There’s no place like home. Not only is that a famous line from The Wizard of Oz, but also how Claressa Shields feels as she gears up for her homecoming fight in Detroit, Michigan.
A two-time undisputed middleweight champion, Shields defends her status against Maricela Cornejo on June 3. The fight airs on DAZN inside the Little Caesars Arena.
Replacing the Joe Louis Arena, Little Caesars Arena opened in 2017. Home of the Red Wings, the arena can hold up to 15,000-20,000 fans. A packed house will watch Shields in action in the first boxing event in arena history.
Born in Flint, Shields has fought at home many times, competing inside the Masonic Temple (4,600 capacity) and Dort Federal Event Center (4,000 capacity). The “G.W.O.A.T” has fought all over, from New Jersey to London, beating several of the world's top boxers. Now, she is ready for the ultimate homecoming in one of the biggest arenas in sports.
WATCH: Claressa Shields vs. Maricela Cornejo, live on DAZN
“I’m just happy that I’m fighting here in America,” Shields told The Sporting News at a pre-fight media workout. “That’s something that I have wanted to do. I haven’t fought in America in two years. I have prepped here; I’ve done camps in Florida, Detroit, and Flint. I just haven’t been able to get my opponents to come across the pond. I went across the pond twice and won to become undisputed again. I’m just happy that now my brand is big enough that Little Caesars Arena will actually accept me being the boxer to open it up. It definitely makes sense, being a two-time Olympic champion and representing America the way I’ve done.
“Not just (the Olympics), but the pros. I fought against Germany, Costa Rica, U.K. girls, Slovenia, everywhere. Whatever country, whoever they think is the best, I fought, and I beat them. Now to be fighting in America... 15,000 fans is just my thing. I’ve always known that women’s boxing could be here. I’ve known that it was going to take some time. I’m happy it’s happening now.”
A true advocate for change, Shields has been outspoken with regard to equal pay and equal rights for female fighters. In 2022, Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano sold out Madison Square Garden -- a first. That same year Shields and Savannah Marshall headlined the first all-women’s card inside the O2 Arena in London. A packed house saw Shields dethrone her former amateur rival to become a two-time undisputed champion at 160.
Winning gold in the Olympics, Shields is a three-time champion, having held gold at super welterweight (154), middleweight (160), and super middleweight (168). She has held undisputed gold in two weight classes (154 and 160). There's always a method to T-Rex’s madness when moving weight classes. If she can beat multi-time title challenger Cornejo, what's next for Shields?
“I’ve already been champion at 168,” Shields said. “The reason I moved from 168 was because I couldn’t become undisputed. The girls who had the belts would not fight me. I had two belts there (WBC and IBF), and we did everything we could to get fights with those girls. They wouldn’t fight me, so I went down to 160 and became undisputed champion there. Then 160 got kind of bland. They were saying all the girls were skilled at 147 and 154, so I went to 154, beat those girls, and became undisputed. 175 is the heavyweight division for women. That’s probably one of the easiest weight classes to become a world champion in boxing."
The last line was seemingly a dig at Hanna Gabriels, who has held light heavyweight gold. Gabriels, who already faced Shields and lost, was supposed to face her but got forced out of the bout after failing a VADA drug test.
MORE: Breaking down the entire Claressa Shields vs. Maricela Cornejo undercard
“Talking about other weight classes that I can go... maybe 147. I would fight the girls at 154, but as of right now, Natasha Jonas is scared s------- of me. She turned down a lot of money to fight against me. Terri Harper hasn’t said my name yet. I’m waiting, I’m listening. I would fight at 154 again… If there’s a girl that wants to fight me at 147 for the belt, I’ll go there. But I don’t have any desire to go to 175. There’s only one champion (at 168), Franchon Crews-Dezurn. She’s getting ready for Savannah Marshall. I’ve already conquered that weight.
The current champion at 147 is Jessica McCaskill. Jonas has called out Shields in the past, with Shields promoter Dmitry Salita telling The Sporting News it would be "the biggest fight for Claressa and women’s boxing.” Shields spars with Crews-Dezurn, who she beat in her first pro fight.
Cornejo has lost in title fights to Kali Reis and Crews-Dezurn (twice). Will the fourth time be the charm?
MORE: Women's pound-for-pound list
Shields is ready to walk in and out of Little Caesars Arena with gold around her waist and family and friends parading around her.
“No matter who is fighting me on Saturday, they’re getting their a-- kicked," Shields said at a media workout. "The same thing that was gonna happen to my previous opponent is what’s gonna happen to Cornejo.”