(NOV 16) NEW YORK – WBAN
received a press release on the latest news of the reschedule
fight for Claressa "T-Rex" Shields vs. Ivana Habazin. The
two will be facing each other on Friday, January 10 live on
SHOWTIME from Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City, N.J.
The two will be fighting for the vacant WBC and WBO 154-pound
world titles as Shields attempts to make history as the fastest
fighter in boxing, male or female, to become a three-division
world champion.
Shields and Habazin were
scheduled to fight on October 5 in Flint, Mich. The bout was
called off less than 36 hours from the opening bell following an
altercation at the official weigh-in that resulted in an injury
to Habazin’s trainer, James Ali Bashir. This is the third date
for Shields and Habazin. They were first scheduled to meet on
August 17 before Shields withdrew due to a minor knee injury.
The January 10 SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION telecast begins
at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and will feature a WBA Super Lightweight
World Title Eliminator between Shohjahon Ergashev (17-0, 15 KOs)
and Keith Hunter (11-0, 7 KOs). The winner becomes the mandatory
challenger for WBA Super Lightweight World Championship
currently held by Mario Barrios.
Shields vs. Habazin is promoted by Salita Promotions in
association with T-REX BOXING PROMOTIONS. Ergashev vs. Hunter is
promoted in association with Greg Cohen Promotions. Ticket
information for the live event will be announced next week.
The 24-year-old Shields (9-0, 2 KOs) became the undisputed
middleweight champion with a near-shutout victory over
previously undefeated world champion Christina Hammer in April
on SHOWTIME. In doing so, the two-division titlist joined
Terrence Crawford, Jermain Taylor, Bernard Hopkins, Oleksandr
Usyk and Cecilia Braekhus as the only fighters to have unified
all four major world titles in any weight class (Katie Taylor
has since joined the prestigious list). On January 10, Shields
will seek to make even more history in her sixth headlining
appearance on SHOWTIME. With a win over Habazin, Shields would
become a three-division champion in just 10 bouts, breaking the
record of Vasiliy Lomachenko and Kosei Tanaka, who both
accomplished the feat in 12 fights.
“My goal is to become three-division champ faster than any man
or woman in history,” Shields said. “This is a very significant
fight for both of us. We have both trained really hard twice and
great opportunities await the winner, so hopefully three times
is the charm.”
Habazin (20-3, 7 KOs), of Zagreb, Croatia, is ranked No. 1 by
the WBO at 154 pounds. The 30-year-old, who will be making her
U.S. debut, won the IBF Welterweight Title over Sabrina Giuliani
in 2014. In her next fight, Habazin dropped a unanimous decision
to Braekhus in a historic unification bout where Braekhus picked
up all four major world title belts. Most recently, Habazin
avenged one of only three losses in her career to Eva Bajic in
Zagreb.
Habazin will train in her native Croatia and has dedicated the
fight to Bashir.
“I've been thinking about this since October and I have more of
an incentive now given what happened,” Habazin said. “I feel
like I'm fighting for James Ali Bashir, as well as for my own
pride and respect. I’m also fighting for my country. I want to
make Croatia proud that I am their daughter, and I feel that I
now have their full support. Claressa is just a brief stop on my
journey. I have bigger dreams and bigger shoes to fill in my
life. I’m on my way to fulfilling my personal legend – being
crowned the undisputed women's junior middleweight champion.
This is just another step on that journey. Given my faith, I
feel that while what happened in October was incredibly
unfortunate, this was God’s plan. And I have faith that my hand
will be raised in victory in January.”
Shields was the first American boxer in history – male or female
– to win consecutive Olympic gold medals. She turned
professional following the 2016 Olympics and headlined the first
women’s boxing main event in premium television history in just
her second professional fight in 2017. Shields became unified
women’s super middleweight world champion in just her fourth
professional fight, and a two-division champion in her sixth
professional contest. She was crowned the undisputed 160-pound
champion in her ninth fight, less than three years after turning
professional following the 2016 Olympics.
“January 10 is going to be an important date in boxing history
as Claressa continues her unprecedented journey toward
greatness,” said Dmitriy Salita, President of Salita Promotions.
“A win over Ivana Habazin would make Claressa – in just her
tenth fight – the fastest boxer ever to acquire world title
belts in three weight categories. But a very determined, skilled
and experienced boxer stands in her way, and Ivana is pursuing
her own world championship dream. History will be claimed in the
ring on January 10 at the Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City
and live on SHOWTIME.”
“With five world titles in just nine professional fights,
Claressa Shields has been making women’s boxing history at a
record pace,” said manager Mark Taffet. “Now, in her 10th fight
on January 10, she seeks to win a world title in a third weight
division faster than any man or woman in history, and in
remarkable fashion by going down in weight each time. Claressa
continues to render the impossible possible. It’s truly Herstory.”
"Ocean is proud to host Shields vs. Habazin inside Ovation Hall
this January,” said Michael Donovan, Chief Marketing Officer and
Senior Vice President, Ocean Casino Resort Atlantic City. “We
are excited to bring world class boxing to Atlantic City and
look forward to more shows in 2020.”
Hard-hitting super lightweight Shohjahon Ergashev (17-0, 15
KOs), of Uzbekistan, is ranked in the top-15 in three of the
four major sanctioning bodies. The 27-year-old Ergashev is
coming off an impressive fourth round knockout of veteran Abdiel
Ramirez this past August on ShoBox: The New Generation. In his
previous appearances on the prospect developmental series, the
former member of the Uzbek national team scored a third round
knockout against then top-10 rated Sonny Fredrickson, and a
10-round unanimous decision over previously unbeaten Mykal Fox.
The hard-hitting southpaw currently trains in Detroit with Javan
“Sugar” Hill at the new Kronk Gym with stablemate Vladimir
Shishkin.
“My goal is to be the junior welterweight champion of the world
in 2020,” Ergashev said. “After I win this fight I will be just
one step away from realizing my dream of bringing the world
title home to my country Uzbekistan.”
The 27-year-old Hunter is ranked No. 12 in the WBA. A native of
Las Vegas, the 6-foot Hunter will make his national television
debut against the first undefeated opponent of his career.
Hunter, who is the younger brother of former Olympian Michael
Hunter, trains at Bones Adams Gym in Las Vegas and is co-managed
by former heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman.
“I’m looking forward to making my national television debut on
Showtime,” said Keith “The Bounty” Hunter. “Boxing is in my
blood and January 10 will be my chance to take my career to the
next level. Ergashev has a bounty on his head, I’m here to
collect!”
An industry leading production team and announce crew will
deliver all the sights, sounds and drama from Atlantic City.
Veteran broadcaster Brian Custer will host the telecast while
versatile combat sports voice Mauro Ranallo will call the action
alongside Hall of Fame analyst Al Bernstein and former
two-division world champion Paulie Malignaggi at ringside. Three
Hall of Famers round out the SHOWTIME announce team – Emmy®
award winning reporter Jim Gray, unofficial ringside scorer
Steve Farhood and world-renowned ring announcer Jimmy Lennon Jr.
The Executive Producer of SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION is
David Dinkins, Jr. with Bob Dunphy directing. The telecast will
be available in Spanish via Secondary Audio Programing (SAP)
with Alejandro Luna and former world champion Raul Marquez
calling the action.