(DEC 14) DETROIT - 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.
Tickets for the event, which is
promoted by Salita Promotions, are currently on sale for $75 for
the first two rows of ringside, $65 for remaining ringside seats
and all others priced at $49 and $37, plus any applicable fees.
Tickets can be purchased in person or by calling the Turning
Stone Resort Box Office at 800.771.7711 or online at
Ticketmaster.
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 match-up 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."