| |
|
|
Claressa Shields Media Workout Quotes
Unified Women’s Super Middleweight World Champion Claressa
Shields met with local members of the media and took part in
an open-to-the-public workout on Tuesday at Kronk Gym,
exactly one month away from defending her 168-pound WBC and
IBF titles against undefeated IBF mandatory challenger Tori
Nelson on Friday, Jan. 12 live on SHOWTIME.
A two-time Olympic Gold Medalist, Shields (4-0, 2 KOs) will
face her second consecutive undefeated opponent in the main
event of ShoBox: The New Generation live at 10 p.m. ET/PT
from Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, N.Y.
Here is what the 22-year-old native of Flint, Mich., had to
say on Tuesday:
CLARESSA SHIELDS
“I am calm – focused – but still hungry like a challenger
with the added confidence of being a world champion. I took
some time off after my last win but I look forward to
getting busy again in 2018.
“This training camp I did eight weeks instead of six. A lot
of camp has been extremely hard. But I’m so focused and
determined on 2018 and starting great and staying busy. I
expect my opponent to apply pressure, and to use some dirty
tactics. She has more experience, but not that much when you
speak of her amateur experience
“There is no doubt I will start 2018 with a win. Then I just
take it one fight at a time. Right now my focus is Nelson.
“I’m excited to be on SHOWTIME as the first fight of the
year, and just to be back inside the ring. I feel I have
been the face of women’s boxing for some time now. I don’t
let it feel like pressure – I just work really hard in the
gym.
“In 2018 I expect great fights against the best contenders.
I expect to make history again on SHOWTIME and also looking
forward to dropping to 160 to fight against [Christina]
Hammer mid-2018. January 12th will be the beginning of great
things to come
“Training through the holidays is fine. The difference
between the amateurs and now is that I was always in other
countries competing. Now I get to be home with my family
getting ready and I feel good.
“The matchup to me will play out with the first few rounds
of me using my jab. Then I’ll add the combinations as the
fight goes on. I see it being competitive though. I’m going
to earn the win. I believe I can KO her by the sixth,
seventh round.”
|
|
|
