something the 28-year-old Michigander said she has worked on in the gym. Cornejo is a 36-year-old who lives and trains in Los Angeles. The WBO’s No. 1 contender has lost decisions in three title challenges, once against 160-pounder Kali Reis and twice to 168-pound champ Franchon Crews Dezurn. Cornejo has won three consecutive fights since losing a decision to Alma Ibarra in March 2021. She has never been stopped.

Date: Thursday, June 1
Time: 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
Where: Casino de Montreal, Montreal
TV/Stream: ESPN+
Division: Middleweight (160 pounds)
At stake: No major titles
Pound–for-pound: None
Odds: NA
Also on the card: Steve Claggett vs. Alberto Machado, junior welterweights
Prediction: Bazinyan UD
Background: Bazinyan is a 28-year-old former amateur star – he claims to have lost only once in the unpaid ranks – from Armenia who now lives and trains in Montreal. He is ranked by all four major sanctioning bodies (No. 2 by three of them) but has yet to fight for a major title, although he has beaten some solid opponents. That includes decisions over rugged Marcelo Coceres last June and skillful Alantez Fox in February. The unranked Macias isn’t a step up in opposition. The 31-year-old journeyman from Mexico is tough but he has been outclassed when he has faced next-level opposition, including decision losses against Erickson Lubin and Giovani Santillan. He is coming off a one-sided setback against 168-pound prospect Pavel Silyagin last July.